Yale Prevention Center to Award $400,000 in "Micro-Grants" to Improve Health in Connecticut
The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center of the Yale School of Medicine will distribute more than $400,000 in “micro-grants” to Connecticut agencies and groups to support projects and programs that increase the quality and years of healthy life and/or eliminate health disparities in the community.
The micro-grant funds are part of a nearly $700,000 grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded to the center. “We are thrilled to have this opportunity,” said David L. Katz, M.D., associate clinical professor of epidemiology and public health and medicine, who is director of the center and principal investigator of the project. “This grant allows us to provide direct support to agencies and organizations in Connecticut devoted to health promotion and disease prevention. We are committed to creating partnerships between research and community. We are also pleased to be able to give something back to a community, and a state, so supportive of our efforts.”
The HHS grant was given to help the center support progress toward the goals of Healthy People 2010. Healthy People 2010 is a national initiative directed by the HHS that establishes a broad set of goals for improving the nation’s health over the next 10 years. The plan focuses on diseases, conditions and public health challenges, such as promoting exercise, reducing obesity and discouraging tobacco use.
Funding awards up to $2,010 each, the micro-grant initiative represents a new, low-cost approach to foster effective prevention efforts at the community level. Each grant will support efforts by local groups to promote health education, quality care, access to care and other projects that support the far-reaching national health goals of Healthy People 2010. If the two-year project proves successful, the approach could be expanded nationally. “This is a new idea for HHS, a way to leverage very small grants into very widespread action,” said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. “Though small in size, these grants can have a large impact by tapping the potential of local organizations to make a difference in the lives of the people closest to them.”
Kim-Thu Pham, M.D., assistant clinical professor of epidemiology and public health, co-principal investigator of the project and assistant director of community-based research at the center, said, “We hope the monies we distribute will help the agencies be more effective in achieving their goals and objectives. The agencies funded will only need to concentrate on doing the best work they can; we will be responsible for tracking the impact of this grant on Healthy People 2010 goals.”
The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center was one of only two sites in the country funded for this project from among over 80 applicants. The other project is being conducted in North Carolina.
The center will distribute the micro-grants through a simple, competitive process now being put into place. The center will be releasing a “Request for Application” at the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center’s website (www.yalegriffinprc.org) in early January, 2002. Those interested in more information may also contact Susan Nappi, Project Coordinator of the Community Implementations Program, at susan.nappi@yalegriffinprc.org or 203-732-1265 x221. Email correspondence is preferred.
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