COMMUNITIES CREATING HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS: ADVANCING POLICY ADVOCACY ON FOOD AND RECREATION EQUITY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR Application Process

¿Que es CCHE? 1. A learning and organizing community to support [food and recreation] justice in communities of color. 2. Up to ten local groups and indigenous nations receiving funding and other support to advance relevant food and recreation policies that are effective and replicable. 3. Web and other TA resources for youth organizing for food and recreation justice with get fre.e.

CCHE: Overview of the Issue: Scope of the Problem & Context Rising Trend in Childhood Obesity: o 33% children and youth – 25 Million – are overweight or obese o Obese children at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, asthma, and cancer o Children and families in low income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected “Children’s health has sunk to its lowest point in [30 years], driven largely by an alarming rise in the number of children who are obese…” Foundation for Child Development Child Well-Being Index 2007 Report

It’s not just what you eat, it’s where you live Built Environment Safe places to play and move around Neighborhood Food Environment Affordable, fresh, healthy food

The Food Industry’s Attack on Children Children as consumers: Shop and cook on their own at increasing earlier ages Eat most meals and snacks away from home $900M spent annually on children’s TV ads 11 Big Food companies control 2/3 of the TV advertising market for children under age 12

what makes CCHE different?  Single issue focus on individual behavior change and “cultural” context  Primary strategies: education and programmatic interventions by professionals targeting those affected  Funding to service providers and researchers  TA delivery is “vertical” and short term and static  Multi-issue focus on policy and environmental change and political context shaped by racism, privilege and power  Primary strategies: organizing, media and policy advocacy by those affected targeting decisionmakers  Funding to local, community organizing groups of color including youth led groups with track records  Strives for “circular” TA support: mutual, long term (beyond funding) and evolving (we are all teachers/learners/comrades) Traditional ApproachCCHE/HJ Approach

Application Process Overview Application process is rigorous to ensure:  Fairness  Integrity  Funding to groups with organizing track records  Program effectiveness

Q: Who Is Eligible to Apply? A: Local organizations or indigenous government agencies that:  work in communities of color whose leadership and membership and/or constituencies reflect the populations they seek to serve and are located in the US or US territories.  demonstrate a successful track record of at least two years in community organizing and policy advocacy to address health-related problems in communities of color.

Who is Eligible to Apply? (Continued)  tax-exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or federally chartered tribal nations. Local affiliates of national organizations are eligible to apply. Organizations classified as private foundations under Section 509(a) are not eligible.  NOT currently receiving funding from an industry, corporation, business or other entity or subsidiary of such an entity that markets low-nutrition food and/or beverage products to youth

What do we mean by policy advocacy? Work done as a group to advocate publicly for changes in policy (e.g., laws, ordinances, institutional procedures, administrative rulings) by a decision- making body that resulted in new policy actions, agreements or stronger enforcement of existing policies that improved some aspect of community health status.

Some examples of health-related policy advocacy:  increasing regulation of/limiting alcohol outlets  changing laws to extend Medicaid eligibility  restricting land uses that pollute or otherwise compromise environmental health

What do we mean by industry funding?  Examples include fast food and soda beverage companies.  If you are unsure, ask the NPO

Submitting Your Proposal  Stage 1: Brief Proposals  Applicants must submit a brief proposal of no more than four pages in length, plus a preliminary budget of no more than one page in length.

The proposal should clearly describe:  the community’s food and recreation environment and the needs/problems the project will address;  the target community (i.e., demographics, socio-economic and political context)  project staff and leadership and their experience, skills and relationships in communities where they are working  the applicant organization’s history of policy advocacy work;  assets and community relationships the group will bring to the initiative (e.g., matching funds and other support, strength of community and institutional relationships, community awareness and activism on the issue); and  disclosure of any industry funding, if applicable.  The one-page budget should be for the entire three-year period and must include RWJF funds, matching grants and any other revenues. The budget for RWJF funds must not exceed $250,000 for the three-year period.  Please go to to submit your brief proposal.

Pre-Application Process Call For Proposal  Release Date: January 15, 2009  Electronic version only on CCHE website:

Pre-Application TA Process Pre-Application Workshops and Technical Assistance to Prospective Applicants  Time Frame: January 15 through February 26, 2009  Webinar schedule at  Technical Assistance Provided via telephone, and CCHE website

Brief Proposal Review  Review Team: TA Team members, NPO and RWJF staff  Selection: Proposal Review Criteria  Applicants notified of status by  Completed by: April 9, 2009

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  There are nine broad criteria that will be used to score Brief Proposals  The nine criteria are presented in the following slides  The questions following each criteria will guide reviewers in scoring each Brief Proposal and are provided here ONLY to clarify the CCHE process  The Brief Proposal is only four pages maximum. Be sure to develop Brief Proposals in response to the broad criteria, not the specific questions following each criteria

The Brief Proposal Review Criteria  Assessment of the Cultural, Socio-Economic, and Political Context and Opportunities  Track Record and History in Community Organizing  Track Record in Policy Advocacy  Assessment of the Food and Recreation Equity Context  Strength of Organization/ Management/Community Assets  Budget and Matching Funds  Staff/Organizational Skills, Leadership, Service, and Connection to Local Communities of Color  Demonstration of Independence from Industry Influence  Potential for New Information/Innovation

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Assessment of the Cultural, Socio-Economic, and Political Context and Opportunities Does the applicant demonstrate adequate knowledge of the local area's demographics and various group histories of tension and collaboration and their implications for community work? Does the applicant demonstrate adequate knowledge of class issues in the local area and their implication for community work? Is the political assessment clear, concise and include discussion of both elected and non-elected leadership? Is the assessment of opportunities clear, relevant to the project, and informed by community organizing and cultural competency?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Track Record and History in Community Organizing Does the applicant have at least two years of organizing history in the local area? Does the applicant demonstrate the ability to build, maintain, and mobilize a broad base of members and other volunteers for political action? Has the applicant convincingly demonstrated the ability to garner organizing victories? Does the applicant demonstrate the ability to work with a range of community actors and interests toward community change?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Track Record and History in Policy Advocacy Does the applicant have at least two years of experience engaging in policy advocacy at the state or local level? Does the applicant demonstrate a thorough knowledge of policymaking and policy advocacy processes? Has the applicant convincingly demonstrated the ability to garner strategic policy victories (i.e., “wins” analyzed and interpreted as part of larger vision or context)? Does the applicant demonstrate the ability and capacity to engage community members in policymaking and policy advocacy processes?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Assessment of the Food and Recreation Context Does the applicant demonstrate knowledge of food and recreation related problems and their impact on communities? Does the applicant provide a clear, concise picture of the role of the food industry in the local area? Do the problems and challenges described include health, economic, and political considerations? Does the applicant demonstrate a clear understanding of the potential impact of undertaking food and recreation policy on current power relationships in the local area?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Strength of Organization/Fiscal Management Capacity/Community Assets Does the applicant provide a clear and convincing assessment of community assets that can be mobilized to support food and recreation policy advocacy? Are the assets/strengths as described adequate to support and sustain the applicant group as a successful CCHE grantee? Is there a strong history of collaboration and attention to diversity (appropriate to the local context) by the applicant that can be successfully leveraged for their participation in CCHE? Does the applicant organization appear to have the capacity to successfully participate in CCHE, including a track record of successful fiscal management?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Staff /Organizational Skills, Leadership, Service, and Connection to Local Communities of Color Is the applicant group a local organization? Has the applicant organization demonstrated that it is truly aligned with the communities it serves in terms of membership, board and staff, community participation etc.? Does the applicant demonstrate the capacity for cultural competencies necessary to work effectively in the local area? Does the applicant demonstrate a track record of successful work in communities of color? Is the current staff representative of the communities in which they plan to work and have the experience and knowledge to be effective?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Budget and Matching Funds Has the applicant identified the necessary match in "cash" and in kind? Is the budget clear and reasonable?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Demonstration of Independence from Food Industry Influence Does the applicant organization or its Board members have any ties, relationships, history that will prevent them from acting aggressively in the area of food and recreation policy advocacy?

Brief Proposal Selection Criteria  Potential for New Information/Innovation/Breakthrough Are there new things might we learn from funding the applicant? Will the project help us reach new constituencies and/or constituencies currently underrepresented in food and recreation policy advocacy? Will the project help us build relationships and policy advocacy in areas where little work is going on?

Grantmaking Online (GO) Process  Applications have to be submitted using the RWJF online process.  Go to

Grantmaking Online (GO) Process

Budget Specifications  One page limit  Cover entire three year grant period  See Budget Worksheet on the Grantmaking Online site for general format and requirements  No budget narrative required in Stage 1

Budget Specifications Include:  CCHE/RWJF funds*  Hard or cash match funds  In-kind contributions and any other revenues * Note: the maximum amount of CCHE/RWJ Foundation funding is $250,000 for the three-year period

Budget Specifications RWJF funds may only be used for:  Staff salaries  Project-related travel (recommended $5,000 p/yr maximum)  Supplies  Communications and public education  Limited amount of equipment (i.e., project related computers, fax machine, printers, etc.)  Other expenses directly related to project implementation

Budget Specifications CCHE grant funds cannot be used for:  Capital costs  Renovation  Construction  Most equipment purchases  Existing operational expenses or deficits

Lobbying Restrictions RWJF Funds cannot be used for lobbying

Matching Funds Requirement  “Hard” or cash match requirement is 10% of proposed budget ($25,000 over three year grant period and at least $8,333 each year)  Additional “In-Kind” match requirement: 10% in- kind services directly related to the effective implementation of the grant

Matching Funds Requirement  Hard match requirement ensures availability of unrestricted resources for lobbying and related legislative activities  Hard match funds must be new revenues (not existing grants) and come from sources that allow for direct lobbying (direct communication with policy makers on specific legislative issues) to move your policy advocacy.

Budget Format Example Line ItemTotalRWJFCash In-Kind FundsMatchMatch Organizer$50,000$45,000$ 5,000$ 0 Office Operations$ 7,500$ 5,000$ 0$ 2,500 Commun-$10,000$ 8,000$ 1,500$ 1,500 ications

Prohibitions Concerning Industry Funding  Applicants who currently accept funding or other support from an industry, corporation, business or other entity or subsidiary of such an entity that markets low-nutrition food and/or beverage products to youth will not be considered for funding  No disqualification for accepting such funding in the past  Restriction applies to applicant organizations directed by board members who currently receive such industry funding  Contact NPO if you are unsure about a funding source

Brief Proposal Submission  Due Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009  3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time  Electronic delivery via RWJF Grants Online  No hard copy submissions will be accepted

Invitation to Submit Full Proposals  40 Semi Finalists Invited to Submit Full Proposals  Semi-finalists notified by NPO  Technical Assistance Provided via telephone,  Proposals Due: May 12, 2009 at 3pm ET

Finalist Selection & Site Visits  Identification of 15 finalists  Selection: Based upon on scores, portfolio balance considerations, team recommendations  Site visits: Teams conduct site visits, develop evaluations and make recommendations

Finalist Selection & Site Visits  NAC recommends 10 grantees and forwards to RWJ Foundation for approval  Applicants Notified of status by RWJF letter and calls  Completed by: July 2009

CCHE Grants Scheduled to Begin October 1, 2009

Technical Assistance  For technical assistance regarding the CCHE Program application process, contact: Ditra Edwards Makani Themba-Nixon En Español: Josué Guillén

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