HEAL Mini-Grants
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The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, awarded Wholespire a grant to promote the health of South Carolina’s economically challenged population. Our method of achieving community health improvement connects policy, systems and environmental (PSE) changes to healthy eating and active living (HEAL). This sustainable method means modifying the environment to make healthy choices practical and available to all community members. By changing policies and 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.
Who’s eligible to apply?
Organization Status
Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Municipalities, coalitions, or schools are also eligible to apply. If the applicant is not a 501(c)(3), they can use a fiscal agent that qualifies.
Focus Area
All grant proposals must be related to healthy eating and/or active living and implement or support a policy, systems, or environmental change project.
Timeline
The project ideas must be ready to be implemented and completed within 9 months of receiving funding.
Health Equity
An application that clearly outlines how the project will address health equity in your community is recommended.
June 3, 2024
Application opens
July 17, 2024
Application deadline
September 6, 2024
Awardees notified
May 1, 2025
Grant period ends
June 1, 2025
Final reports due
Do you have questions about your project proposal? Request a pre-application consultation with us to discuss potential projects and receive advice on your application. Contact us at info@wholespire.org.
We make it easier for people with disabilities or those with limited internet access to apply. You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to apply for a mini-grant. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting us at info@wholespire.org.
Types of Projects
We support communities by offering them tools and resources to create opportunities for equitable access to healthy food and safe places to be active 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.