Via Safe Routes to School
National Partnership:
On September 17, 2009, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention announced a new program: Communities Putting Prevention to
Work. Thirty to forty communities will receive a total of
$373 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) dollars
through this competitive grant program to support interventions that reduce
obesity (through improved physical activity and nutrition) and/or reduce tobacco
use. Communities can apply for either focus area or both. This landmark
opportunity is aimed at mobilizing community resources toward broad-based
policy, systems, organizational and environmental changes. The application
places an emphasis on communities demonstrating effective coalitions, and notes
that special consideration should be given to the inclusion of populations
disproportionately affected by chronic diseases.
On September 29, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of $120
million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for prevention
and wellness programs for U.S. states and territories, building
on the recent announcement of the $373 million funding opportunity for
communities and tribes around the country. In all, the comprehensive
Communities Putting
Prevention to Work initiative will make $650 million
available for public health efforts to address obesity, increase physical
activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking.
Lead
Applicants: Local and State Health Departments
Deadlines:
- Letter of
Intent Deadline: October 30, 2009
- Application Deadline: December 1, 2009
The
Opportunity for Bike/Ped and Health Officials:
Communities Putting
Prevention to Work provides an important opportunity for
bicycle and pedestrian professionals, enthusiasts, and advocates, as well as
health officials, to act quickly to get your city or state to:
- Apply for
the funding;
- Educate
the health department about the range of bike/ped interventions that can be
included in their application and action plan; and
- Include your organization as a partner in the effort.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has worked with our partners at America Bikes and
the Safe Routes to School National
Partnership to prepare a
list of sample bike/ped activities that fit within the five categories of
evidence-based interventions that are required as part of this
CDC application. We encourage you to review these sample activities and assess
which would work well in your community. Funds are available to make these
projects a reality—so it is in your interest to work with your health department
to develop the bike/ped aspects of the CDC application for obesity prevention,
and to demonstrate how your organization can be a resource to them.
Act Now to
Contact Your Health Department and City Officials:
Now is the time to contact your health department and city officials to
encourage them to apply, and to share your ideas on bike/ped interventions.
Don’t wait – health departments are making decisions now about whether to apply,
and what to propose in their grant applications.
- Populations greater than
500,000: If you live in a city or county with a
population of 500,000 people or more, your local city or county health
department will be the lead applicant on the grant. You should find and contact
the health department staff person who is the lead on physical activity or
obesity. In addition, you should contact your Mayor and City Council members to
urge them to ask the health department to apply for this grant with a focus on
bike/ped to increase physical activity.
- Populations less than 500,000:
If you live in a city, county, or community with a population of less than
500,000 people, then your State Department of Health will be the lead applicant.
States can only choose two communities throughout the whole state to sponsor, so
it will be important to reach out soon. Work with your local health department,
Mayor or members of the Board of Supervisors to encourage them to reach out to
the state department of health to include your community in the state’s
application.
- Tribal Applicants: If you live
in a tribal area, you should work with the health department lead staff on
physical activity or obesity to prepare the application. Tribes are permitted to
apply directly.
Application Focus: The CDC
Request for Proposals notes that the “key to the success of this initiative,
Communities Putting
Prevention to Work, will be to implement community-wide
policies, systems, and environmental changes that reach across all levels of the
socio-ecological model and include the full engagement of the leadership in city
government, boards of health, schools, businesses, community and faith-based
organizations, community developers, transportation and land use planners, parks
and recreation officials, health care purchasers, health plans, health care
providers, academic institutions, foundations, other Recovery Act-funded
community activities, and many other community sectors working together to
promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Funded programs need to build on,
but not duplicate current Federal programs as well as state, local, or community
programs and coordinate fully with existing programs and resources in the
community.”
Please note that construction and research are not eligible
activities.
Resource Links:
