On behalf of the THRIVE initiative (Transforming Health Regionally in a Vibrant Economy), thank you for participating in this brief funding and financing survey.
THRIVE is a partnership between the Michigan Health Improvement Alliance and the Great Lakes Bay Area Regional Alliance that serves 14 counties. THRIVE’s mission since 2017 had been to deliver improved health and sustained economic growth in our communities, a mission that seems all the more critical in the context of COVID-19.
This survey seeks to understand the funding and financing local organizations are currently using or might use to advance regional health and prosperity for all residents. It includes questions about special needs in disaster response as well longer-term needs.
Funding includes grants, payments, subsidies and reimbursements that do not need to be repaid. Typical funding sources include foundations, philanthropic individuals and government agencies.
Financing includes loans or equity investments that need to be repaid. Loans can be used by nonprofit organizations or for-profit businesses. Typically loan balances must be repaid on a schedule, with interest. Equity investments are flexible investments of capital that help for-profit businesses to get started and grow. They are repaid if and as the business is successful. Typical financing sources include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), county loan programs, banks and/or investment funds. Further background on funding and financing to support regional health and prosperity is in a short video
here.
The survey also asks about
technical assistance available in the region. Sometimes referred to as the “entrepreneurial ecosystem,” this includes financial education, professional advice, space and/or other supports available to entrepreneurs, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and even households that are seeking to grow and/or strengthen their financial position.
While THRIVE is not a grantmaker or provider of financing, our goals are to increase funding and financing for health and economic growth in the region, as well as to strengthen the technical assistance resources that advance this mission. We will keep your responses confidential. We look forward to sharing aggregate, anonymized survey results with all who respond, and are happy to assist if you have questions (see below).
Participating in the survey should take no more than 25 minutes. There are two sections:
- Background Information – This includes your organization’s name, location and type. We ask you to select an organizational type from this list that best describes your organization’s work:
a. Health Care Provider
b. Nonprofit Services Provider (including education, housing, workforce development and other social services)
c. Small Business (including Micro-Business)
d. Technical Assistance & Capacity Building Source – Provider of financial education, professional advice, space and/or other supports to area businesses, nonprofit organizations and/or households
e. Funder and/or Financing Source – Foundation, other philanthropy or grantmaker, government agency, Bank, credit union, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) or other investment fund, or impact investor (investor seeking social and environmental benefits alongside financial return)
2. Organizational Profile – This includes questions customized for each organizational type.
We encourage quick, ballpark answers. Questions marked with a red star are required, but you can always quickly select “Not Applicable.” We will keep answers confidential and report only aggregated results.
We suggest that your organization select one person to complete the survey who is familiar with your products, services and financial management practices. Should you need to stop mid-way, simply save your form by selecting “save” at the top of the page so you can return to it later.
We know your time is valuable and we appreciate your participation.
We also ask your cooperation in completing the scan by Friday, April 24, 2020.Avivar Capital, survey administrator, is working with THRIVE to develop its funding and financing strategy. Please direct any questions or comments to Javier Hernandez, Avivar Capital, at jhernandez@avivarcapital.com.