Target Area/Counties
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) promotes and protects the health of all Mississippians by preventing and reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure. Tobacco use and secondhand smoke are leading causes of death, disease, and disability in Mississippi. Policy, system, and environmental (PSE) strategies are necessary to change existing policies, systematic practices, and environmental factors to improve the health of the overall community. Tobacco-free coalitions can lead social, economic, clinical, and educational efforts that support lasting behavior change, smoke-free norms, and policy change. Coalitions are part of a comprehensive program and coordinated approach to prevent initiation of tobacco use, protect the public from secondhand smoke, promote cessation, and reduce tobacco-related disparities.
The MSDH OTC is requesting proposals from qualified organizations to develop, lead, utilize, and sustain a Tobacco-Free Coalition in one of the targeted areas. The OTC will fund a single, discrete, local entity to mobilize community efforts for policy, systems, and environmental changes through the completion of required tobacco control and prevention activities. The applicant must be recognized as a local community-based organization in the service area. Proposals from organizations without a permanent presence in the targeted area are discouraged. To facilitate coalition activities in all areas of the state, the OTC reserves the right to negotiate acceptable arrangements with any coalition grantee (with preference given to those in contiguous counties) for implementation efforts. Applicants can apply for a maximum of three areas within the state of Mississippi.
Competitive grants will be awarded to grantees to work in tandem with the MSDH OTC in the delivery of the tobacco prevention and control programs and activities within the targeted communities to produce policy, system, and environmental changes that reduce tobacco use, increase cessation, reduce secondhand exposure, and reduce tobacco-related disparities. Our goal is to invest strategically in programs and organizations to produce measurable changes that have a significant impact on the health and quality of life of Mississippians. Applicants should consider how activities and impact will be sustained beyond the project period. For a full Scope of Project, including Program Requirements, see http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/resources/19805.pdf#page=4.
Additional Geographic Information:
Target Area/Counties: