25 Feb Equity in Grants Series: Funding Opportunities for Racial Equity: Department of Health and Human Services – Center for Disease Control (CDC)

As part of a series throughout Black History Month, Assel Grant Services (AGS) provided various resources on racial equity to help grant professionals become better equipped to guide their organizations towards more equitable services, find funding, and better articulate into grant proposals the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work their organizations are already doing. Topics include writing with a racial equity lens, resources for your toolbox, and measuring progress. The next two weeks will look at opportunities for funding to implement racial equity work in your organization.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) is accepting applications for Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) which will improve health, prevent chronic disease, and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease. This opportunity is specifically for African American, Black, Hispanic and Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Alaskan Native populations. This opportunity supports recipients working to implement evidence-based, culturally tailored strategies at the local level among specific racial ethnic priority populations.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include governments (city, county, special district, and native American tribal governments), independent school districts, institutions of higher education (IHE, public, private, and state), public housing authorities, nonprofit entities (other than IHEs), small businesses, and other (government organizations, state, local, ant territorial governments). This opportunity requires cross-sector partnerships relevant to its strategies (e.g., transportation, charitable food system, parks and recreation, or housing). Applicants are encouraged to use a community-based participatory approach that builds on existing community assets and existing coalitions, allowing for the flexibility necessary to tailor interventions that meet the unique needs of their population.

What is the program goal?

The opportunity supports evidence-based, culturally tailored interventions and activities for nutrition and physical activity, and tobacco collaborations that ultimately lead to reduced health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension; heart disease; Type 2 diabetes; and obesity, as well as vaccination activities to support the prevention of infectious diseases such as flu, COVID-19 and other adult diseases. There are two components to the REACH program:

Component A (required) focuses on nutrition; physical activity; continuity of care in breastfeeding support; supporting national standards related to nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding in early care and education (ECE) programs; supporting implementation of family healthy weight programs; and tobacco prevention and control policies. Successful proposals will focus work in nutrition and physical activity and another strategy.

Component B (optional) focuses on flu, COVID-19, and other adult vaccination program awareness, demand, and access.

NCCDPHP expects to award 41 grants for component A and 41 grants for component B, for up to 60 months with an average total award amount of $1,112,000 ($1,500,000 ceiling). The total available funding pool is approximately $228 million for the full five years. There is no cost share requirement. Initial grant awards will be for a 12-month budget period, with continuation awards beyond the initial period based on the availability of funds, satisfactory progress, and a determination that funding would be in the government’s best interest.

Projects must include the following components:

• Safe, stable, and appropriate shelter and counseling for up to 21 days;
• Comprehensive youth-centered services model;
• Social and emotional well-being and strength-based approach;
• Outreach implementation strategy including education, awareness, youth engagement, and collaboration;
• Provision of basic needs such as food, transportation, personal safety information, clothing, and hygiene products;
• Screening and assessment for eligibility and needs;
• Case management including individualized service or treatment of the client, service coordination, and education service plans; and
• Transition planning that consists of at least three months of aftercare.

See the full REACH notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for details of the required components. REACH proposals are due on April 11, 2023.

What makes a project a good fit?

REACH projects require applicants to implement the following nutrition and physical activity activities in proposed programs, plus activities for one additional strategy. Required activities include:

• Implement local-level policies and activities that Promote food service and nutrition guidelines and healthy associated food procurement in facilities, programs, or organizations where food is sold, served, and distributed;
• Coordinate the uptake and expansion of existing fruit and vegetable voucher incentive and/or produce prescription programs; and
• Implement local-level policies and activities to connect pedestrian, bicycle, or transit transportation networks (e.g., activity-friendly routes) to everyday destinations.

Optional activities include:

• Implement local-level policies and activities that achieve continuity of care for breastfeeding families;
• Implement local-level policies and activities that improve nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding and advance families to Early Care and Education (ECE);
• Collaborate with partners to implement family healthy weight programs; or
• Adopt or strengthen commercial tobacco prevention and control policies.

Component B activities are optional:

• Implement practices to increase awareness, confidence, demand, and access for flu, COVID-19, and other routinely recommended adult vaccines.

What if I am ready to apply? To move your project forward, take the following action steps as soon as possible:

• Review the full solicitation for additional details and project activities.
• Listen to the Informational Conference Call on February 22 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time (recording location not posted).
• The REACH program page has an overview of the program and useful resources including a fact sheet, list of FY2022 program recipients and funding amounts, and chronic disease indicators to explore local data for public health.
• Make sure your System for Award Management (SAM) registration is active and be sure you have a Grants.gov profile. You can check your SAM status here: https://sam.gov/content/status-tracker.

What if I need help with this application?

Contact AGS today! Our team can help with all aspects of preparing the application and managing the grant if you are awarded. If you would like to discuss this possibility, please contact AGS as soon as possible. Julie Assel, CGMS, GPC, President/CEO, will be happy to talk with you about this opportunity and provide you with a quote for grant services.

What if I am not ready to apply this year?

Start preparing for next year! HHS and the CDC have a variety of other programs and funding opportunities available that might be a good fit. The center’s website has ample resources, webinars, and descriptions of available or upcoming opportunities.

How do I learn more about federal grant proposal writing, so my application is more likely to be successful?

AGS is excited to offer a Federal Agency Training Series in 2023! The series is designed to provide insight into federal agencies beyond the typical reading of the solicitation by program officers and provide details you need to be successful. AGS also offers several on demand webinars on a variety of topics to support the full grant cycle. Check out our website to learn more and sign up for our training newsletter.

AGS blogs, funding alerts, and trainings are aligned with the Grant Professional Certification Institute’s Competencies and Skills

Competency #1: Knowledge of how to research, identify, and match funding resources to meet specific needs

Skill 1.2: Identify major trends in public funding and public policy

Skill 1.6: Identify fundable programs and projects for specific organization

Skill 1.7: Determine best matches between funders and specific programs