General Information for Starting a Health Center
By Drew Thomas, IPHCA CHC Finance and Operations Manager
• Choose the Right Entity Type
Nonprofit
Prepare to file Article of Incorporation in Indiana
Indiana Nonprofit Registration
Apply for IRS Tax Exempt Status
Public
To qualify as a public entity eligible for funding, the organization must be:
• A state or a political subdivision of the state with one or more sovereign powers,
• An instrumentality of government, such as those exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 115, or a subdivision, municipality, or instrumentality of a U.S.-affiliated sovereign state that is formally associated with the United States
• Learn more about Health Center Program Eligibility here
Strategic Planning and Initial Steps toward Health Center Development
• Conduct a Community Readiness Assessment
• Examine Community Health and Healthcare Needs
• Identify Community Health Resources/Capacity for Primary Care
• Evaluate options for increasing access to primary care
• Engage in Health Center Planning
• Identify community stakeholders, such as government official, school districts, community, and faith-based organizations,
• Utilize resources from HRSA, National Cooperative Agreement Recipients, and Primary Care Association, and;
• Develop realistic, workable project timeline and expectations