^ 2020 LHCC Mini-Grantee Market Umbrella/ Crescent City Farmers Market adapted their market operations to include safe home delivery of local produce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo taken by Katie Sikora Photography.
The Louisiana Healthy Communities Coalition (LHCC), in partnership with the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center, is looking to fund innovative, sustainable projects focused on obesity and tobacco prevention in Louisiana. Our mission is to reduce the impact of chronic diseases such as cancer by reducing obesity rates and tobacco use in communities across Louisiana. In order to make the greatest impact, we have partnered together to offer communities the opportunity to address obesity and tobacco use by implementing policy, systems, and environmental change (PSE) projects.
What We Fund
Obesity Prevention Projects
Projects must focus on increasing community access to healthier built environments (i.e., increasing access to healthy foods, creating spaces for physical activity). Projects must incorporate either a policy, systems, or environmental (PSE) change component. Some examples include park revitalization, school and community gardens, and point of decision prompts for physical activity.
Projects may include an education component but should also include action that results in potential for and evidence of lasting PSE change. Projects that address the social determinants of health (SDOH) and include strategies for reducing health disparities and improving the quality of life for populations of focus will be prioritized for funding. Populations of focus include: rural, low-income, minority, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Tobacco-Free Projects
Projects must aim to increase smoke-free environments by focusing on increasing social capital for smoke-free environments, smoke-free municipalities, or reducing smoking in youth and/or adults. Projects must incorporate a PSE change component. Some examples include signage to support tobacco-free policies in municipalities or the workplace, campaigns to promote tobacco cessation programs, and advocacy campaigns to eliminate smoking in the workplace (e.g., bars and casinos).
PSE Change
Policy & System Change
Definition: Policy and system change often work together to change processes or rules of an organization, institution, or system.
Examples*:
- Launch healthy food retail initiatives at corner stores, farmers markets, schools, or other sites to encourage consumer fruit and vegetable purchasing.
- Expand the reach of farmers markets by accepting SNAP benefits/ food stamps and/or encouraging farmers to grow fruits and vegetables.
- Establish or expand a Farm to School Program by establishing healthier food procurement to serve farm fresh, locally grown produce in schools or early childcare centers.
- Implement a client choice model at a local food pantry.
- Pass smoke free park policies to prevent tobacco use
- Implement school vaping policies with alternatives to suspension
Environmental Change
Definition: Physically changing the environment. Environmental changes are best implemented when backed by a policy.
Examples*:
- Establish or enhance infrastructure to support storage (refrigerators, freezers) or distribution (transportation costs) of fresh or frozen produce for a local food pantry or other community organization. (Organization should also consider adopting a policy to stock fresh or frozen produce.)
- Start or expand a community garden. (Organization should also consider adopting a policy to ensure maintenance of space and uses for produce grown from the garden.)
- Plant fruit trees or create a fruit orchard in public spaces. (Organization should also consider adopting a policy to ensure maintenance of space and uses for produce grown from orchard.)
Many PSE changes include combinations of policy, systems and environmental change. For more information and examples of PSE projects, please check out this link Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change. To learn more about PSE change, check out the GW Cancer Center’s 2022 PSE Change Guide and the Action for Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) Change: A Training.
*This list is not comprehensive of all fundable projects. LHCC Community Grant funds CANNOT be used to purchase food.
As part of building a healthy community, Grantees will be connected to resources to help them implement a tobacco-free policy at their proposed project site should that site not have a tobacco-free policy.
Funding Opportunities
Applicants will select from the options below for the opportunity to be awarded up to $3000 for:
- New Projects Grant: Any new PSE change project not previously funded by LHCC. For a complete list of the types of projects we fund, please see the “What We Fund” section above.
- Continuation Grant: Previously funded LHCC grant PSE projects that will be expanded or need additional time to complete.
Grant Requirements
- Complete the project in a timely manner, and in doing so, ensure that grant funds are spent by June 1, 2025.
- Attend 3 LHCC community capacity building workshops.
- This is an opportunity to build your skills in project planning, implementation, and evaluation. Workshop topics will focus on data gathering and how to identify community needs, community engagement, PSE change and evidence-based interventions, advocacy, program evaluation, and project sustainability. All workshops will be held via Zoom (live and on demand).
- Participate in 3 all-grantee calls to report on your project’s progress. Calls will be scheduled tentatively during January, March, and May 2025.
- Provide receipts to account for all transactions related to LHCC (template will be provided to organize receipts).
- Communicate regularly with LHCC’s team for project challenges. Send an email to the LHCC Co-Chairs, Jaime and Nakisha, at healthylouisiana@gmail.com.
- Engage (like, follow, share, tag) with LHCC's Facebook page.
- Provide LHCC with the highest quality media possible to document and visualize your project's before and after status (high-resolution photos).
- Use the LHCC logo on approved produced materials or at events, as appropriate.
- Complete end-of-grant reporting and evaluation interview by June 2025.
- Provide a PowerPoint presentation at LHCC's Team Meetings or Annual Summit (template will be provided).
- Work with local healthy communities coalitions and participate in meetings upon availability. Local LHCC contact information can be provided if needed.
To Apply
To apply for the 2024-25 LHCC Community Grant please click here. Please note all submissions must be submitted online. Paper applications will not be accepted. For a pdf of the application please click here. If you are experiencing technical issues with the application, please contact us at healthylouisiana@gmail.com.
Timeline & Important Dates
- Tuesday, October 15, 2024: Applications Open
- Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 2pm: Information Session and Q&A. Register Here: Registration Closed. View Information Session Recording here. View slides here.
- Tuesday, November 12, 2024: Applications Due
- No later than December: All award notifications distributed
- No later than December: Funds Distributed
- Friday, June 27, 2025: Project Completion deadline
For questions, please contact The Louisiana Healthy Communities Coalition at healthylouisiana@gmail.com.