Application and Review Process

Application process 

The Aetna Foundation has two different processes: one for National requests and one for Regional requests. The two categories are defined below.  Grant seekers who are unsure of the appropriate category for their grant proposal are encouraged to use the National request process.  The grant review committee will reclassify their grant proposal if necessary. Sponsorship applications are managed by Aetna's Community Relations and Urban Marketing Department. Please scroll down for more information.

National Applications

• Work that is generalizable across the nation
• Implications or results from the projects are not limited to one geographic area
• Having national impact and relevance.

The first step in the application process for National awards is to submit a Letter of Inquiry using our online application form.  This includes all types of funding requests:  research, project, policy grants and sponsorships.

Letters of Inquiry for the National program are accepted on a rolling basis.  Full proposal application deadlines will be provided with notification that a Letter of Inquiry has been accepted. Submission of National proposals without a preliminary Letter of Inquiry is strongly discouraged.

Following Aetna Foundation Letter of Inquiry review, applicants will be contacted for additional information, declined or invited to submit a full proposal. Full proposals will be accepted in quarterly cycles with submission closing dates of:

• February 15
• May 15
• August 15
• November 15 

Awards in this category typically range from $50,000 to $250,000.  National grant requests may not exceed $250,000 -- including 15% for indirect costs.  Project timelines may not exceed two years in length.

Regional Applications

Regional: Impact and relevance for a specific region, state or community within our defined areas of geographic focus. This includes all types of funding requests: research, project, and policy grants.  Regional grant awards generally will be $25,000 to $50,000 including 15% for indirect costs. Regional grant requests may not exceed $50,000.  Project timelines should generally not exceed one year in length.

In 2012 Regional Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Review process

Proposals will be reviewed by Aetna Foundation staff and as determined by the Aetna Foundation, a selection committee composed of Aetna representatives and/or external subject matter experts.  Award notification generally will be made within 150 days of application cycle close and by e-mail. Due to the large volume of requests we receive, we are unable to provide feedback on applications.

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based upon several criteria, including the following:

• Relevance to the Aetna Foundation's program areas
• Quality of the application, including innovation, originality, best practices and impact
• Strength of project and evaluation plan
• Feasibility of project success, including availability of resources necessary to perform the project; budget; organizational capacity and qualifications of key personnel and collaborators
• Impact on designated issue and population served (clearly defined and quantified)
• Potential for generalizability of results to improve health and health care
• Quality of communications and dissemination plan, including presentations, conferences, meetings, white papers, publications and policy analyses

And for research projects:

• Applied, not theoretical, significance of proposed research objectives
• Appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental design and proposed research methodology
• Adequacy of research methods and evaluation components, including survey techniques and data analyses

Sponsorship Applications

Sponsorship applications are managed, reviewed and awarded by Aetna's Community Relations & Urban Marketing Department, which will consider proposals for a wide range of events and community activities.  Generally, sponsorship requests range from $5,000 to $15,000, but in no event may they exceed one year in length or $25,000.  Please note - the application system used for sponsorship applications is not compatible with the system used by the Aetna Foundation for its National and Regional Grants Programs, and as a result you may be required to set up a new account.