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Partner Registration – Closed

*If you wish to become a Buckle Up for Life Registered Partner only (I.e., you do not intend to apply for a Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership), then please return here after 4/15/25 to register.*
This registration does not provide funding or car seats.
This is not an application for the Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership(s).
To apply for the Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership(s) you must submit the Common Partnership Application, linked here. 

Note: Registering as a Buckle Up for Life partner organization, annually, is a pre-requisite to applying for all other partnerships and/or grants.  Registration is free, non-competitive, and always open.

  • If the application period for the Community Grant and Gift of Safety partnerships is currently open and you are planning to apply for one or both of those opportunities, you will automatically be prompted to complete Partner Registration as a first step of the Common Partnership Application.  In that case, you do not need to complete this registration as a separate step.
  • If you are interested in becoming a registered Buckle Up for Life Partner any other time during the year, then you do need to complete the registration which will be linked below.

Overview:

Buckle Up for Life offers registered partners free access to its multi-generational educational resources, to help child passenger safety programs enhance their community outreach.

Eligibility:

Any organization or entity with a vested interest in passenger safety may register as a Buckle Up for Life partner.  Individuals may not register on their own behalf.

Partner Benefits:

Registered Buckle Up for Life partners receive access to online tools, including an optional, personalized Virtual Safety Station microsite.

Buckle Up for Life also 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.
Orientation:

Shortly after registration, new partners will receive a welcome email which includes login credentials for Buckle Up for Life’s Partner Portal, where they can access free resources and curricula throughout the program year.  Please note that upon first login, partners will be prompted to watch a brief, mandatory introduction video.

Registered partners may continue to apply for future partnership and grant opportunities if and as they arise, and will be converted to the new partnership type if and when accepted.

*If you wish to become a Buckle Up for Life Registered Partner only (I.e., you do not intend to apply for a Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership), then please return here after 4/15/25 to register.*
This registration does not provide funding or car seats.
This is not an application for the Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership(s).
To apply for the Community Grant or Gift of Safety partnership(s) you must submit the Common Partnership Application, linked here. 

 

Community Grant – Open

   

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.

Application Period:

February 17, 2025 – April 15, 2025

Program Period:

August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026

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 2025-2026 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.

In addition to direct funding, Community Grant partners will have access to Buckle Up for Life’s online Swag Shop where they can select a limited supply of in-kind branded materials (E.g., tablecloths, banners, safety vests, jackets, shirts, giveaways, literature, etc.) to enhance their program. These items are provided for free 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 2025.

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 Here 

Gift of Safety – Open

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.

Application Period:

February 17, 2025 – April 15, 2025

Program Period:

August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026

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 2025-2026 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 2025, 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 Here

This partnership does not provide funding.

Partnership Application FAQs

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.  Individual people cannot apply.

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.

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.

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. Many qualified applications will be denied. 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 and leaders 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.

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