Date: July 16, 2001
For Release: Immediately |
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
|
HHS ANNOUNCES NEW "MICRO-GRANT" APPROACH TO ENLIST COMMUNITY
SUPPORT FOR HEALTH GOALS
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced that HHS
plans to award hundreds of "micro-grants" to community
organizations for activities that support the goals of Healthy People
2010, the nation's public health agenda for the next decade.
Worth up to $2,010 each, the micro-grants represent a new,
low-cost approach to foster effective prevention efforts at the community
level. Each grant will support efforts by local groups to promote
health education, quality care, access to care and other projects that
support the far-reaching national health goals of Healthy People 2010.
Faith-based organizations will be among those eligible to apply for
funding.
"This is a new idea for HHS, a way to leverage very
small grants into very widespread action," Secretary Thompson said.
"Though small in size, these grants can have a large impact by
tapping the potential of local organizations to make a difference in the
lives of the people closest to them."
Healthy People 2010 has established a broad set of goals
and specific targets for improving the nation's health over the next 10
years and, for the first time, has identified the Leading Health
Indicators -- 10 high priority public health challenges. The plan is
grouped into focus areas devoted to a comprehensive array of diseases,
conditions and public health challenges, such as promoting exercise,
reducing obesity and discouraging tobacco use.
HHS will launch the new micro-grant initiative with a
two-year pilot project. If successful, the approach could be expanded
nationally. HHS will commit between $500,000 to $700,000 to a pilot
project this year in order to study the potential of the micro-grant
approach to further the goals of Healthy People 2010.
The money will be distributed to local, non-profit
organizations -- and coalitions of such groups -- in different geographic
areas to support programs designed to increase the quality and years of
healthy life of residents and to eliminate health disparities.
Grantees could use the money for such activities as
developing anti-smoking campaign materials for local students,
coordinating substance abuse prevention forums for parents in local
schools, or other specific projects designed to promote prevention and
improve health locally. Projects that involve coalitions of community
groups may receive preference in obtaining funds.
"The application will be easy to complete, so local
groups can tap the money quickly and then focus immediately on health
prevention projects in their communities," HHS Acting Assistant
Secretary for Health Arthur J. Lawrence said. "We anticipate that
much of the process will be handled electronically."
HHS will choose several not-for-profit organizations or
groups of organizations to recruit, review and award grant applications in
different geographic areas. Those organizations will make the decisions
about micro-grants for specific community projects in their region. A
notice published in today's Federal Register explains the application
process. HHS' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion will
oversee the pilot project.
More information about Healthy People 2010, including a
copy of the Federal Register notice, is available at www.health.gov/healthypeople.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press
materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.
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