Our policy, systems and environmental (PSE) approach to community health improvement is a sustainable and proven method. PSE change means modifying systems and environments to make healthy choices practical and available to all community members. By shaping physical landscapes, a significant impact can be made with little time and resources.
What is the HEAL Mini-Grant?
The HEAL Mini-Grant is a funding opportunity designed to support healthy eating or active living projects focused on policy, systems, and environmental change in community health. Our grants can serve as seed money for new projects, help progress existing ones, or provide the final push to complete ongoing initiatives. Our staff are here to support grantees throughout their journey. We offer guidance in executing projects, troubleshooting issues, and fostering connections with other local community health initiatives.
Types of Projects
We support communities by offering them the knowledge and support to create opportunities for healthy choices because the choices we make are influenced by the choices that we have. Examples of the types of PSE projects we fund are:
Increase opportunities for community members, students, employees, or devout individuals to make healthy choices.
Examples include establishing or promoting SNAP/Healthy Bucks at the farmers market and creating a sustainable food-gleaning station at the local recreation center.
Increase opportunities for community members, students, employees, or devout individuals to engage in physical activity and spend more time outdoors.
Examples include installing water bottle refill stations and improving playgrounds at school or in community parks, supporting active communities with bike racks and crosswalks in destination areas, and supporting community trails by adding signage, benches, trash cans, and extra features like a Story Walk or Born Learning Trail.
Support youth engagement through The HYPE Project®, which will implement a PSE project.