Minnesota Commercial Tobacco Equity Grants

prevention.funding@bluecrossmn.com

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will provide grants for community-driven change in Minnesota to advance policies, systems, and environmental changes that impact communities disproportionately affected by commercial tobacco.

Applicants may propose a project that addresses one or a combination of:

• Local and tribal policies that:
  • Eliminate or restrict the sale of menthol and other flavored commercial tobacco products
  • Regulate commercial tobacco product pricing and discounts/promotions
  • Regulate the location, density, number, and type of commercial tobacco retailers
  • Prohibit the delivery and/or online sales of commercial tobacco products
• Resolutions, laws, and regulations enacted by tribal nations that:
  • Create commercial tobacco-free grounds
  • Create commercial tobacco-free tribal casinos
  • Create other solutions to protect their people and lands from the harms of commercial tobacco
• Systems change that:
  • Integrates commercial tobacco treatment into mental health and substance use disorder treatment services and at the same time creates commercial tobacco-free grounds at their locations
• Environmental changes that:
  • Engage community members to develop messaging and communication campaigns that support changes listed above
  • Engage community members to develop cultural and community-specific educational interventions that create healthy environments for those most impacted by the harms of commercial tobacco
  • Support the growing, harvesting, and use of traditional and sacred tobacco by Native Americans
  • Transform cultural practices that currently involve commercial tobacco, such as wedding or funeral ceremonies, hookah use at gatherings, or gift giving, and create culturally responsive alternatives to commercial tobacco use

Eligible applicants are Minnesota-based entities, including:

• Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) classification with the Internal Revenue Service
• Federally recognized tribal nations
• Organizations with a fiscal sponsor that meets the requirements above

Award ceiling: $150,000 per year
Project period: Up to 3 years
Estimated number of awards: 6-7

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

While not required, potential applicants are encouraged to email a letter of interest to chris.matter@bluecrossmn.com by June 30, 2023.