Virginia Healthy Communities Action Teams to Prevent Childhood Obesity Grants

Michael Parsons
804.225.3619
mparsons@vfhy.org

The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth will provide grants for organizations, coalitions, and teams in Virginia to develop Healthy Community Action Teams to promote policy, systems, and environmental changes that will help children and adolescents reach and maintain healthy weights.

Projects are expected to use the Action Plan for a Healthy Virginia framework, focusing on 8 behaviors essential to addressing childhood obesity:

• Breastfeeding
• Eating more fruits and veggies
• Reducing consumption of energy-dense foods
• Moving more
• Decreasing screen time
• Getting enough sleep
• Reducing stress with increased mindfulness
• Decreasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

Eligible applicants include local organizations, coalitions, and teams.

Healthy Communities Action Teams (HCATs) must consist of a minimum of 5 representatives from the locality including, but not limited to:

• Community organizations
• Schools
• Policy makers
• Local growers
• Physicians
• Businesses
• Health departments
• Faith-based organizations
• Cooperative extension agencies
• After school programs
• Others interested in creating healthier, sustainable lifestyles that prevent and reduce childhood obesity

HCATs must include at least one community member.

Award ceiling: $31,000 per year
Project period: 3 years
Total program funding: $2,235,000

Links to additional guidance, application instructions, and the online application portal are available on the program website when applications are being accepted.