CDC Communities Putting Prevention to Work Grants:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs and Promotions
Can be an Integral Part of your Application

Summary: As a health department, we’re sure that you are already aware of the important opportunity presented through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new program: Communities Putting Prevention to Work. Thirty to forty communities will receive a total of $373 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) dollars to support interventions that reduce obesity (through improved physical activity and nutrition) and/or reduce tobacco use. Communities can apply for either focus area or both. This landmark opportunity is aimed at mobilizing community resources toward broad-based policy, systems, organizational and environmental changes. We would like to encourage you to make bicycle and pedestrian programs a key pillar of your application. CDC suggests a series of eligible activities that would increase physical activity through programs targeted at bicycling and walking.

On September 29, 2009 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of $120 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for prevention and wellness programs for U.S. states and territories, building on the recent announcement of the $373 million funding opportunity for communities and tribes around the country. In all, the comprehensive Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative will make $650 million available for public health efforts to address obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking.

Lead Applicants:
Local and State Health Departments

Deadlines:
Letter of Intent Deadline: October 30, 2009
Application Deadline: December 1, 2009

Enabling Physical Activity through Bicycle and Pedestrian Initiatives: Communities Putting Prevention to Work provides an important opportunity for health departments to increase physical activity. One means of doing so is by providing greater opportunities for individuals to walk and bicycle for transportation and for recreation. To help health departments further develop bicycle and pedestrian programs that fit with the ARRA guidelines, the America Bikes Coalition and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership have prepared a list of sample activities for bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs that fit within the CDC’s five categories of required interventions for this grant for obesity reduction.

We encourage you to review these sample activities and further develop how some would work in your community, for inclusion in your grant request. We also encourage you to reach out to your local bicycle and pedestrian groups, departments of transportation, transit agencies, and school districts and other potential coalition partners to develop a plan on how these or similar initiatives could be included in your proposal.

Application Focus: The request for proposals notes that the “key to the success of this initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, will be to implement community-wide policies, systems, and environmental changes that reach across all levels of the socio-ecological model and include the full engagement of the leadership in city government, boards of health, schools, businesses, community and faith-based organizations, community developers, transportation and land use planners, parks and recreation officials, health care purchasers, health plans, health care providers, academic institutions, foundations, other Recovery Act-funded community activities, and many other community sectors working together to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Funded programs need to build on, but not duplicate current Federal programs as well as state, local, or community programs and coordinate fully with existing programs and resources in the community.”

Please note that construction and research are not eligible activities.

Resource Links:
Grant information details available at Grants.gov 

CDC’s Community Health Resources 

Sample Bike/Ped Interventions for Communities Putting Prevention to Work

Potential Partners: Bicycle and Pedestrian Organizations Operating at Local and State Levels

Field Action Alert