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Capacity Connect Initiative

Capacity Connect Initiative

The Capacity Connect Initiative

Empowering Local Food and Nutrition Providers

The Capacity Connect Initiative (CCI) is designed to empower local, community-based food and nutrition providers who have not traditionally delivered services within the Medicaid system. By offering tailored technical assistance, direct funding, and strategic support, this initiative helps providers overcome barriers to participation in the Medicaid program’s new In-Lieu of Services opportunity.

capacity connect initiative approach

The Capacity Connect Initiative offers two sources of supports to CCI participants. These supports include direct funding and technical assistance.

Direct Funding

MDHHS will make direct funding available to organizations through a grant application and award process to support investments such as the implementation or enhancement of technology solutions, development of business or operational practices, workforce development and training efforts, and education and outreach. Organizations interested in direct funding should read the provided information and complete the full application below which includes a pre-assessment.

Eligibility

Eligible nutrition providers applying for the Capacity Connect Initiative should have experience and expertise that aligns with the MDHHS ILOS Policy Guide.

Applicants can be either an individual organization or consortia*, and must meet the criteria below:

  • Provide or intend to provide at least one of the following food and nutrition services:
    • Medically Tailored Home Delivered Meals
    • Healthy Home Delivered Meals
    • Healthy Food Packs
    • Produce Prescriptions
  • Demonstrate a goal to contract with Medicaid Health Plans to provide ILOS.
  • Demonstrate the potential to align with the definition of a "locally-based ILOS service provider" as defined in the ILOS Policy Guide.
  • Demonstrate a physical presence in the state of Michigan.
  • Must be participating in the local food economy.
  • Preference to support organizations that serve individuals with a high Area Deprivation Index as illustrated via the Neighborhood Atlas - Mapping

*A consortium (in the context of local food and nutrition services) refers to a collaborative network of diverse, organizations that come together to achieve shared goals related to food access and nutrition. These organizations work together to pool resources, knowledge, and expertise. A consortium must include one of more organizations that meet the locally based ILOS provider definition as aligned in the MDHHS ILOS Policy Guide.

Allowable Uses of Funds

    • Development of policies/procedures related to:
      • ILOS referral and service delivery workflows
      • Billing/invoicing
      • Data sharing/reporting
      • Program oversight/monitoring
      • Evaluation
      • Privacy and confidentiality
    • Contract development and management
      • Cost of developing/managing contracts with Medicaid health plans, ILOS service delivery providers, and/or vendors
    • Training/technical assistance on ILOS program and roles/responsibilities
    • Modifying infrastructure necessary to perform ILOS duties or build/enhance ILOS service delivery capacity
    • Planning needs for the implementation of ILOS program
    • Procurement of administrative staff supports to assist implementation of ILOS program
    • Quality improvement planning
    • Cost of recruiting, hiring, and training new staff
    • Salary and fringe for staff that will have a direct role in overseeing, designing, implementing, and executing ILOS responsibilities.
    • Training/technical assistance related to privacy/confidentiality for executing ILOS services
    • Costs associated with updating internal policies to comply with Medicaid requirements/ILOS requirements
    • Procuring IT infrastructure/data platforms needed to support necessary ILOS services, for example:
      • Referral to ILOS services
      • ILOS service delivery
      • ILOS service billing
      • ILOS program reporting
    • Modifying existing systems to support ILOS services (meal ordering systems and delivery management)
    • Integration of data platforms/systems/tools
    • Onboarding and/or training to new, modified or existing systems (e.g., data information exchange)
    • Purchasing hardware or office equipment necessary to support delivery of ILOS services
    • Production of materials necessary for promoting, outreach, training and/or education
    • Developing educational materials that are accessible and relevant
    • Planning for and facilitation of community-based outreach events to support awareness of ILOS services
    • Planning for and facilitation of community engagement activities, including learning collaboratives or stakeholder convenings necessary to support ILOS implementation

How To Apply

Applications Now Open until 5:00PM EST April 9, 2025.

The MDHHS Capacity Connect Initiative (CCI) is now accepting applications for its direct funding awards to build capacity for food and nutrition service providers!

The CCI will be providing direct funding to eligible organizations to build their capacity for the delivery of Medicaid In Lieu of Services (ILOS) food and nutrition services. Awardees will receive no less than $50,000 and up to $150,000 for the time period of July 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, as well as supportive learning opportunities and individualized technical assistance.

Submit direct funding applications using the button below. 

 

Technical Assistance (TA)

Technical assistance will be available to all interested organizations whether they pursue direct funding or simply wish to benefit from assistance support. Technical assistance will support critical areas of program operations and administration which may encompass referrals, authorizations, documentation of service levels, billing procedures, claims processing, and staff training. Support may be delivered through written resources, offering one-on-one technical assistance sessions, facilitating knowledge-sharing forums, or employing other effective engagement strategies. While technical assistance will be available to all interested organizations, participation in certain technical assistance forums will be required for direct funding awardees.

More Information:

Resources

Upcoming Events

  • On Wednesday, March 12, MDHHS hosted an informational session to provide details on what the CCI offers and answered questions from interested applicants. A link to the recording of the session is available here. The presentation slides are available here.

Contact

  • To stay in touch, please join our ListServ here.
  • For General Questions: You can e-mail MDHHS-EngageMedicaid@michigan.gov with the subject line "Capacity Connect Initiative".
  • For Questions about the Direct Funding Opportunity: Interested applicants may submit questions and requests for clarification about this funding opportunity via this form before 5:00PM EST on April 2, 2025.

In Collaboration with:

The Capacity Connect Initiative is made possible through funding support by The Health Fund, collaborative program design support from the Michigan Farmer's Market Association (MIFMA), the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM), the Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP), and is facilitated by the MDHHS Behavioral and Physical Health and Aging Services Administration (BPHASA) Strategic Engagement and Planning section.

 

Learn more about our partners below:

The Michigan Health Endowment Fund Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP)

The Michigan Health Endowment Fund is a philanthropic foundation that works to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents while reducing healthcare costs, with a special focus on children and seniors. The Health Fund supports organizations across Michigan, from grassroots groups addressing local health challenges to large agencies working in every county.

 The Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) is a member-based, non-profit organization with a mission to support the viability of community-driven marketplaces and healthy food access for all. In service of this mission, MIFMA leads Michigan Produce Prescription Coalitions to sustain and advance the impacts of Produce Prescription programs including equitability addressing nutrition access and creating positive health outcomes. The Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) is a 501(c)(3) partner state association of the national Feeding America network, representing Michigan’s 7 Feeding America-member food banks that, in partnership with a network of over 2,000 local agencies, collectively serve all 83 counties in Michigan. As a part of FBCM’s broader work towards its mission to create a food secure state, FBCM works to build operational capacity, partnership opportunities, and policy change for food and nutrition partners to participate in Food as Medicine programs with healthcare, education, and social services partners. The mission of the Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP) is to provide leadership for promoting and advocating high-quality, affordable, equitable, and accessible health care access for the people of Michigan.
mihealthfund.org mifma.org/ppr www.fbcmich.org www.mahp.org