Grant Opportunities

All of our funded campaigns must pursue policy through legislation, regulation, executive order, or ballot initiative 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 our policy bottom lines related to our policy goals. Please note we only fund 501 c-3 organizations and do not fund government employees or programs. 

Increase access to healthy foods through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs 

Voices for Healthy Kids funds SNAP appropriations policy campaigns at the local and state level that increase participant access to fresh fruits and vegetables. We fund state and local campaigns that seek to secure government funds for SNAP incentives and produce prescriptions programs. Funds can be used to establish or expand dollar-for-dollar match programs, purchase technology, support staffing and/or promote participation.

We do not fund project work, direct incentives to participants or farmers markets or any non-binding policy efforts.

Healthy Kids’ Restaurant Meals 

Voices for Healthy Kids funds campaigns that work to help transform the food environment for kids in restaurants through passing healthy kids’ meals policies.  Voices for Healthy Kids funds two campaign types (1) set nutritional standards for restaurant kids’ meals or (2) make healthier beverages the default beverage in restaurant kids’ meals.  Full nutritional standards for restaurant meals are the ideal and healthy default campaigns should be building to that goal. Voices for Healthy Kids relies on the Healthy Eating Research 2019 Recommendations for Healthy Beverage Consumption in Early Childhood to define healthier beverage options and the RAND Corporations Performance Standards for Restaurants when looking at overall nutritional standards for kids’ meals. 

We do not fund voluntary campaigns. 

Sugary Drink Taxes 

Voices for Healthy Kids fund community -centered campaigns that work with policy makers at the local, state or tribal level to adopt excise taxes on sugary drinks to reduce consumption and raise revenue to address health disparities in communities most impacted by sugary drinks.  The tax design, planning and implementation, including revenue allocation, should be developed through a process driven-by communities most impacted by health disparities.  

We do not fund campaigns without authentic engagement of those most impacted by sugary drinks throughout the campaign. We do not fund campaigns that do not seek to reinvest a significant portion of the funds raised by the tax back into the communities most impacted by sugary drinks. 

Head Start and Early Care & Education 

Voices for Healthy kids seeks to fund campaigns in the early care and education space that seek to increase healthy standards and improve access to quality programs.  It also seeks to increase state funding to Early Head Start and Head Start programs. Please see the detail about each of those policy areas below: 

Early Care and Education Standards: 

We fund campaigns that create or update the state childcare licensing structure or Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) to meet specific nutrition, active play, sugary drink, and screen time standards.  Nutrition Standards must be consistent with the meal patterns of the most recent version of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service standards for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Physical activity standards must be consistent with the most recent version of the YMCA’s Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards for Early Childhood Programs OR the Caring for Our Children (CFOC) standards as developed as part of a collaboration between the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. Screen time standards must be consistent with the most recent version of the YMCA’s Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards for Early Childhood Programs OR the Caring for Our Children (CFOC) standards as developed as part of a collaboration between the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. 

Funding for Early Care and Education Access 

We fund campaigns that aim to secure state or local funding to increase access to quality childcare programs for children in low-income communities by providing better supports to childcare providers.  The minimum annual appropriation must be $300,000, $500,000 or $1 million depending on the population of the state or locality based on 2010 U.S. Census and include at least one of the following priorities:  

• Increase subsidy reimbursement rates for child-care providers meeting HEPA standards through licensing or QRIS.  

• Secure funding for targeted outreach, recruitment, and retention of licensed ECE programs and pre-licensure technical assistance. Prioritize funding to build supply in rural areas, child-care deserts, areas with a high proportion of exempt providers, and family childcare homes.  

• Assist childcare facilities in securing funding for capital improvements which would help facilitate HEPA standard implementation.  

Funding for Technical Assistance & Grant Opportunities for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards 

 We fund campaigns that aim to establish funding at the state or local level for dedicated technical assistance and grant opportunities for early care and education providers operating in or serving low-income communities to adopt and implement nutrition, active play, and screen time standards.  

• Requires state or local appropriated funding to support designated staffing of at least 1.0 FTE, program implementation, technical assistance, and monitoring. 

• Minimum annual appropriation of $300,000, $500,000 or $1 million depending on the population of the state or locality based on the 2010 U.S. Census. 

Head Start Appropriations 

We fund campaigns that aim to secure state funding to support Head Start/Early Head Start programs for currently eligible children and/or children from families above current income eligibility requirements. Minimum annual appropriation of $1 million, $3 million or $5 million depending on the population of the state based on the 2010 U.S. Census. 

We do not fund policy campaigns that aim to create new state/local agencies, the creation of new citizen’s committees or ‘Children’s Cabinets.’  We also do not fund campaigns that aim to require only from-scratch cooking/non-packaged food or vegetarian/vegan only food in the childcare environment. 

Preemption 

Voices for Healthy Kids funds campaigns that support efforts to protect health and well-being and build healthy, equitable communities by promoting and defending local government power. “Preemption” refers to policies that stop or limit lower forms of governments like cities and counties from enacting local policies like tobacco, nutrition and health regulations. We fund two state-level policy opportunities: (1) Support the repeal of existing state laws limiting the ability of cities and counties to regulate, tax or otherwise enact laws stronger than state law related to building healthy, equitable communities, (2) Oppose new legislation or policies limiting the ability of cities and counties to regulate, tax or otherwise enact laws stronger than state law related to building healthy, equitable communities. Funding is specifically focused on preemption work around public health issues only.

Healthy School Meals for All

Support statewide expansion of healthy school meals for all through maximizing participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or other universal meal options or by prioritizing expansion at the local level for under-resourced school districts with the greatest need. Schools and school districts shall maximize access to federal funds for the cost of the school breakfast and lunch program under CEP or other universal meal options (for example, by strategically grouping districts to maximize reimbursement).

To the extent that the costs of offering healthy school meals for all are not reimbursed through federal funds or other sources, then states , localities, or districts must supplement the difference (for districts or schools reimbursed less than 100 percent). States are encouraged to include policy language that would hold other state education funding or grants constant (e.g., state compensatory funding) for schools participating in CEP or other universal meal options.

We do not fund campaigns that concern capital infrastructure appropriations (i.e. kitchen equipment), purchasing agreements, packaging, from-scratch cooking requirements or vegetarian/vegan only policies.  

Water in Schools 

Voices for Healthy Kids funds campaigns that help enact policies at the state or school-district level to increase access to drinking fountains in schools, encourage water consumption throughout the school day and during school-based activities. We fund campaigns at the state, county or school district level that help enact policies that ensure all newly constructed schools and schools undergoing major renovations have water bottle filling stations.  We also fund appropriations policy campaigns that support water bottle filling station installations, prioritizing Tier 1 and high-needs schools first. 

We do not fund policy campaigns that concern water quality testing, ppm requirements, infrastructure/water pipeline replacement, or environmental mitigation. 

Application Round 2

Invited Applicants Timeline

Application Round 3

Short Form Application Timeline

Invited Applicants Timeline

Please note, we make every attempt to adhere to the posted timeline but is subject to change. Voices for Healthy Kids anticipates a funding round for the Policy Campaign Opportunity to be open in the summer of 2022 pending available funding.

Policy Campaign Opportunity

The Policy Campaign Grant Opportunity is designed to support strategic issue advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one tribal nation, state, county, or city. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian American and Pacific Islander or from families who have low income.

Where We Fund

Using a detailed rubric based on data, we are able to prioritize areas in the country to fund: awarding grants to the geographies experiencing the greatest health disparities as measured by childhood obesity rate, percentage of the people of color, percentage of children under the federal poverty level and the percentage of children who are food insecure. 

We are particularly interested in funding in tribal nations and these states: Alabama, Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas as well as counties and cities that demonstrate a high need.

Who We Fund

Voices for Healthy Kids believes in lived experiences as important qualifications in community led policy change work. We also acknowledge, currently and historically, that organizations led by people of color face more barriers and receive less funding than white led organizations. As breaking down racial and health disparities is key to the Voices for Healthy Kids mission, we are committed to increasing funding to organizations and campaigns that have leadership that is American Indian, Alaskan Native, Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a, or Asian American.

How We Evaluate

In addition to prioritizing location and evaluating leadership diversity, grant applicants are evaluated based on their potential to reduce health disparities, engagement and power building in communities most impacted, experience in changing policy, understanding of the historical context of the issues and inequities.

To learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas - please review the public policy priorities.

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

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead, co-lead and/or subgrantee collaboration. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed populations.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 - $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a sort form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

All application instructions and the application form are located in the online grant management system.

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 Short Form Application Template

• Policy Campaign Full Application Template

• Policy Campaign Budget Template (Coming Soon)
  

 Campaign Model Tool - Power Prism (required for policy campaign full application)

• Campaign Model Form

• Campaign Model Form - Example

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn and play healthier. We are excited to announce a call for applications for 2021-2022 Innovation, Equity and Exploration (IEE) workgroups to address sugary drink and/or healthy hydration policy.  

The IEEs will mobilize broad expertise, external perspectives and advocacy capacity in a workgroup engagement model inclusive of health equity and causes of the social determinants of health and advancing the state, tribal or local policy agenda of the initiative.  The workgroups will support dialogue on social, demographic, equity, policy and other trends related to specific sugary drink and/or healthy hydration policy. Each workgroup will provide specific deliverables to be completed by the end of the 12-month grant period. Funded workgroups would start in November 2021.

The focus of IEEs is to share best practices and opportunities to advance policies in diverse public settings. Below is a list of example topics that fit for this call for applications:

• Sugary drink counter-marketing policy strategies (preferably led by an equity-facing organization)

• Community water access policy solutions

• Intersection between sugary drinks/healthy hydration and Voices for Healthy Kids’ policy priorities (e.g., SNAP, WIC, ECE standards, etc.)

Application Timeline:

Eligibility for IEE Grants:

• Organizations must be 501(c)(3), non-profit organizations with a priority on state and community led organizations.

• Preference given to tribal, state, or local organizations that are led by the populations impacted by health disparities: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a, American Indian, and Alaskan Native and children living in families with low-income.

• National organizations may apply but must include a co-facilitator who has strong equity-based experience and background representing communities impacted by disparities and the social determinants of health.

All interested, eligible applicants must submit the application in our online grant management system. Selected applicants will need to complete additional information including a budget, budget narrative and deliverables before awards are finalized. This is a competitive application process, and we anticipate awarding up to three IEE grants for to address sugary drink and/or healthy hydration policy.  

Online Grant Management System

Information and the application for the 2021-2022 Innovation, Equity and Exploration (IEE) workgroup grants are online. All applications will be submitted in this system and registration is required. Registrations are approved within 2 business days and often within the same day. Please follow these simple steps to register:

• Visit https://voicesforhealthykids.fluxx.io and in the lower right corner of the webpage, click the create account now button. Be sure to use Google Chrome as this site does not work with Internet Explorer.

• Complete the eligibility quiz for an IEE Workgroup Application.

• If your organization is eligible, you will then need to complete a registration form for your organization and individual information.

• Once submitted, your registration will be reviewed and approved within 1 business day.

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.

IEE Workgroup Application Template

IEE Workgroup Invited Template

We appreciate your support in sharing this opportunity with organizations that may be interested. Together, we can make each day healthier for all children.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at voicesforhealthykids@heart.org.

Rapid Response Funding

Rapid Response Funding grants are designed to fund strategically targeted needs of campaigns in push-for-passage mode. 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 lever. These grants are designed to fund strategically targeted needs of campaigns in push-for-passage mode and range from award period of weeks to a few months. Interested applicants need to contact voicesforhealthykids@heart.org to request a pre-screening call with a Policy Engagement Manager. 

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 (Coming Soon)

• Policy Campaign Budget Template (Coming Soon)

 Campaign Model Tool - Power Prism (required for policy campaign full application)

• Campaign Model Form

• Campaign Model Form - Example

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 an Account Now." You must register to access the application materials. It may take up to 2 business days for your registration to be approved. During open call for applications, registrations are reviewed several times daily. If you do not get an email by the end of the day, please check your junk folder. If you do not receive your log in credentials within 4 business hours, you may use the reset or create password link to gain access.

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

All Applicants:

Applicants must be nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundation or non-functionally integrated Type III supporting organizations (no government agencies such as public schools, state universities etc.).

 

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

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

Grant requirements include the ability to conduct lobbying activities as defined by the IRS code. 501c3 organizations are able to lobby, however, if your organization is restricted to conducting educational activities and prohibited from conducting lobbying activities by your leadership/board of directors, you are not eligible for this grant.

Please consult your legal counsel for guidance on Lobbying; however, 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 equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the listed priority populations (children who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native and children living in families with low-income).

 

Innovation, Equity and Exploration (IEE) Grants:

Preference given to tribal, state, or local organizations that are led by the populations impacted by health disparities: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a, American Indian, and Alaskan Native and children living in families with low-income.

National organizations may apply but must include a co-facilitator who has strong equity-based experience and background representing communities impacted by disparities and the social determinants of health.

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

• Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative - Mississippi

• Small Business Majority Foundation Inc. - Colorado

• The Suquamish Foundation and Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP - Washington State

• The Women's Fund of Greater Birmingham - Alabama

• Voices for Georgia's Children and HealthMPowers - Georgia

Healthy, Accessible Food and Drinks

• AHA Georgia - Atlanta, Georgia

• AHA Mississippi - Mississippi

• Alabama Arise - Alabama

• Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance - Arkansas

• California Association of Food Banks - California

• Community Farm Alliance - Kentucky

• Community Health Council of Wyandotte County - Wyandotte, Kansas

• DC Greens - District of Columbia

• Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities - Flint and Detroit, Michigan

• Hunger Action Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California

• Make the Road Nevada and Guinn Center - Nevada

• Market Umbrella, Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA), and New Orleans Food Policy Action Council - Louisiana

• Maryland Medical Society, MedChi - Baltimore, Maryland

• New Mexico Voices for Children and Organizers in the Land of Enchantment - New Mexico

• Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy - Oklahoma

• Oral Health Kansas - Kansas

• PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center, Inc. and Black Church Center for Justice and Equality – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Project Bread - The Walk for Hunger, Inc. - Massachusetts

• The Food Trust - Pennsylvania

• Wholesome Wave and Roots of Change - California

• Youth Development Institute - Puerto Rico

Preemption

• Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families - Arkansas

• Equality Ohio Education Fund - Ohio

• Every Texan - Texas

• HealthMPowers - Georgia

• NAACP Maryland State Conference - Maryland

• The Women's Fund of Greater Birmingham - Alabama

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.