On September 5, 2008, the Sunflower Foundation announced three RFPs providing funding for Bridge Grants, Capacity Building Grants and Sunflower Trails Grants. The deadline for submitting proposals for Bridget Grants or Capacity Building Grants was October 23, 2008. Awards will be announced by January 9, 2009.

Proposals for Sunflower Trails Grants will be accepted until April 30, 2009. For details and directions on downloading application instructions, click here.

The Board of Trustees of the Sunflower Foundation approved grant awards totaling $724,134 in the foundation's latest funding cycle. The grants were awarded to 22 organizations throughout Kansas. Fifteen grants will help build the organizational capacity of nonprofit health-related organizations. Four grants will help construct community-based walking trails to promote physical activity. Three grants were awarded for special projects that address the foundation's interest in access to health care. To read more, click here. To view all grants awarded during the foundation's most recently completed fiscal year  (July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008), click here. 

The Board of Trustees of the Sunflower Foundation elected officers for the coming year at its Annual Meeting on June 12, 2008.  Elected were: Marty Beezley, Chair (Pittsburg); Chris Ruder, Secretary (Lenexa); and Kraig Gross, Treasurer (Hays).  The foundation is governed by a nine-member board that represents, as much as possible, the ethnic, racial and geographic diversity of the state.  Board officers are elected for one-year terms.  To learn more about the foundation's Board of Trustees, click here.

The Sunflower Foundation has announced the release of new Requests for Proposals (RFPs) addressing the following areas: CAPACITY BUILDING (RFP 09-104), SUNFLOWER TRAILS (RFP 09-105) and FINDING SOLUTIONS IN CHALLENGING TIMES (RFP 10-101). read more >

The Sunflower Foundation's Advocacy in Health Speaker Series concluded May 20, 2009, with a presentation by Andy Goodman, nationally recognized public interest communications specialist. A capacity Wichita crowd heard Mr. Goodman speak on "Storytelling as Best Practice."

This speaker series, which began in November 2008, featured four national experts on advocacy, health care and health media, and was designed to improve the health of Kansans by increasing the number of effective voices at the policymaking table. Click here for profiles on the speakers and videos of their presentations.

The Sunflower Foundation has announced new appointments to its Board of Trustees and Community Advisory Committee. Appointments to the Board by Kansas Attorney General Steve Six include Kraig Gross, Hays, reappointed to his second three-year term and Reggie Robinson, Lawrence, appointed to his first three-year term. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas appointed Howard Shuler, Topeka, to the Board for his first three-year term. The Attorney General also made three appointments to the foundation's Community Advisory Committee, including Robert Thomen, Chanute, Doug Sheern, Abilene, and Barbara Carswell, Lawrence. read more >

The Sunflower Foundation's 2009-2010 Advocacy in Health Speaker Series began on November 18, 2009, with a presentation by Marcia Avner, nationally recognized author and nonprofit advocate. The second presentation was given January 6, 2010, by Rudy Lopez, Director of Politics, Center for Community Change, Washington, D.C. The final presentation in the series will be given by Steve Shields, May 5, 2010. More information about this event will be announced in the near future.