FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation

Applications for Community Engagement Grants

 Orlando – Parramore

July 5 - August 5

To Start a New Application, click here.

To Access an Existing Application, click here .

 

The lead agency for this effort in Orlando is the Health Council of East Central Florida. With support from the BCBSF Foundation and Nemours, the Health Council developed a regional consortium, ROCK (Reduce Obesity in Central Florida Kids), to address childhood obesity issues in Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. In 2010, the BCBSF Foundation funded ROCK to facilitate a community engagement process in Parramore to uncover the underlying factors contributing to the high rates of overweight children in this vulnerable neighborhood. Research collected from stakeholder interviews, focus groups and community forums were used to develop a Call to Action plan for Parramore. The plan, "Building a Healthy Parramore," was approved by the community in May 2011 and can be found on both the Health Council's website and the ROCK's website (www.rockfl.org), as well as by clicking on the Call to Action located on both the Health Council’s and ROCK’s websites.

Building a Healthy Parramore is a multi-sector plan developed with broad community involvement that identifies the individual, social, structural and environmental barriers currently preventing the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors as well as the strategies needed to expand community capacity to effectively address childhood obesity. This plan builds on the many initiatives already under way in Parramore.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is to fund initiatives that support the strategies, activities and policies outlined in the Building a Healthy Parramore Call to Action plan. Applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with community partners to build organizational capacity and leverage resources.

Please carefully read the guidelines before you begin this application. The application process is very competitive, so carefully reading the guidelines may prove extremely useful when compiling a strong application. The Embrace a Healthy Florida guidelines can be accessed by clicking the "Help and Guidance" link at the top of the application.

For information, contact:

Elaine Cauthen, Health Council of East Central Florida, (407) 977-1610, ext. 226, or ecauthen@hcecf.org

Shawna Kelsch, ROCK, (321) 537-5591, or rockdistrict7@gmail.com

Community Engagement Grants serve to build capacity in six communities (Jacksonville, Parramore, Opa-Locka, Hialeah, Sulphur Springs and Tallahassee) and support fundamental efforts to address the causes of obesity at a local and community level. A Leadership Agency has been selected and funded in each community to lead in coordination and facilitation and partner with the BCBSF Foundation, community members and leaders. We expect the leadership organization to develop a community plan linking current obesity efforts under way to augment synergy between various sectors, neighborhoods, languages and cultures, approaches and disciplines. Additional grants may support community-based efforts and alliances that emerge from the planning process. The leadership organization is expected to bring evidence-based practices to the community in a collaborative process. Community mini-grants will help to implement specific strategies the community has identified. We encourage the whole community to guide the work, set priorities and design the strategies. We encourage input from programs that involve parents/caregivers, parenting education, early childhood and health professionals.

Please click on the links below for more information.

TA Training Schedule

Building a Healthy Parramore Call to Action

Frequently Asked Questions

Partnership List

EMBRACE Line-Item Budget Form

 

2461 West State Road 426, Suite 2041

Oviedo, Florida 32765

PHONE: 407.977.1610 FAX: 407.977.1611

 

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The Health Council of East Central Florida, Inc. (HCECF) is a private, non-profit healthcare planning agency providing research, education and program support to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes. The East Central Florida District VII encompasses the four counties of Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole.