Grant Opportunities

Rapid Response Grant Opportunity

The Rapid Response Grant Opportunity is designed to support strategically targeted tactics such as grassroots organizing, coalition building, polling and media relations of campaigns currently in session. Our goal is to ensure families, especially those with the youngest children, have access to healthy, affordable food by protecting and improving the family economic security supports.

Apply for funding to advance the following policy priorities:

• Improve SNAP Administration for Families: Advance legislative or administrative changes that reduce the state payment error rate and simplify access in ways that support families.

• Develop Sustainable SNAP Funding Strategies: Explore revenue options, such as a sugary drink tax or tobacco tax, to support SNAP and related nutrition programs.

If your state is considering opting out of SNAP and safeguard access for families who depend on this essential program, please contact us by email to discuss.

Why Act Now?

There is an urgent opportunity to influence policy during the 2026 legislative sessions. We have limited resources and aim to support as many states as possible. Please request only what you truly need.

Funding Details:

• Grants are intended for tactical advocacy efforts, not general operating support.

• Suggested range: $10,000–$50,000 to fund campaign tactics.

• Eligible expenses include contract lobbyists, consultants and advocacy tactics (e.g., grassroots mobilization, communications campaigns).

• Eligible organizations submit a short form application in our online grant management system.

• Deadline: There will be a rolling deadline each Monday or until funds have been depleted.

  • Monday, February 2, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT

  • Monday, February 9, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT

  • Monday, February 16, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT

Join Our Live Office Hours

Have questions about the grant opportunity or application process? We’re here to help!

During office hours, you can ask about application requirements, budget planning or navigating the grant management system.

To make the most of your time, we encourage all applicants to review the grant application instructions beforehand.

Office Hour: January 26, 2026: Register Here    

12 p.m. PT | 1 p.m. MT | 2 p.m. CT | 3 p.m. EST

Application Information:

What We Fund

Voices for Healthy Kids supports coordinated public policy advocacy campaigns led by community-centered organizations working on issues aligned with our policy priorities. These campaigns aim to create meaningful, lasting policy changes that improve health and wellness for children and families.

Where We Invest

We focus on communities experiencing the greatest needs. By trusting, supporting and investing in these places, we work to remove barriers that prevent children and families from thriving.

Building Community Power

Every community has unique challenges shaped by factors such as where people live, work and learn, and their access to health care and nutritious food. Our science-driven, people-first approach builds trust and fosters solutions tailored to local realities. We meet communities where they are, ensuring that strategies reach those who need them most.

Collaboration

Voices for Healthy Kids believes that policy campaigns achieve the greatest impact through strong partnerships. Collaboration among community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and other stakeholders ensures campaigns are inclusive, strategic and effective.   

What we DO NOT Fund

We do not fund regional grants, multi-location funding, multi-issue areas or support for technical assistance-based strategies. Grants will not be awarded for curriculum development or implementation, equipment, operations of physical activity, nutrition or similar participant-based programs, capital expenditures, academic research or other non-advocacy purposes.

Application Templates

For applicant convenience, below is a list of Word (.docx) versions of our current grant application questions. Click on the links to download the template to review and work in before copy and pasting your application responses in the online form. These application templates are for draft work ONLY - any application submission must be on the application forms in our online grant management portal, which requires organizations to register.

• 2026 Nutrition Rapid Response Application Template

All of our funded campaigns must pursue policy through legislation, regulation, or executive order but not through voluntary or programmatic success. These are public policy goals; therefore, public policy interventions are necessary. If you are selected to submit a full application, you will receive further instructions defining what we have determined are the minimum standards for our policy goals. 

Rapid Response Grant Opportunity

Rapid Response requests support critically timed needs of mature campaigns in push-for-passage mode (strategic time in final states of a policy passing) or to support a defensive campaign that would prevent a harmful policy from being passed. Funding is designed to support strategically targeted tactics such as grassroots organizing, coalition building, polling, and media relations of campaigns as the campaign is in its final stages. With limited funds available, we are not able to support operational costs or personnel for campaign management.

• Funds may be requested up to $60,000 for a time period of weeks to a few months.

• Rapid Response grants are open to campaigns not currently or previously funded by Voices for Healthy Kids for the requested policy issue area.

• Campaigns must have exhausted all other resources available and establish that critical resources are needed for a final push to passage during the end stage of a legislative or regulatory campaign or a defensive campaign.

• Applicants must meet the organizational eligibility to apply.

Interested applicants need to contact voicesforhealthykids@heart.org to request a pre-screening call with a National Consultant. Please provide a brief description of the policy campaign, timeline and the issue area the campaign supports. Based on the pre-screening call, organizations may be invited to complete an application.

Finish Line Funding

Finish Line Funding supports short-term, critically timed requests during the final push-for-passage of policy. Voices for Healthy Kids provides the finish line funding opportunity to current grantees nearing the end of their grant or past grantees continuing their grant related work. Requests up to $50,000 with a duration of weeks to a few months will be considered. Applicants should discuss the need with their Policy Engagement Manager to determine eligibility and gain access to an application.

Application Templates

For applicant convenience, below is a list of Word (.doc) versions of our current grant application questions. Click on the links to download the template to review and work in before copy and pasting your application responses in the online form. These application templates are for draft work ONLY - any application submission must be on the application forms in our online grant management portal, which requires organizations to register.

• Policy Campaign Finish Line Funding Application Template (Coming Soon)

• Policy Campaign Rapid Response Application Template

• Policy Campaign Rapid Response Budget Template

All applications are submitted through the Voices for Healthy Kids online grant management system, and registration is required. Please follow these simple steps to register: 

• If you are a returning user to the system simply log into the Grant Management System. If you need to reset your password, please use "forgot my password," enter your email address, and submit. You will receive an email with a link to update your password. 
  

• If you are new to the Grant Management System, read the New to the Grants Management System instructions and click on "Create Account." You must register to access the application materials. If you do not receive an email to verify your account, check your junk folder. You must use the verification link in the email to gain access to the grant management system.

If you have any questions on the Voices for Healthy Kids Grant Opportunities, please contact Shannon Melluzzo, Manager, Advocacy Grants. 

Policy Change Grants (Policy Campaign, Preemption, Rapid Response and Targeted Campaigns):

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in a tribe, state or local geographic area supporting one Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities.

Organization Eligibility

• To be eligible as a Lead, Co-Lead or Subgrant applicant organization, an organization must have tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) as a public charity or under section 501(c)(4); have a fiscal sponsor that is a section 501(c)(3) public charity or a section 501(c)(4) organization; or be a federally recognized Indian tribe or a subdivision of a tribe.

• We are unable to fund private foundations, non-functionally integrated Type III supporting organizations, or government agencies (including public schools, state universities, etc.).

• Grant requirements include the ability to conduct lobbying activities as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Section 501(c)(3) public charities are able to lobby; however, if your organization is restricted or prohibited from conducting lobbying activities by your leadership/board of directors, you are not eligible for this grant.

• Consult your legal counsel for guidance on lobbying. In general, lobbying includes: communicating directly with legislators on specific legislation concerning your views on such legislation, or, communicating to the public on specific legislation concerning your views on legislation and asking them to take action.

• Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and power-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns. Successful grant applications will be able to identify their organization's community-led and centered work.

Voices for Healthy Kids is currently funding the following organizations who are working to improve the health of children, families and communities through equitable policy change, with a specific focus on those experiencing systemic racism and historic oppression.

​Early Childhood Care and Education

• Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida, Inc. - Florida

• MomsRising Education Fund - Florida

• West Virginia Association for Young Children, MomsRising Education Fund and TEAM for West Virginia Children – West Virginia

Healthy, Accessible Food and Drinks

• Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and Arkansas Urban League - Arkansas

• Nebraska Appleseed, RISE Academy (RISE) and Heart Ministry Center - Nebraska

• Voices for Virginia's Children and Virginia Poverty Law Center

• West Virginia Food & Farm Coalition, West Virginia Black Voter Impact Initiative, Keep Your Faith Corporation, West Virginia Farmers Market Association and West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy – Wesst Virginia

Preemption

• Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families- Arkansas

• Clean Air Council and Latino Connection Foundation – Pennsylvania

• Common Good Iowa and PODER of Idaho - Iowa

• Community Justice Project, Inc. and Florida for All - Florida

• Every Texan - Texas

• Georgians for a Healthy Future – Georgia

• Idaho Voices for Children Foundation – Idaho

• Missouri Workers Center – Missouri

Paid Family and Medical Leave

• Alabama Arise and A Better Balance – Alabama

• Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment - South Dakota

• Children First PA (formerly PCCY) and Maternity Care Coalition – Pennsylvania

• Foundation for a Healthy North Dakota – North Dakota

• Kentucky Youth Advocates - Kentucky

• MS Black Women’s Roundtable - Mississippi

• Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation, Inc. - Oklahoma

• Southwest Women's Law Center – New Mexico

• ThinkTennessee - Tennessee

• Utah Children - Utah

• Wyoming Women's Foundation – Wyoming

Innovative Policy Issues

• GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students and Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) – Georgia

• Women's Fund of Miami-Dade, Inc. and WeCount! - Florida

• Youth Development Institute and Hispanic Federation Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico

Policy Equity Exploration Research (PEER) Workgroups

• First 1,000 Days Kansas, DBA Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, Inc.

• ImpactStats, Inc.

• Policy Institute for the Children of Louisiana

Voices for Healthy Kids does not typically fund multiple campaigns focused on the same issue within the same geographic area. We value collaboration and coordination. If there is an organization listed above that is funded in the issue area and location that interests you, please contact us to be connected to the campaign.