The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), with support provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, is very pleased to announce the initiation of a new small-grants research program focused on the roles that the WIC program is playing and can play in improving nutrition in pre-conceptional and peri-conceptional periods.

The grants will be for two years each, up to $72,000, and require a partnership of an academic/research organization and a state or local WIC program (either can be the primary applicant).  They aniticipate that these small grants will leverage long-term research partnerships and additional funding, as well as a collaborative reserach network of investigators.

The first round of applications is due June 8, 2012 (letters of intent May 25, 2012) and the second round will be approximately one year later.

For more information, click here: http://bit.ly/JlRJiO

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the availability of funding for the construction and renovation of school-based health centers. These new investments, totaling up to $75 million, are part of the School-Based Health Center Capital (SBHCC) Program, which was created by the Affordable Care Act.

School-based health centers are an important component of the nation’s health care safety net. The centers enable children with acute or chronic illnesses to attend school as well as help to improve the overall health and wellness of children and adolescents through health screenings, health promotion and disease prevention activities.

Read more: http://1.usa.gov/J4kEbV  [HHS Press Release, May 9, 2012]

Introducing the Digital Rural Advocacy Grant Program

The Institute for Emerging Issues will host a webinar to launch a new grant opportunity for rural advocacy organizations to apply digital tools.   With resources from the Kellogg Foundation, the Institute for Emerging Issues is partnering with the Center for Rural Strategies, MDC, and Network Impact, to create the Digital Rural Advocacy Grant Program.

The program will award a total of $100,000 in grants through a competitive mini-grant process in amounts up to $10,000, which must be used to enhance the work of rural policy networks in the United States.

For questions, please contact Adam Brueggemann at atbruegg@ncsu.edu

When: Friday, May 4, 2012 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST

For more information and to register go to http://bit.ly/Kt32Sb

Take Action Webinar Series: Work Together

County Health Rankings:  Communities vary widely, and as a result, community health improvement efforts also vary. In the midst of all this variety is one constant: people working together. With a shared vision and commitment to improved health, working together can yield better results than working alone. Learn about guidance, tools and resources for building and maintaining a diverse, multi-sector team of partners (including business, healthcare, education, government, public health, funders, community leaders/advocates).

When: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CST

For more information and to register go to http://bit.ly/Ju3z5r

Engaging the Safety Net in Health Care Reform

National Academy for State Health Policy  – This webinar will summarize the deliberations and results of NASHP’s National Workgroup on Integrating a Safety Net into Health Care Reform Implementation. Over the course of nearly a year, this group of state and federal officials, national experts and associations, and safety net systems worked to identify issues and develop policy options, focusing on integrated delivery systems, workforce, and financing.

Join NASHP Executive Director, Alan Weil along with the following speakers:

• Catherine Hess, Managing Director for Coverage and Access, NASHP
• Charles Alfero, Executive Director, Hidalgo Medical Services Center for Health Innovation
• Christine Collins, Deputy Director, North Carolina Office of Rural Health and Community Care

When: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 2:00 PM- 3:00 PM CST

For more information and to register go to http://bit.ly/IpmEb7

New opportunities in Medicaid and Medicare that will allow people to more easily receive care and services in their communities rather than being admitted to a hospital or nursing home were announced last week by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

HHS finalized the Community First Choice rule, which is a new state plan option under Medicaid, and announced the participants in the Independence At Home Demonstration program. The demonstration encourages primary care practices to provide home-based care to chronically ill Medicare patients.

Read the complete announcement: http://1.usa.gov/IbpX5E  [HHS Press Release, April 26, 2012]

OMHRC National African Immigrant Project Awards

The Office of Minority Health Resource Center has grant money available for organizations serving African communities in the United States that can produce a culturally sensitive approach to addressing and educating the community about HIV/AIDS and STD information.  Proposals must link African-immigrant communities with existing services providing access to HIV/AIDS/STD-related activities, education, testing and training. Special attention will be placed on proposals that demonstrate how applicant organizations are able to impact community leadership efforts. The three objectives of the award are to enhance or support HIV/AIDS/STD/ awareness and testing in the community, provide funding for HIV/AIDS and STD-related activities and expand the HIV/AIDS infrastructure and network for all African-serving CBOs through collaborative and transparent partnerships.

Deadline: April 20, 2012

For more information and to apply go to http://1.usa.gov/HKubzJ

Fiscal Year 2012 Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program

Office on Violence Against Women - Grants are available for the development and operation of tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions in Indian country. The Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program (Tribal Coalitions Program) assists nonprofit organizations and individuals or groups of individuals to build Indian1 leadership and capacity in tribal communities to advocate for systemic change that will enhance the safety of women in an Indian Tribe.

Tribal Coalition nonprofit organizations have accomplished this through technical assistance, expanding the capacity of the tribal coalitions, developing or enhancing appropriate standards for tribal governments organizations, tribal organizations, victim services and victim service providers to increase the understanding of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide

Deadline(s): Letter of Intent (Optional): Apr 21, 2011
Application: May 29, 2012

For more information go to http://bit.ly/I3jET5

Presbyterian Hunger Program

The Presbyterian Hunger Program provides grants in five areas to combat hunger in the United States. The numbers of hungry people in the United States continue to swell despite widespread civil society efforts to feed the hungry through food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens and other direct service programs. Reduced social spending by the government, an outdated minimum wage, growing numbers of working poor, persistent unemployment and other structural issues can be bandaged with feeding programs, but not cured.

Proposals do not need to fit neatly into one of these five areas, but may include activities in multiple areas such as Direct Food Relief, Development Assistance, Public Policy Advocacy, Lifestyle Integrity, Education and Interpretation.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide

Deadline: June 30, 2012

For more information go to http://bit.ly/HPoo1d

Public and Indian Housing Family Self-Sufficiency Program under the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Program (PH FSS)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:  Funding to helping HUD-assisted renters make progress toward housing self-sufficiency.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide

Deadline: May 30, 2012

For more details go to http://bit.ly/HA6n6h

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Childhood Obesity Prevention

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Grants are designed to achieve the long-term outcome of reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents 2-19 years.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide

Deadline: June 5, 2012

For more information go to http://bit.ly/IBPXZn

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participation Grants

U.S. Department of Agriculture : Grant funding may be used to support projects that develop and implement simple food stamp application and eligibility determination systems, or measures to improve access to food stamp benefits.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide

Deadline: June 20, 2012

For more information go to http://bit.ly/IgmHtJ

Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program

U.S. Department of Agriculture : Rural Health and Safety Education for 2012 focuses on individual and family nutrition, farm safety education, and rural health leadership development.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide

Deadline: May 15, 2012

For more information go to http://bit.ly/IZ0CtJ

Friday March 23^rd marks the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

HHS: State by state implementation resources of the Affordable Care Act, including regulations, grants, authorities, and requests for public comment are now available. The Affordable Care Act in Your State. Click Here or go to http://1.usa.gov/q1Gdcz

HHS: Online resources now available. Presentation Resources for the Affordable Care Act. Click Here or go to http://1.usa.gov/GCmCMF

White House: Up to date report briefs that summarize the benefits of the ACA in terms of how it benefits specific populations (e.g., women, seniors, small businesses, rural Americans) now available. ACA Report Briefs Click Here or go to http://1.usa.gov/9z0cT7

HHS/National Institutes of Health: NIDDK Short-Term Education Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) (R25) Grant.

Deadline: May 09 2012

This Funding Opportunity Announcement invites applications from institutions to coordinate a NIDDK Short-Term Education Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) that targets high school students. STEP-UP is a national program designed to provide eight to twelve weeks of summer research education and training for students underrepresented in biomedical research on a national basis, including individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and individuals with disabilities. STEP-UP aims to expose students to and increase interest in NIDDK mission areas including diabetes, endocrinology, metabolism, nutrition, obesity, and digestive, liver, urologic, kidney, and hematologic diseases.

For more information – Click here or go to http://bit.ly/GMeA56

Roadmaps to Health: Community Grants

Deadline: May 2, 2012 3pm EDT

The Roadmaps to Health Community Grants program (Community Grants) will support communities to implement policy or system changes to address one of the social or economic factors that, as defined by the County Health Rankings, most strongly influence health outcomes in their community. These include: education; employment and income; family and social support; and community safety. Grantees will be organizations that participate in established coalitions or networks that span multiple sectors and perspectives and may include representatives from business; education; public health; health care; community organizations; community members; policy advocates; foundations; and policy-makers. Applicants must engage community members in the planning and implementation of projects, and must collaborate with organizations having expertise in improving the health of the public.

Up to 20 grants awarded.  Awards up to $200,000 over 24 months.

For more information – Click Here or go to http://bit.ly/wtwrvA

March 10, 2012 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day…a time each year when organizations and communities across the United States come together to offer support, encourage discussion, and teach women and girls about prevention of HIV, the importance of getting tested, and how to live with and manage HIV and AIDS.

In 2009, women comprised 51% of the US population and accounted for 23% of new HIV infections. Of the total number of new HIV infections among women, 57% were among black women, 21% were in white women, and 18% were in Latina women. The rate of new HIV infections among black women was 15 times as high as that of white women and over 3 times as high as that of Latina women in 2009. http://1.usa.gov/abeneH [CDC]

Using the County Health Rankings model, the County Health Roadmaps project includes several efforts to support local communities, national partners and leaders across all sectors to improve health.  This second call for  proposals of the Roadmaps to Health Community Grants will support partner collaborations on implementing policy or system changes to address one of the social or economic factors that most strongly influence community health outcomes.  These include: education; employment and income; family and social support; and community safety.

Up to 20 grants of up to $200,000 each will be awarded.  Applicants must secure 100 percent matching support, including a cash match of at least 50 percent with the balance as in-kind support.

For more information, visit this web site: http://bit.ly/w1drQx

Proposal Deadline: May 2, 2012 3:00pm Eastern