National organizations will have a key role in building a healthier nation as part of the new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative.  HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a funding opportunity for national public or private non-profit organizations to apply for $10 million in cooperative agreements to help communities decrease smoking and obesity, increase physical activity and improve nutrition.

 

Communities Putting Prevention to Work will change systems and environments—for example, improving access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity—and putting into place policies that will promote the health of populations. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the $10 million in available funds will be awarded to national organizations through a competitive agreement process.  With these funds, national organizations will provide expert guidance to communities, help sustain prevention efforts when recovery act funding ends, and foster a national movement toward prevention by implementing key practices across their networks and systems.  The HHS Office of Public Health and Science is leading the national organizations component of Communities Putting Prevention to Work in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

National organizations interested in applying for Communities Putting Prevention to Work- Leveraging National Organizations cooperative agreements can find more information at www.grants.gov.  The application deadline is April 19, 2010. To learn more about the Communities Putting Prevention to Work- Leveraging National Organizations program please visit: http://www.hhs.gov/ophs/funding/index.html    

Fact Sheet: http://www.hhs.gov/ophs/funding/cppwfactsheet.html