Request for Proposals for Innovating from our Hearts to a Healthier Rondo (Minnesota)

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Cardiovascular Health Unit is requesting proposals to connect community and clinical services among Minnesota adults in St. Paul’s Rondo and Capitol Heights neighborhoods to improve heart health and reduce impacts of heart disease, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.

Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)

State: Minnesota

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 10/30/2024

Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000

Grant Duration: 2 Years

Details:

Serve in Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and/or Volusia counties. Project proposals will demonstrate how organizations create or enhance existing clinical-community linkage(s) through learning collaboratives that use a community engaged approach to increase bi-directional referrals to social needs, culturally relevant supports, and/or lifestyle change programs for adults with hypertension, high cholesterol, or other risk of cardiovascular disease.

Funding Information

Estimated Amount of Total Annual Awards: $100,000 annually.
Estimated Annual Award Range: $25,000-$50,000 annually.
Estimated Total Award Range through Sept 30, 2027(depending on satisfactory grant performance and funding availability): $75,000-$150,000 total.

Grant Period

The estimated grant start date is Jan. 2, 2025, and the projected end date is Sept. 30, 2027.

Eligible Projects

Proposals must focus on understanding social determinants of health in the focus populations that contribute to hypertension, high cholesterol, or other risks of heart disease. Activities must be actionable with the grant outcomes.

Projects must create or enhance existing community clinical linkage(s) to increase referrals to one or more of the following categories (1, 2 or/and 3) of support for adults in the focus population with hypertension, high cholesterol, or other risks of cardiovascular disease:

Category 1: Social services and supports that address at least one area where they live, learn, work and play. (Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
- Example activities include a referral to an SDOH area of focus:
  - Neighborhood & Built Environment
    - A transportation resource to travel to and from a medical appointment.
  - Access to Healthy Food
    - A new or existing Veggie Rx program or food shelf.
  - Social Networks
    - A new or intergenerational social support program.
Category 2: Culturally responsive education and/or support for chronic condition prevention, screening, follow up, and/or self-management:
- Example activities include a referral to:
  - A clinic that implements free heart health services for underinsured and uninsured women (SagePlus Heart Health Screening Program).
  - A new or existing culturally appropriate cooking class, walking group, or group physical activity program.
  - A culturally specific self-measured blood pressure program that supports patients in their self-management of hypertension.
Category 3: Evidence-based lifestyle change programs that address hypertension or high cholesterol:
- Example activities include a referral to:
  - Identification of caregivers and referral to Powerful Tools for Caregivers.
  - The National Healthy Heart Ambassador Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring. (HHA-BPSM)
  - Cardiac rehabilitation program for qualifying patients.
  - Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program and Education (SNAP-ED)
  - Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives. (PEARLS).

Eligible Expenses

Allowable uses of grant funds may include, but are not limited to:

Project planning, including SDoH data collection in focus populations.
Project implementation, including program operations, staff time for providing services, coordination, planning, data collection, and reporting.
Developing and training community leaders, including supporting a community health worker or patient navigator, internal staff development related to the project.
Building networks and collaborations, including meeting time for collaboration between clinic and community.
Culturally tailored outreach materials to focus populations.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants may include, but are not limited to: