Request for Proposal for programs aligning with Astellas’ Access to Health Initiatives:
Strengthening Health Systems and Increasing Health Literacy in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Greater Boston Area and/or San Francisco Bay Area
1.Background
Astellas (as used in this Request for Proposal [RFP], “Astellas” means Astellas Pharma, Inc. and its affiliates), established in 2005, has adopted a business raison d'être to “Contribute towards improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products.” As we strive to deepen our engagement in sustainability, we are engaged in activities to promote our sustainability in society and to enhance our corporate value.
2.Programmatic Focus Areas
Astellas is committed to improving healthcare and making a difference in the lives of patients, their care partners, and local communities. We work with charitable partners to strengthen health systems and increase health literacy to eliminate health inequities and build healthy communities.
In the United States, Astellas is preparing to support grassroot and small to medium-sized local charitable organizations with a goal of increasing access to equitable healthcare for underserved communities and populations. We are interested in funding programs with external organizations that positively impact societies in which there are anticipated synergies with Astellas’ Sustainability goals.
Grant projects submitted in response to this RFP should:
- Be located in the communities around Astellas’ US headquarter in Northbrook, Illinois,or the wider Chicago Metropolitan Area, the Boston Metropolitan Area (“Greater Boston”) and/or the San Francisco Metropolitan Area (“San Francisco Bay”).
- Align with Astellas’ therapeutic areas and improve health outcomes in at leastone of these.
- Builds on existing or extends ongoing program activities which have already been proven impactful.
- Be embedded in the local community and ensures local ownership of the program.
- Have a program length of 1 year; with a maximum funding amount of USD 75,000 per year, with administration cost limited to a maximum of 25%.
Examples of projects can include, but are not limited to:
- Health Literacy: patient-focused disease education, including disease awareness and the importance of early detection and proper treatment.
- Healthcare System Strengthening: projects to improve medical infrastructure, health screening and diagnosis; improving health outcomes, concentrating on access to needed care.
Astellas may support the cause with proactive communications in the community, with key stakeholders and with media. (Note: No communications can be made until all parties sign a Letter of Agreement prior to funding approval. Any external communications must be reviewed and approved by Astellas.)
We ask selected organisation(s) to collaborate with Astellas in the following ways:
- Participate in initial announcement and program launch communications efforts led by Astellas.
- Collaborate with Astellas’ Access to Health team to share stories of progress, impact and positivity that can be promoted within the community, media and to other stakeholders.
- Cross-promote stories on donation recipient’s social media channels and website, if applicable.
- Capture and share photos with Astellas (including photo releases), where appropriate, to help illustrate the funded program and its positive impact on targeted communities.
- Optionally, have the potential for Astellas employee engagement opportunities – for Astellas employees y (e.g. in-person volunteering for project delivery, program promotion) and/or global staff members (e.g. virtual fundraising drives, online volunteering).
3.Application details
All applications have to be made using Astellas’ online application portal, written applications or applications by email will not be accepted. The application period ends 30 November 2024, 11pm UTC.
Selected applicants may receive between $50,000–$75,000 to fund projects over a one-year period that will begin after 1 January 2024. The request for funding must be submitted and approved prior to the activity’s start date which the funding is supporting. Moreover, Astellas cannot be the main funder of the proposed project (requested funding must be less than 50% of the overall project budget for any 12-month period).
4.Project information
To apply for funding, the following information needs to be included in the proposal.
- Detailed description of project, and how it addresses one of the two priority areas.
- Explanation of how project success will be measured. Award recipients must provide a report after funding from Astellas has ended, outlining planned against achieved outcomes/impact.
- Overall budget of the project, with overview of what funding from Astellas will be used for. This must include a breakdown of all items that roll into each line item; and must not include funding for the charitable organization’s operating budget, or administrative costs over 25%.
- A sustainability perspective has to be included, which explains how the success of the project will be sustained after funding has ended.
5.Eligibility
Astellas offers Charitable Donations to tax-exempt U.S. charitable organizations as described in section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (IRS) or otherwise IRS tax-exempt charitable organizations. Astellas does not provide charitable donations to organizations that operate patient assistance programs or provide financial assistance to patients.
Donations are made for a charitable purpose and without any commercial motive or appearance of such; and without an intent to influence, induce, or reward the purchase, use, recommending, or arranging for the use of any product developed, marketed, and/or manufactured by Astellas or its affiliates, or the formulary status of any Astellas products.
Astellas does not provide funding for:
- Charitable organizations that operate patient assistance programs or provide financial support to patients;
- Charitable contributions to foreign organizations or institutions outside of the U.S.;
- Sponsorships & Exhibits, or other events and fundraising programs;
- Investigator Sponsored Research (ISR) of Astellas marketed products or Investigator Initiated Trials for Compounds in Development;
- Independent Medical Education (IME) Grants; CME Grants;
- Product Donations;
- Lobbying activities, and contributions to political candidates, political parties, political action committees (PACs), or other political organizations established under Internal Revenue Code Section 527;
- Charitable organizations with administrative costs totaling more than 25% of proposed total budget;
- Endowments;
- Religious groups for religious purposes;
Inquiries regarding the RFP and/or specifics about the program can be directed to ath@astellas.com.