Overview The Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) is proud to announce the inaugural Lerner Center Community Scholars Grant Program. Awarded teams must include at least one JHSPH faculty member and at least one community-based organization (CBO). Up to five (5) awards are available for up to $30,000 each for 12-month health promotion implementation or evaluation projects. Included in the total award, the individual representing the community-based organization (CBO) partner, will receive a $5,000 honorarium upon completion of the project. The program timeline is as follows: Letter of intent due: April 30, 2018 (5:00 pm ET) Applications due: June 8, 2018 (5:00 pm ET) Awardees announced: June 25, 2018 Project period: July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 Background and Program Goals The goal of Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion is to equip public health professionals with the tools needed to win the battle against preventable diseases brought on by unhealthy behaviors and unfavorable social and policy environments at the local, national and global level. The Lerner Center Community Scholars Grant Program sets out to meet the following goals: 1. Facilitate sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships between JHSPH faculty/students and community based organizations conducting health promotion activities. 2. Contribute to knowledge about effectiveness of community-based programs for health promotion through health behavior change by providing support and resources to enable Community Scholars to evaluate their health promotion activities. 3. Empower Community Scholars to translate and disseminate health messages and programs throughout their worksites, agencies, franchises, universities, or other organization. 4. Improve evaluation knowledge and skills of community-based organizations. 5. Support community-based research through awards supporting innovative programs and activities to prevent chronic diseases and promote public health. Project Description Health promotion activities should focus on impacting health behaviors to reduce risk for chronic disease at the individual, community, and societal levels, and may include the topics of diet, physical activity, tobacco use, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health. Projects can involve a range of activities, including implementation and evaluation of programs, messages, or policies. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 615 North Wolfe St. W3041 Baltimore, MD 21205
Priority areas include: obesity prevention; mental health or stress reduction; oral health; and injury or violence prevention. Desirable will projects will incorporate cross-cutting themes of health equity, policy change, and media or communication strategies. Successful applicants will represent a newly formed or growing JHSPH/CBO partnership and include a highly impactful and/or innovative project. Eligibility Eligible faculty must be scientists or professors (assistant, associate, or full) with a primary appointment in JHSPH, effective no later than July 1, 2018. Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply. All projects require at least one collaborating community-based organization and an individual identified within that organization who is a partner in the project. Prior to applying, please verify that both the JHSPH and CBO partners can remain involved throughout the course of the project, which includes maintaining current faculty status at JHSPH. A change in partner status may lead to forfeiture of funding. Application and Review Process Applicants meeting eligibility requirements should submit a letter of intent (LOI) following the guidelines below. Teams with projects appearing to fit the goals of this funding opportunity will be notified, and requested to submit a complete application following the guidelines below. Letter of Intent Components A letter of intent (LOI) and all accompanying components must be submitted via email to Meghan Ames at meghan.ames@jhu.edu, subject line: Community Scholars Letter of Intent, [Project Title], no later than 5:00 pm ET, on Monday, April 30, 2018. Required components of the LOI include: 1. Cover page with signature of both the JHSPH and CBO partners, not to exceed one (1) page. (See Appendix A: Cover Page Template.) 2. Cover letter including relevant background, project summary, expected outcome, and anticipated collaboration of project partners, not to exceed two (2) pages. 3. Budget form outlining anticipated use of funding. (See Appendix B: Budget Template.) Application Components If a complete application is requested, applications and all accompanying components must be submitted via email to Meghan Ames at meghan.ames@jhu.edu, subject line: Community Scholars Application, [Project Title] no later than 5:00 pm ET, on Friday, June 8, 2018. Required components of the application packet include: 1. Cover page with signature of both the JHSPH and CBO partners, not to exceed one (1) page. (See Appendix A: Cover Page Template.) 2. Budget form outlining anticipated use of funding. (See Appendix B: Budget Template.) 3. Project description providing an overview of the target population, program or evaluation goals, and anticipated deliverables. (See Appendix C: Project Description Template.) 4. Additional supplementary materials may be submitted, but are not required. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 2
Reporting Awardees will be required to submit interim and final reports by December 15, 2018 and July 15, 2019, respectively. Reports must include at a minimum the information outlined in the Reporting Templates (see Appendix D: Reporting Templates). Funding Specifications Funding can be requested to support all activities justified in the budget. It is recommended that allocation of funds be made to reflect a true partnership between JHSPH faculty and the CBO. Awards are for a 12-month continuous budget. A 3-month no cost extension may be granted by written request with justification accompanied by a brief progress report. Award notices will be issues by the administrative offices of the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, which will provide project oversight for the grant s administration. Financial accounts will be set up in the Lerner Center organizational unit and awards will be administered through the JHSPH partner s home department. Lerner Center staff will work cooperatively with the department to simplify the process and provide account access. Before submitting, it is advisable for the JHSPH partner applicant to meet with their home department to review this RFP and seek approval for the budget. Questions Questions can be directed to Meghan Ames, the Lerner Center Community Program Manager at meghan.ames@jhu.edu, subject line: Community Scholars Inquiry. A frequently-asked questions (FAQ) page on the Lerner Center s website, jhsph.edu/lerner-center, will be updated throughout the application period to provide additional insight. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 3
Appendix A: Cover Page Template Note: This form is to be used as the cover sheet to accompany your grant request. Please fill out and supply the material as outlined in "Application Components" to complete your grant application. Title of Project: Project Area (check all that apply): Obesity prevention Mental health or stress reduction Injury or violence prevention Oral health Other [Describe] Requested Budget: [Total Amount] Project Type (check all that apply): Policy/Advocacy Media/Communications Program Implementation Program Evaluation Other [Describe] Is Institutional Review Board Approval Required? Yes No JHSPH Faculty Member: [Name] [Academic Rank] [Department] [Campus Address] [Phone] [JH Email] [JHED ID] CBO Representative: [Name] [Organization] [Address] [Website] [Phone] [Email] By signing below, I am verifying that I was involved in the development of this project, have read and approve the final application and will remain engaged throughout the course of this project. JHSPH Faculty Member (print) CBO Representative (print) JHSPH Faculty Member (sign and date) CBO Representative (sign and date) Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 4
Appendix B: Budget Template Note: This template is to be used to share the anticipated project budget. Please complete the following budget with expenses related to the proposed project description. Include details about the products/services and associated costs (see example in italics) and provide further description in the Budget Narrative, as needed. Salary and Staff Time Description and Justification Months % Effort Base Salary Salary Request Fringe Request Total John Doe, Program Manager at XYZ CBO, will conduct outreach and program implementation for the 6- month program implementation period. 6 20% $45,000 $4,500 $1,350 $5,850 Total: $5,850 $ Consultants, Supplies, Travel, and Other Expenses Item Description and Justification Quantity Unit Cost Total Cost Marketing Printing costs for 100 posters to promote new wellness activities 100 $1.50 $150 Honorarium CBO Representative 1 $5,000 $5,000 Total: $6,150 Totals Total: $6,000 Budget Narrative Use this section to describe budget and explain any anomalies requiring additional detail. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 5
Appendix C: Project Description Template Complete each section described below. Total project description should not exceed 5 pages, not including references, and should be submitted with 1 margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1.5-line document spacing. Note: this template should only be used by applicants receiving an invitation to submit a complete application. I. Background and significance II. Project plan a. Theoretical framework b. Target population c. Work plan and timeline d. Strengths and weaknesses e. In-kind and co-funding III. Human subjects approval plan (may include determination of non-human subjects research) IV. Deliverables and communications plan V. Project leads and supporting team VI. Literature cited Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 6
Appendix D: Reporting Templates For each of the two reports, complete each section described below. The interim report should not exceed 3 pages, and the final report should not exceed 5 pages, not including references. Each report should be submitted with 1 margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1.5-line document spacing. Reports and any relevant attachments should be returned to Meghan Ames at meghan.ames@jhu.edu, with the subject line, Community Scholars Report, [Project Title], by the date specified in the notice of award. Interim Report Template I. Briefly summarize the activities and accomplishments during this reporting period, and describe how they align with the goals outlined in your application. Attach any deliverables or describe progress to date toward deliverables. If you worked with any collaborators, including community groups, governmental organizations, or marketing/communications partners, please indicate their involvement with the project. II. Please provide a brief summary of the funds spent to date and how they align with the budget provided in your application. If spending to date does not align with your initial projections, please explain why, and whether this will present a problem in achieving the goals described in the application by the end of the grant period. III. Were any activities planned for this reporting period not completed? Why, and how will you address this moving forward? Are there any activities that you will not be able to complete before the end of your grant period? IV. Did the Lerner Center assist you or in any way hinder your work during this reporting period? Consider instructions around reporting, financial, and communication procedures, as well as technical assistance and relationship-building with other organizations and individuals. V. Do you have any stories or quotes that capture the impact of the project to date? Examples might include stories of people or communities touched by the project, quotes from community partners, or work leading to policy change on an institutional or local level. VI. Has this project received funding from any sources other than the Lerner Center? If so, please specify the funder, amount, and date. Please indicate whether Lerner Center support helped to leverage these funds. VII. Please describe and attach any relevant deliverables produced during this reporting period. VIII. Is there anything else you wish to share with the Lerner Center regarding the project? Final Report Template I. Briefly summarize the activities and accomplishments during this reporting period, and describe how they align with the goals outlined in your application. Attach any deliverables or describe progress to date toward deliverables. If you worked with any collaborators, including community groups, governmental organizations, or marketing/communications partners, please indicate their involvement with the project. II. Please provide a brief summary of the funds spent to date and how they align with the budget provided in your application. If spending to date does not align with your initial projections, please explain why, and whether this will present a problem in achieving the goals described in the application by the end of the grant period. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 7
III. Were any activities planned for this reporting period not completed? Why, and how will you address this moving forward? Are there any activities that you will not be able to complete before the end of your grant period? IV. Did the Lerner Center assist you or in any way hinder your work during this reporting period? Consider instructions around reporting, financial, and communication procedures, as well as technical assistance and relationship-building with other organizations and individuals. V. Do you have any stories or quotes that capture the impact of the project to date? Examples might include stories of people or communities touched by the project, quotes from community partners, or work leading to policy change on an institutional or local level. VI. Has this project received funding from any sources other than the Lerner Center? If so, please specify the funder, amount, and date. Please indicate whether Lerner Center support helped to leverage these funds. VII. Please describe and attach any relevant deliverables produced during this reporting period. VIII. Is there anything else you wish to share with the Lerner Center regarding the project? Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion 8