Description of the “Health Through Action – Community Partnerships” Grant Program
Purpose
The Health Through Action – Community Partnerships Grant Program is a multi-year national grant program supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. It is designed to strengthen and bolster community approaches to improving the health of vulnerable Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NHOPI) individuals and families, and children of these families by strengthening the capacity of AA and NHOPI led, local community based organizations and by capitalizing on local assets to meet health needs.
Vulnerable AA and NHOPI individuals and families, and children of these families are considered to be those who have limited access to health services and resources due to cultural and language barriers, are in lower socioeconomic strata, or do not have adequate health insurance coverage. This includes, but is not limited to, emerging and/or isolated communities throughout the U.S. that are recently arrived, undocumented, discriminated against, part of a geographically emerging community, economically vulnerable, etc.
The Kellogg Foundation’s vision for the Health Through Action – Community Partnerships Grant Program is vibrant and active communities that support individuals and families through strengthened capacity to conduct effective health programming and advocacy geared at eliminating health and healthcare disparities and to achieving optimal health and well-being of all individuals, families, and communities. This includes enhanced capacity of AA and NHOPI led, local community based organizations to effectively address the immediate and long-term needs of AA and NHOPI individuals and families, and children of these families beyond the grant period. This vision reflects the Foundation’s commitment to build on individual, family and community assets.
The Kellogg Foundation will support community collaboratives that may involve a cross section of organizations and leadership including AA and NHOPI led local community-based organizations, health centers, faith-based organizations, family associations, mutual assistance associations, social service organizations, and other agencies and institutions that have a specific interest in improving the health of vulnerable AA and NHOPI populations. Community leaders representing vulnerable populations will have an integral role in agenda setting and decision making so that the interests and needs of vulnerable populations are respected and acknowledged in the agenda and actions of the collaborative. Communities that receive this funding will bring together various community stakeholders to develop a robust infrastructure to develop and push forward sustainable improvements in health and healthcare for vulnerable AA and NHOPI individuals and families, and children of these families.
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) will serve as the National Program Office with a focus on supporting and engaging the community collaboratives. The Kellogg Foundation will continue to provide leadership and support in the overall program as well as the program’s evaluation and communication strategies. The lead organization working together with their community partners will identify specific topic areas that they will target to improve capacity (i.e., areas that they would like to improve upon in terms of organizational and community capacity). Technical assistance will be provided to address the capacity-building needs of lead organizations and community collaboratives.
To launch the Health Through Action – Community Partnerships Grant Program, the Kellogg Foundation and APIAHF are seeking partnerships with selected communities. The Kellogg Foundation and APIAHF anticipate awarding grants of up to $150,000 per year for four (4) years to approximately eight (8) communities. The eight communities will represent diverse AA and NHOPI subgroups, urban and rural areas, population sizes, and geographic locations. Each community collaborative will select a pressing local health or healthcare issue as a starting point, build on community assets, and identify and work on priority areas to strengthen the capacity of their collaborative to impact change.
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