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Gulfport, MS: Policy Campaign Opportunity

Advocacy Impact Pilot Overview

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Find more details on registration and navigating the grant management system below.

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 an exciting grant opportunity in Gulfport, Mississippi as part of our Advocacy Impact Pilot!

We have three goals for the Advocacy Impact Pilot:

  • Support long-term, equity-centered local policy change that improves the health of children and their families while transferring power and building capacity

  • Fund organizations to collectively advance policy issues identified by the community and led by these same communities.

  • Invest in community-led solutions to address health inequity and structural racism.

Along with funding campaigns, we will leverage Voices for Healthy Kids' assets including campaign funding, technical assistance and coaching, extensive grassroots, science, and consumer networks. The goal is not just to pass good public policy. We want to share and build skill sets and power to develop a stronger advocacy network within the community and be better able to identify and support equitable policy solutions to address health and wellness.

Information Session - Information Session Recording

  • Voices overview and Advocacy Impact Pilot

  • Advocacy 101

  • Lobbying and Advocacy: 501(c)3 Adherence

  • Application Support 

Grant Opportunity: Gulfport, MS

Applications are now being accepted to support advocacy campaigns in Gulfport supporting the following issue areas:

Childhood Nutrition in Schools for Gulfport School District and/or Harrison County School District

  • Breakfast in the Classroom

  • Nutrition Standards

Mental Health Policies for Gulfport School District and/or Harrison County School District

  • School based mental health policies (example one excused mental health day absence).

  • Mental health training for teachers and applicable staff.

Public Transportation

  • Increase bus routes to local farmers markets from food insecure areas in Gulfport such as the Gaston Point Community

Commitment to Equity

We define lived experience as first-hand involvement and knowledge of the social issues that impact communities that are discriminated against or faces other barriers (including poverty or lack of access) to living a healthy life.

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, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a, or Asian American.

Application Timeline

Deadline: July 12, 2022 - 5 p.m. Central

Notifications of Award/Decline - July 25, 2022 

  • Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in Gulfport, MS.

  • Applications need to focus on one of the issue areas listed above that was raised by the community.

  • Applications must focus on changing public policy through official channels, such as an executive order through the Mayor’s Office, passing an ordinance through the Metropolitan Council, or Gulfport or Harrison County School Board policies.

  • Applications can be submitted for up to $100,000 for a duration of up 24 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities. Up to three applications will be funded.

Application Templates

For applicant convenience, below is a list of editable versions of the 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.

Click here to register in our grant management system to APPLY TODAY!

This link is provided for convenience only and is not an endorsement of either the linked-to entity or any product or service.