Large Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grants due Feb. 23
DES MOINES, IA (Jan. 15, 2018) — The Wellmark Foundation is accepting proposals for its large Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grants untilmidnight on Feb. 23. The large MATCH grants are for up to $100,000 and must be matched at 100 percent. These grants support promising projects that can help individuals, families and communities achieve better health. This can be done by creating safe and healthy environments that encourage physical activity and access to and consumption of nutritious foods.
Examples of sustainable projects include:
· Improving access to locally sourced foods — establishing or improving infrastructure of farmers’ markets and establishing or improving community gardens
· Supporting connections between local food systems and health — advancing the efforts of local, multi-county or statewide food policy councils
· Improving nutrition in school settings — farm-to-school programs, healthy vending and lunchroom redesign to encourage consumption of healthy foods
· Advancing active transportation concepts — Safe Routes to School projects, walking school busses, community walking audits and adding bicycle parking
· Promoting trail development — regional trail-planning efforts, promoting pedestrian, bicycle, or trail master plans and actual trail construction
· Providing safe, accessible venues for physical activity in a community
“The Wellmark Foundation believes everybody deserves to live, work, learn and play in environments that help individuals make healthy choices,” said Becky Wampler, The Wellmark Foundation executive director. “That is why our funding focuses on sustainable initiatives — projects that continue after our grant funding ends — targeting access to and consumption of nutritious foods and creating safe and healthy environments that encourage activity where we live, work, learn and play.”
Applications for Large MATCH grants are available online and must be submitted by midnight on Feb. 23. Additional information regarding 2018 Wellmark Foundation grants can be found in the request for proposals. To view previous Wellmark Foundation MATCH grant recipients, visit Wellmark.com/Foundation.
About The Wellmark Foundation
The Wellmark Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created by Wellmark, Inc., doing business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Please visit The Wellmark Foundation's Web site atwww.wellmark.com/foundation to learn more about our grant program, as well as a list of previous grant recipients. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and The Wellmark Foundation are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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