Established in 2020, the Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation (SHCHF) is a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation. We aim to provide funding for projects and programs that promote healthier communities.
Our current grant cycle is closed. Click on this link or the Grants Process & Application button in the menu below for updates.
SHCHF was created from the endowment generated through annual fundraising outreach, dedicated campaign appeals, and various activities that the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills (VNASH) volunteers undertook over many decades. These activities include the Far Hills Fair and Horse Show, which began in 1930 and transitioned to the infamous Far Hills “Rummage Sale” in 1938.
Through these events, dedicated volunteers were committed to assuring that VNASH was able to meet its mission and goals of providing preventive health programs, services for older adults, chronic disease education, case management to the underserved, and scholarship support for those entering registered nursing programs.
As a means of continuing the intent of the mission to ensure the health and well-being of Morris and Somerset county residents, these goals have been integrated into SHCHF’s priorities and guide the allocation of funds each year.
We aim to provide funding for projects and programs that promote healthier communities.
Directors of the SHCHF board are knowledgeable about the needs of the communities in Morris and Somerset counties through their participation in community agencies and groups, as well as healthcare agencies and committees. Community members are invited to participate and share their insight and knowledge with the Foundation’s committees.
The Foundation is committed to funding projects and programs that promote independent living, healthier individuals, and thriving communities exclusively in Morris and Somerset counties. Programs serving multiple counties are requested to carve out and address proposals targeting these specific counties. As a general guiding principle, SHCHF prefers to fund specific programs with measurable objective outcomes over general operating costs. It doesn’t fund affordable housing, capital improvements, and fundraising efforts.
Information about submitting Letters of Intent and grant application cycles will be posted on this page when the details are available.
Grants are awarded to organizations whose proposals address one or more of the following Foundation priorities:
SHCHF’s grant application cycle is currently closed. Check back soon for updates.
Since its founding, SHCHF has awarded $3.38 million to community organizations and agencies as well as scholarships. Awards have included, but were not limited to, agencies focused on the elderly, mental health, underserved populations with limited access to healthcare resources, and schools with all levels of RN education.
SHCHF’s process of requesting Letters of Interest for the 2026 grant cycle is now closed. If your organization was selected to submit a full grant proposal, we will notify you by December 1, 2025, and request further information regarding the submission. The full application will be due by February 1, 2026.
Please check back in August 2026 for details about the 2027 grant cycle.
If you have any questions, please contact Lydia Gracey at info@cfnj.org.
Our grants help nonprofit organizations foster independent living by addressing the needs of underserved populations, incorporating innovative ways to increase access, providing modes of transportation, and offering educational and respite support for caregivers.
Hope House, a grantee organization based in Dover, shared that the funding it received from SHCHF helped it provide “…900 hours of service to 101 low-income seniors living in Morris County. These lifesaving services contributed to the health, safety, and dignity of older adults — many of whom are disabled and all of whom live alone or with disabled family — so they may age in place successfully.”
Individuals who benefited directly from independent living programming shared the following in their satisfaction surveys:
“Your service has blessed me so much because of my back and leg problems. I really appreciate everything you do.”
“Thank you for all the help I’ve received … [including] the food and wonderful volunteers who come to my house to fix things I couldn’t afford to pay for.”
“Myself and my wife are 100% disabled and need this [service] to continue and hope it does.”
“Your repair work has significantly improved my home’s safety and comfort — providing my kids with peace of mind and a more positive living environment. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and dedication.”
We support critical health and wellness needs of Somerset and Morris county residents by funding programs focusing on chronic disease prevention, healthy aging, mental health, healthy eating, and physical exercise.
Community in Crisis, located in Bernardsville, noted, “During our first year of funding, we were able to see much success and received positive feedback from our youth participants and their parents, as well as from school employees who received training to support the mental health of their students. Your funding allowed us to enhance some existing programs as well as integrate new programs into our program offerings.”
Crossroads4Hope, a grantee based in Bedminster, used its grant funding to focus on vital patient-centered approaches for oncology care. The organization shared the following:
“We provide a comprehensive psychosocial support network at no charge — recognizing that care must extend beyond medical treatments to address the cancer patient’s emotional, psychological, social, and environmental dimensions. Our approach to improving health equity across the cancer continuum is grounded in social work as we leverage a team of public health professionals on the ground — enhanced by technology to ensure the social determinants of health do not become a barrier to achieving better outcomes. ”
Many of SHCHF’s grants help increase the number of available health care workers in communities — including nurses, therapists, and home health aides — by funding scholarships, training programs, and financial support to alleviate barriers for students pursuing educational programs.
A nursing student as well as a member of the administration from Raritan Valley Community College recently shared how the financial support provided by SHCHF is making a difference.
“Balancing school requirements [and] childcare responsibilities, and adjusting to a low income, has been daunting. But your assistance serves as a beacon of hope. With the financial support from your scholarship, I am better equipped to pursue my dreams of a successful nursing career while ensuring a stable future for my family,” the nursing student wrote in her thank you note to SHCHF. “I am truly grateful for your investment in my education and future. Your generosity inspires me to strive for excellence and give back to my community in meaningful ways. Thank you for believing in me and for making a positive impact on my journey.”
“Would you let the board of Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation know that I am so grateful [for] their generous support? These scholarship funds are so critical if we are to address the nursing shortage; so critical if we are going to recruit and retain talented, deserving nursing students," an administrator shared. "This support — your support — is transformational.”
