As with any program, the most critical area is funding. So how did Project Access tackle this issue? Dr. Paul Uhlig, Central Plains Regional Health Care Foundation’s founding president, approached Pat Hanrahan, president of the United Way of the Plains. It should be pointed out that the United Way generally doesn’t fund medical services because, according to Mr. Hanrahan, “We could take all the money we raise and still not have enough.”

But Dr. Uhlig’s idea was so impressive that it sparked an immediate interest among the United Way board members. To begin with, both the doctors and the hospitals were already in place at the time. And they noted the enthusiasm of the doctors, which was infectious. However, since Project Access wasn’t a member agency, the funding fell into the category of a Venture Grant. To their credit, the United Way board thought it was worth the risk.

And it paid off.

United Way funding pays for staffing at Project Access. This staff, which handles the day-to-day operations under program director, Anne Nelson, works very hard to hold it all together. And they’ve got proof of all that hard work — they’re producing real outcomes. “Outcomes. That’s what drives United Way,” said Mr. Hanrahan. Without their efforts — the glue that holds it all together — Project Access wouldn’t have the results and the success that it enjoys today.

Of course, projects cannot live on one grant alone.

Another source of funding was the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Project Access applied for a $150,000 grant under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s “Communities In Charge” initiative. In applying for the grant, “we had support letters — from the mayor, the city manager, the county manager, the clinics, the schools, the medical community,” noted Dr. Uhlig’s partner, Carolyn Earnest. The grant was awarded in January, 2000, and was a great boost for Project Access. In fact, Project Access staff did such a great job in the first year that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation followed up in the second year with a Phase II, 3-year, $700,000 grant.

Things moved further along in 2000 with a $100,000 grant for outreach and interpreter services from the Kansas Health Foundation. Even better, by the time December rolled around, Project Access was awarded an additional gift of $50,000 from the same Kansas Health Foundation. Moreover, as an even greater testament to the dedication and hard work of Project Access’ partnerships, they received a $1 million HRSA Community Access Program grant to help fund expansion.

“We received grants that were helpful,” acknowledged Dr. Moeller, but it’s always been a mandate at Project Access to have sustainable funding. And while they’ve already experienced success in that part of its mission, long-term sustainability is, according to Dr. Moeller, “something we continue to actively pursue.”

And, as a confirmation that Project Access is doing all the right things, Anne Nelson pointed out that “United Way of America now has a goal of replicating similar programs in 500 communities, which is a direct result of Pat Hanrahan’s challenge” at the United America Board of Governors. This was a reference to Mr. Hanrahan’s address to a United Way conference of 5,000 leaders that challenged them to support these kinds of community partnerships.