Optional Applicant Info Sessions:
Buckle Up for Life will host two optional info session for agencies who are interested in applying for the Community Grant. During each virtual meeting, the team from Buckle Up for Life Headquarters will walk you through the Common Partnership Application, and will be available to answer your questions.  All are welcome!  Click below to access the meeting invitation(s).

Note: The same information will be presented during both sessions, but the questions and subsequent discussion may vary based on input from participants.

• Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 2-3 PM EST
  • MS Teams Meeting Link This meeting has lapsed.
  • Add to Your Outlook Calendar This meeting has lapsed.
• Friday, March 15, 2024, 1-2 PM EST
  • MS Teams Meeting Link This meeting has lapsed.
  • Add to Your Outlook Calendar This meeting has lapsed.
• Recording: Info Session Recap
  • Click to watch a recap of the content presented during the interactive sessions listed above.

Application Period:

February 15, 2024 – April 15, 2024

Program Period:

August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025

Overview:

Buckle Up for Life’s Community Grant is a highly competitive opportunity that provides seasoned child passenger safety programs across North America with financial support to either sustain or grow their community-based programs. While there are limits on certain spending categories, budgets are generally flexible and are applicant designed and proposed.

Buckle Up for Life aims to provide multiple Community Grants during the 2024-2025 program year, as prime award funding allows.

Eligibility:

To qualify, Community Grant applicants:

• Must operate in North America
• Must be one of the following:
  • 501(c)(3) or 509(a), or equivalent for non-US applicants in North America
  • Public service agency (e.g., fire/police dept, health dept, school, etc.)
  • Federally recognized tribal nation
• Must have an injury prevention program with at least one certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) on staff
• Must serve families in the community. Buckle Up for Life does not fund or resource hospital-based in-patient patient programs.
• Must not already be in their second year of consecutive Community Grant funding.  After two consecutive years, organizations must wait one year before applying again. During the interim, they may still apply for Gift of Safety and/or other Buckle Up for Life partnerships.
• Must not apply on behalf of a coalition? Buckle Up for Life does not offer the Community Grant partnership to third party coalitions. Organizations who house coalition community chapters should apply on their own behalf, or should apply (as a coalition) for a Gift of Safety partnership instead.
• Must have organizational capacity (self-attestation) to meet all deliverables and reporting expectations.

Partner Benefits:

Each Community Grant partner will receive $20,000.

Community Grant partners also receive program training and support, and access to online tools (including an optional, personalized Virtual Safety Station microsite), as well as Buckle Up for Life’s educational resources and curricula.

Additionally, Community Grant partners receive a selection of branded materials (E.g., tablecloths, banners, safety vests, jackets, shirts, giveaways, literature, etc.) to enhance their program. These items are provided in-kind and are not paid from grant funds.

Note:  No in-kind car seats are provided directly to Community Grant partners. Car seats to be distributed, and credited toward program deliverables must be purchased by the grantee, using grant funds.

Budget:

Applying institutions must submit a budget with their application, to be approved by Buckle Up for Life. Acceptable program expenditures include salary support, supplies, equipment, mileage, etc. Note that some budget sections, including salary and administrative costs are each capped at 25% ($5000) of the total grant amount.

Budget instructions must be followed exactly, and fully to avoid application disqualification. See full budget instructions and access budget template here.

Minimum Expectations:

Community Grant partners are expected to meet and report the following deliverables:

• Distribute at least 150 car seats, for free, with education and installation assistance, to families in need
• Educate at least 225 people on child passenger safety

Ideal grant partners will surpass these minimums, by providing multiple educational sessions and outreach opportunities to serve as many people as possible, in accordance with the guidelines outlined below.

­      Car Seat Distribution Guidelines:

• Car seats should be purchased directly by the grantee using subaward funding.
• Buckle Up for Life does not mandate make, model, or type of car seats to be distributed; grantees should consider cost, value, and expected output goals when purchasing seats.
• Car seats may be distributed at the agency’s discretion–although the focus should be on at-risk populations. Each agency may assess and determine local need.
• Car seats must be installed with the assistance of a CPST.
• Car seats provided by Buckle Up for Life must be given away to selected families for FREE. Partners may not sell or solicit donations for Buckle Up for Life car seats.

­      Child Passenger Safety Education Guidelines:

• Reported totals should only reflect the true number of individuals that received high-quality passenger safety education, provided by a CPST. Only include meaningful interactions like classroom instruction, demonstrations, or carside assistance. Do not include activities like handing out fliers at a health fair. Do not include social media likes or website clicks, etc.
• As a resource, Buckle Up for Life provides the curricula and supporting materials necessary for a CPST to deliver age-appropriate education as follows:
  • Children: seat belts, where to sit in a car, and proper passenger behavior.
  • Teens: crash dynamics, seat belts, and sound decision-making.
  • Adults: crash dynamics, seat belts, distracted driving, and child-passenger safety.
• Education can be provided in-person or virtually; and in any language as needed to accommodate the learner(s).

Community Grant partners are also expected to fully participate in brief, monthly status calls with Buckle Up for Life, as well as all-partner, quarterly webinars.

Reporting:

Community Grant partners will submit regular reports to Buckle Up for Life summarizing their outputs in real time throughout the program year. Mid-year and final reports will also include financial summaries.

Notification and Acceptance:

Notifications will be sent to all applicants, via email, in late spring.

If conditionally offered a Community Grant partnership, that offer may be contingent upon additional steps, up to and including successful and timely completion of additional forms and complete execution of a standard, non-negotiable sub-award contract between your institution and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center—which requires certain terms, including liability coverage, to be met. No revisions or changes to the standard subaward contract can be accepted. Actual availability and disbursement of funds may also depend on availability of funding from the prime award sponsor (Toyota), as well as other factors, which can change. Prior to actual funding, any preliminary offer may be rescinded at any time and for any reason.

Orientation:

Buckle Up for Life Community Grant Partner Orientation will be offered virtually in late summer 2024.

Attendance is mandatory. Only one person from each partner agency is required to attend, but there is no limit to how many additional team members can join.

Contact Information:

Please browse our Partnership Application FAQs, available at the bottom of the page. If your question isn’t answered there, please contact buckleupforlife@cchmc.org for assistance.

Download the Full Partnership Alert.

This partnership does not provide funding.

Optional Applicant Info Sessions:
Buckle Up for Life will host two optional info session for agencies who are interested in applying. During each virtual meeting, the team from Buckle Up for Life Headquarters will walk you through the Common Partnership Application, and will be available to answer your questions.  All are welcome!  Click below to access the meeting invitation(s).

Note: The same information will be presented during both sessions, but the questions and subsequent discussion may vary based on input from participants.

• Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 2-3 PM EST
  • MS Teams Meeting Link This meeting has lapsed.
  • Add to Your Outlook Calendar This meeting has lapsed.
• Friday, March 15, 2024, 1-2 PM EST
  • MS Teams Meeting Link This meeting has lapsed.
  • Add to Your Outlook Calendar This meeting has lapsed.
• Recording: Info Session Recap
  • Click to watch a recap of the content presented during the interactive sessions listed above.

Application Period:

February 15, 2024 – April 15, 2024

Program Period:

August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025

Overview:

Buckle Up for Life’s Gift of Safety is a highly competitive opportunity that provides both new and seasoned child passenger safety programs across North America with free car seats and access to Buckle Up for Life educational resources.

Buckle Up for Life aims to provide multiple Gift of Safety partnerships during the 2024-2025 program year, as prime award funding allows.

Eligibility:

To qualify, Gift of Safety applicants:

• Must operate in North America
• Must be one of the following:
  • 501(c)(3) or 509(a), or equivalent for non-US applicants in North America
  • Public service agency (e.g., fire/police dept, health dept, school, etc.)
  • Federally recognized tribal nation
• Must have an injury prevention program with at least one certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) on staff
• Must serve families in the community. Buckle Up for Life does not fund or resource hospital-based in-patient patient programs.
• Must have organizational capacity (self-attestation) to meet all deliverables and reporting expectations.

Partner Benefits:

Each Gift of Safety partner will receive a direct shipment of 50 convertible car seats (shipping and handling included), in-kind.

Gift of Safety partners also receive program training and support, and access to online resources (including an optional, personalized Virtual Safety Station microsite), as well as Buckle Up for Life’s educational tools and curricula.

Note:  No direct funding is provided to Gift of Safety partners.

Minimum Expectations:

Gift of Safety partners are expected to meet and report the following deliverables:

• Distribute at least 50 car seats, for free, with education and installation assistance, to families in need
• Educate every family that receives a Buckle up for Life car seat on child passenger safety

Gift of Safety partners must adhere to the guidelines outlined below.

­      Car Seat Distribution Guidelines:

• Car seats may be distributed at the agency’s discretion–although the focus should be on at-risk populations. Each agency may assess and determine local need.
• Car seats must be installed with the assistance of a CPST.
• Car seats provided by Buckle Up for Life must be given away to selected families for FREE. Partners may not sell or solicit donations for Buckle Up for Life car seats.

­     Child Passenger Safety Education Guidelines

• Reported totals should only reflect the true number of individuals that received high-quality passenger safety education, provided by a CPST. Only include meaningful interactions like classroom instruction, demonstrations, or carside assistance. Do not include activities like handing out fliers at a health fair. Do not include social media likes or website clicks, etc.
• As a resource, Buckle Up for Life provides the curricula and supporting materials necessary for a CPST to deliver age-appropriate education as follows:
  • Children: seat belts, where to sit in a car, and proper passenger behavior.
  • Teens: crash dynamics, seat belts, and sound decision-making.
  • Adults: crash dynamics, seat belts, distracted driving, and child-passenger safety.
• Education can be provided in-person or virtually; and in any language as needed to accommodate the learner(s).
• Gift of Safety partners are also expected to provide each family served with a car seat pact (provided by Buckle Up for Life) to be signed and returned for the purpose of aggregating non-identifiable demographic data to be reported back to Buckle Up for Life. Note: Individual car seat pacts should not be sent to Buckle Up for Life.

Reporting:

Gift of Safety partners are required to submit quarterly reports to Buckle Up for Life summarizing their progress throughout the program year.

Notification and Acceptance:

Notifications will be sent to all applicants, via email, in late spring.

If conditionally offered a Gift of Safety partnership, that offer may be contingent upon additional steps, up to and including successful and timely completion of additional forms. Actual shipment of free car seats may also depend on availability of funding from the prime award sponsor, as well as other factors, which can change. Prior to final delivery of car seats, any preliminary offer may be rescinded at any time and for any reason.

Orientation:

Gift of Safety partners will be required to attend a virtual Welcome Webinar in late summer 2024, as a general introduction to the program; and to receive an overview of educational materials, as well as project logistics, such as data collection and reporting.

Attendance is mandatory. Only one person from each partner agency is required to attend, but there is no limit to how many additional team members can join.

Contact Information:

Please browse our Partnership Application FAQs, available at the bottom of the page. If your question isn’t answered there, please contact buckleupforlife@cchmc.org for assistance.

Download the Full Partnership Alert.

This partnership does not provide funding.

All Innovation Grant funds have been allocated for the 2023-2024 program year.

However, we invite you to submit your ideas, now, for 2024-2025 funding, once it becomes available.

Note: Innovation Grant funds are reserved to support new ideas (E.g., approaches, products, etc.) for advancing child passenger safety. We are looking for breakthrough! Prior to submitting an Innovation Grant Interest Form, please review our full current list of partnerships to verify that your idea does not align with another opportunity we already offer. For example, partnering with a school to host car seat classes and provide free car seats is an activity that should be pursued as part of a Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership–not an Innovation Grant. 

 

Application Period:

Innovation Grant proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis. There is no deadline to apply.

Program Period:

The program period for Innovation Grant partnerships generally spans twelve months from the date of contract execution, unless otherwise noted and/or agreed upon.

Overview:

Buckle Up for Life’s Innovation Grant is a highly competitive opportunity that supports the development and implementation of innovative pilot projects to reduce the risk of motor vehicle passenger-related injury and death.

We encourage creativity to help address old problems in new and novel ways, and we aim to identify emerging best practices that can be scaled and spread to further impact in subsequent program years.

The number of projects funded, and the size of each grant will vary based on the breadth, depth, and viability of applications received.

Eligibility:

To qualify, Innovation Grant applicants:

• Must operate in North America
• Must be one of the following:
  • 501(c)(3) or 509(a), or equivalent for non-US applicants in North America
  • Public service agency (e.g., fire/police dept, health dept, school, etc.)
  • Federally recognized tribal nation
• Must have an injury prevention program with at least one certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) on staff
• Must serve families in the community. Buckle Up for Life does not fund or resource hospital-based in-patient patient programs.
• Must not apply on behalf of a coalition? Buckle Up for Life does not offer the Innovation Grant partnership to third party coalitions. Organizations who house coalition community chapters should apply on their own behalf, or should apply (as a coalition) for a Gift of Safety partnership instead.

Partner Benefits:

Each Innovation Grant partner will receive direct funding (amount varies by project), which may include:

• Salary support, if needed.
• Car seats and equipment needs.
• Additional expenses, as approved, to support execution of the project.

Innovation Grant partners also receive program training and support, and access to online tools (including an optional, personalized Virtual Safety Station microsite), as well as Buckle Up for Life’s educational resources and curricula.

Budget:

For applicants who advance to a Phase II proposal (see “How to Apply”, below), a full budget must be submitted at that time. A standard budget template will be provided along with instructions that must be followed fully and exactly. Acceptable program expenditures include limited salary support, supplies, equipment, mileage, etc.

Minimum Expectations:

Innovation Grant partners are expected to meet and report on specific deliverables that will be mutually agreed upon and customized for each unique project. Deliverables should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant/realistic, and time-bound.

Additionally:

• Grantees are expected to partner with Buckle Up for Life, to regularly exchange ideas and share insights throughout the development and implementation of the innovation project.
• Funded innovation projects must benefit at-risk populations.
• Although not required, should the project include the provision of car seats and/or child passenger education to families, the following guidelines must all be followed:

­      Car Seat Distribution Guidelines:

• • Car seats should be purchased directly by the grantee using subaward funding.
  • Buckle Up for Life does not mandate make, model, or type of car seats to be distributed; grantees should consider cost, value, and expected output goals when purchasing seats.
  • Car seats may be distributed at the agency’s discretion–although the focus should be on at-risk populations. Each agency may assess and determine local need.
  • Car seats must be installed with the assistance of a CPST.
  • Car seats provided by Buckle Up for Life must be given away to selected families for FREE. Partners may not sell or solicit donations for Buckle Up for Life car seats.

­      Child Passenger Safety Education Guidelines:

• • Reported totals should only reflect the true number of individuals that received high-quality passenger safety education, provided by a CPST. Only include meaningful interactions like classroom instruction, demonstrations, or carside assistance. Do not include activities like handing out fliers at a health fair. Do not include social media likes or website clicks, etc.
  • As a resource, Buckle Up for Life provides the curricula and supporting materials necessary for a CPST to deliver age-appropriate education as follows:
    • Children: seat belts, where to sit in a car, and proper passenger behavior.
    • Teens: crash dynamics, seat belts, and sound decision-making.
    • Adults: crash dynamics, seat belts, distracted driving, and child-passenger safety.
  • Education can be provided in-person or virtually; and in any language as needed to accommodate the learner(s).

Reporting:

Innovation Grant partners will participate in informal status calls, at a mutually agreed upon frequency, to keep Buckle up for Life abreast of progress, challenges, and needs.

Grantees will also submit formal mid-year and final reports which will include financial (expenditure) summaries.

How to Apply:

To apply, interested organizations must first complete our Innovation Grant Interest Form to very briefly introduce their project idea. Buckle Up for Life will review and respond to all submissions within 10 business days.

Applicants who are invited to continue developing their proposal will attend a brief, virtual introductory meeting with the Buckle Up for Life team. At that time, the rest of the application process, which is organized into two phases, as outlined below, will be explained in further detail.

Progression to each subsequent phase will be by invitation only:

• Phase I – Includes advance preparation of a standard pitch deck (MS PowerPoint template provided by Buckle Up for Life), followed by an applicant-led presentation and discussion that outlines:
  • Organizational Background
  • The Problem
  • The Solution
  • The Ask (Note: A detailed, line-item budget is not yet required at this point)
• Phase II – Includes advance, further development of the Phase I pitch deck, with additional sections added, followed by a final applicant-led presentation and discussion that outlines:
  • Proposed Outcomes
  • Proposed Timeline
  • Hurdles
  • Sustainability Plan

Note that a detailed, line-item budget must also be submitted, using a template provided by Buckle Up for Life, during Phase II. 

Notification and Acceptance:

Notifications throughout all phases of the application will be sent to applicants, via email.

If conditionally offered an Innovation Grant partnership, that offer may be contingent upon additional steps, up to and including successful and timely completion of additional forms and complete execution of a standard, non-negotiable sub-award contract between your institution and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center—which requires certain terms, including liability coverage, to be met. No revisions or changes to the standard subaward contract can be accepted. Actual availability and disbursement of funds may also depend on availability of funding from the prime award sponsor (Toyota), as well as other factors, which can change. Prior to actual funding, any preliminary offer may be rescinded at any time and for any reason.

Contact Information:

Please browse our Partnership Application FAQs, available at the bottom of the page. If your question isn’t answered there, please contact buckleupforlife@cchmc.org for assistance.

 

Submit Interest Form Here

Can individuals apply for Buckle Up for Life partnerships or grants?

No. Buckle Up for Life only partners with organizations capable of implementing robust child passenger safety programs.

Can multi-institutional safety coalitions apply for Buckle Up for Life grants?

Organizations may only apply for Buckle Up for Life grants on their own behalf—not on behalf of multi-institutional safety coalitions. It is imperative for us to contract directly with individual institutions whose leadership can take full responsibility for the administration of awarded funds and the supervision of staff implementing the program.

Grants awarded by Buckle Up for Life should not be utilized to subsidize coalitions that receive direct or indirect funds from motor vehicle manufacturers other than Toyota.

Multi-institutional safety coalitions may apply for Buckle Up for Life’s Gift of Safety partnership.

I am a former Buckle Up for Life partner. Can I re-apply?

Yes, any organization meeting the eligibility requirements—including current and former Buckle Up for Life partners—may apply for a new partnership.

Please note: past performance will be considered during the application review process. Also, organizations who have been Community Grant partners two years in a row, will need to take a year off before applying for the Community Grant again–however they may still apply for Gift of Safety in the interim.

Can I apply for more than one partnership at a time?

Eligible and interested organizations may apply for both the Community Grant partnership and Gift of Safety partnership at the same time, using the same Common Partnership Application, when it is open.

Innovation Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and any eligible and interested organization may apply.

Can I be awarded more than one partnership at a time?

An organization may not be concurrently awarded a Community Grant partnership and a Gift of Safety partnership during the same program year. However, both Community Grant and Gift of Safety partners may be considered for concurrent Innovation Grant funding.

Can I email, fax or mail my application?

No. All applications must be submitted through the Buckle Up for Life website.

Can I submit partnership applications or funding requests directly to Toyota?

No. Toyota is the prime funder only for Cincinnati Children’s, who directly and solely administers the Buckle Up for Life program. For legal and administrative purposes, Buckle Up for Life partners are considered sub-award grantees of Cincinnati Children’s. All applications should be submitted directly to the Buckle Up for Life team at Cincinnati Children’s, as directed on the Buckle Up for Life website.

Toyota will not accept, review, nor forward any inquires or applications for the Buckle Up for Life program. Applications submitted directly to Toyota will be disqualified.

What are the chances of grants and/or partnerships being awarded?

Buckle Up for Life’s partnerships are highly competitive. Not all applications will be awarded. We encourage applicants to review the timelines and detailed descriptions provided for each partnership to determine which would best meet their needs.

Can my grant or partnership application be disqualified?

Yes. Below are a few reasons for disqualification, please note that this list not exhaustive.

• Applications that are incomplete
• Applications submitted after the deadline (when applicable)
• Applications that might pose a conflict of interest to our prime funder
• Applications submitted in a language other than English

Who reviews my application and how is it evaluated against other submissions?

Because the Buckle Up for Life partnerships are highly competitive, every submission is closely reviewed by an internal committee of injury prevention experts and faculty physicians at Cincinnati Children’s. This internal committee uses a scorecard approach to assess an applicant’s overall qualifications—taking into account (including, but not limited to) the following strengths:

• Organization’s current child passenger safety program. Additional consideration will be provided for programs with multilingual child passenger safety staff, CPST Instructors, or CPSTs with training in travel for children with special needs.
• Organization’s demonstrated need for Buckle Up for Life funding or resources
• Organization’s plan to meet the demonstrated need, using Buckle Up for Life funds or resources
• Organization’s capacity to act as good stewards of funds or resources provided

For current or former partners, past performance will be taken into consideration.

How will I be notified of a decision?

Upon review and selection, Buckle Up for Life will send all partnership notifications to the email address provided at the beginning of the application.

Will I receive feedback on my application if it is denied? 

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications received, processed, and reviewed, Buckle Up for Life is unable to provide individualized feedback to applying organizations. Please keep in mind that Buckle Up for Life partnerships are highly competitive; even strong applications may not be funded.

When will grant funds be disbursed? 

Funds are provided, in full, at the beginning of each grant year–after successful execution of sub-award contracts.

Will Buckle Up for Life ship car seats to Community Grant partners?

No. Community Grant partners must purchase their own car seats with their Buckle Up for Life grant funds. Buckle Up for Life only ships car seats to Gift of Safety partners.