We are pleased to announce an exciting citywide initiative and funding opportunity for which BACH is partnering with the Boston Public Health Commission. This will result in significant public health policy and systems changes and provide some financial support for work at the neighborhood level. Across Boston we hope to engage residents in training and capacity building in order to reduce the burden of chronic diseases in our communities. Citywide, these changes will affect 75% of city residents.
About The Project
Boston Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH), is a 3-year initiative to reduce the burden of chronic disease by addressing the health behavior risks of tobacco exposure, poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Boston PICH aims to create sustainable voluntary policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes in the neighborhoods and organizations where Bostonians spend their daily lives so that healthier choices are the easier choices for individuals to make. Boston PICH builds on Boston’s strong record of collaborative initiatives over the last decade to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes addressing chronic disease risk factors. It includes strategies that operate at multiple levels: citywide; focused approaches that reach low-income residents and public school students; and neighborhood-specific initiatives in Mattapan and North Dorchester.
Immediate Funding Opportunity For Neighborhoods
Boston Public Health Commission announces a request for proposals (RFP) from community-based organizations and coalitions located in Boston to support implementation of BPHC’s Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) project funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BPHC is the health department for the City of Boston. BPHC is implementing Boston PICH in partnership with the Boston Alliance for Community Health, a citywide coalition that brings together neighborhood coalitions and other public health and community partners to create a healthy Boston.
The RFP asks for proposals from Boston non-profit 501c3 community-based organizations or coalitions (CBO/Cs) to recruit and support neighborhood residents, known as Healthy Community Champions, who will provide outreach and education to inform businesses, organizations, and residents about the value of Boston PICH’s proposed PSE changes. BPHC expects to fund approximately 10 CBO/Cs across diverse Boston neighborhoods.
Individual contract amounts will vary based on how many initiatives the CBO/C’s Healthy Community Champions undertake and the specific neighborhood.
Next Steps
If eligible, you are invited to apply, share widely, and encourage community based organizations and coalitions in your neighborhood to apply.
- There will be an informational conference call on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 10:00 am. Dial In number: 617-279-2240 ext. 064, Participant ID: 862840#
- Submit a required letter of intent via email to Mary Bovenzi at mbovenzi@bphc.org by the deadline of 4:00 pm, Wednesday February 25, 2015
- Applications are due by March 9th by 4:00pm. Go to the BPHC website to view details and to learn how to apply
Questions about this RFP can be referred to Mary Bovenzi, Boston PICH Project Director at the Boston Public Health Commission by email only, mbovenzi@bphc.org.