grants

^ 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) mission is to improve Louisianans' health and quality of life by mobilizing communities through implementing policy, systems and environmental (PSE) changes in order to build healthy communities. While Louisiana is a state with a complex array of health needs, obesity and tobacco are two of the biggest causes of chronic disease across the state. LHCC also has a commitment to address health equity in Louisiana and to address the social determinants of health as these are essential to creating a healthier Louisiana for all.  Louisiana has a diverse population and as such has a variety of groups that have poorer outcomes and decreased quality of life-related to obesity and smoking, including but not limited to:  rural populations as compared to urban and suburban; low-income populations, racial and ethnic groups such as African American and Latinx as compared to white; and LGBTQ+ as compared to cisgender straight. The LHCC recognizes that these communities need funding to address their obesity and tobacco-related issues. For this reason, we are excited to announce the 2024 LHCC Community Grants to fund PSE efforts to improve the health of Louisianans and improve health equity.

• Built Environment: We will be awarding grantees $1,000 to $3,000 for obesity-related projects increasing community access to healthier, built-environments. Particular interest will be paid to obesity prevention projects that address health equity and the social determinants of health.


• Smoke-Free Environment: Additionally, grants ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 will be available for projects that aim to increase smoke-free environments through projects focusing on smoke-free municipalities, increasing social capital for smoke-free environments, or reducing smoking in youth and/or adults. All projects must incorporate either a policy, system, or environmental (PSE) change component.

Policy & System Change

Definition: Policy and system change often work together to change processes or rules of an organization, institution, or system.

Examples*:

• 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.
• Smoke free park policies to prevent tobacco use 
• School vaping policies with alternatives to suspension 

Environmental Change

• 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.)

TO APPLY:

How many applications will be funded?
We anticipate funding at least 5 applications.  

• Completeness of application
• Innovation
• Partnership building (including non-traditional partners outside of your sector and with local coalition)
• Alignment with LHCC vision and mission
• Community need for project 
• Organizational capacity to execute project
• Degree that proposal aligns with policy, system, or environmental change 
• Intervention’s impact on the public related to obesity or tobacco
• Impact on health disparities, health equity, and social determinants of health
• Sustainability of project beyond Community grant funding
• Environmental friendliness