Funding will target areas of the state with the greatest need
OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 3, 2019)
— The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) has announced
the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the new TSET Healthy
Living Program 2.0 community grant.
The program will support communities in developing strategies, programs and policies to improve health by preventing or reducing tobacco use, improving nutrition, and increasing physical activity in an effort to decrease premature death in Oklahoma. The program seeks to work in communities where health risk factors – tobacco use, poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle -- are among the highest.
“For five years, TSET’s Healthy Living Program has worked with community partners across the state to improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of Oklahomans,” said TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee. “This new program takes findings from the original Healthy Living Program and focuses our efforts on Oklahomans who experience the greatest health disparities and the worst health outcomes.”
TSET Healthy Living Program 2.0 will focus on the geographic areas within the state of Oklahoma where the greatest need for interventions in tobacco control and obesity prevention and reduction exists. Reviewers will give preference to counties with the highest health–related risk factors. Grants will be for a five-year period with an annual funding renewal process.
Applicants in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties could receive up to $360,000 in the first year and up to $400,000 in subsequent years. Applicants in other counties could receive up to $220,000 in the first year and up to $260,000 in subsequent years.
Three behaviors—tobacco-use, poor nutrition, and sedentary lifestyle—contribute to four chronic conditions—cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and lung disease—that are responsible for 65% of all deaths in Oklahoma.
With the TSET Healthy Living Program and the earlier Communities of Excellence grants, TSET worked to address these issues by investing in comprehensive community programs that enable local grantees to work directly in their communities to improve health and create environments that support healthy choices. Grantees have worked across a variety of organizations to create meaningful opportunities for Oklahomans to eat better, move more, and be tobacco-free.
The current Healthy Living Program works with 47 grantees covering 62 counties. Grantees have successfully worked with local businesses, schools, community organizations and cities to adopt over 1,500 tobacco-free and wellness policies. Grantees have worked with nearly 2,000 partner organizations statewide impacting almost 2.5 million Oklahomans through policy and changes to the environment.
Proposals for the new RFP may be submitted by community-based organizations in Oklahoma that will work to prevent and reduce tobacco use and obesity through evidence-based, comprehensive strategic actions across priority populations.
Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to attend one of the applicant workshops for additional information on the funding opportunity. Three workshops will be held to inform potential grantees and interested parties. The workshops will be held on Dec. 10 at Central Technology Center in Sapulpa; Dec. 11 at Eastern Oklahoma State College in McAlester; and Dec. 12 at Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno. All workshops begin at 10 am. For more information on applicant workshops visit https://tset.ok.gov/content/requests-proposals.
Applications are due on February 28, 2020. The TSET Board of Directors will consider applications during their May 2020 meeting. Grantee funding will begin July 1, 2020.
For more information or to read the RFP, click here or call 405-521-3892.