the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, announced a call for proposals for grants to conduct health impact assessments (HIAs). HIAs identify and address the health impacts of decisions in other sectors, such as planning roads, passing agriculture legislation, or siting schools.

“Public health professionals, policy makers and communities are increasingly finding health impact assessments a valuable tool to bring health into decisions in other sectors in order to address problems like diabetes, asthma, and injury,” said Aaron Wernham, M.D., director of the Health Impact Project. “The field is growing quickly. We will continue to support organizations and regions that are new to using health impact assessments, while, for the first time, helping experienced practitioners find ways to make HIA a routine, sustainable part of decision making.” 

The call for proposals will support two kinds of awards: demonstration project grants, which will each fund a single HIA to inform a specific upcoming decision on a proposed policy, program, plan, or project; and HIA program grants, which will allow organizations with prior experience to develop stable HIA programs that endure beyond the conclusion of the grant period. Grants will support government agencies, educational organizations, or non-profits.

Up to eight demonstration project grants will be awarded, each for up to $75,000. Applicants need not have prior experience conducting an HIA. Applicants proposing innovative topics for an HIA, those with strong plans for engaging stakeholders (including community members, policymakers, and industry), and those seeking to work in states or regions that have seen relatively little HIA activity to date will receive preference. (For more information about current locations and the decisions the HIAs are informing, please see the map of HIA activity in the United States.) The Health Impact Project will provide training and technical assistance to all grantees throughout each grant. Three of the grants will be Minnesota, funded through support from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation.

The Health Impact Project will also fund up to three HIA program awards, each for up to $250,000. These grants will allow organizations with prior experience to conduct at least two new HIAs and to implement a plan that establishes the relationships, systems, and funding mechanisms needed to maintain a stable HIA program that endures beyond the conclusion of the grant period.

Applications are due September 14. The Health Impact Project will also host three webinars for potential applicants:

• August 1, 2012 – General information for all interested applicants.
• August 7, 2012 – Information on the “Screening” stage of HIA. This call will help demonstration grant applicants define an appropriate decision-making target for the HIA.
• August 15, 2012 – General information web conference call for interested HIA program applicants.

Registration is required for all webinar attendees. Early response is encouraged, as participation will be limited.

During the previous call for proposals, additional resources from other funders expanded the number of grants available. In the event that the number of grants available for this call for proposals increases, that information, including details such as the topics or geographic regions, will be communicated via the Health Impact Project funding opportunity page and e-newsletter.