NACCHO, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is pleased to provide two new funding opportunities:

• The Strengthening Vaccine Confidence and Uptake among Adolescents and their Families through Community Partnerships project which will support local health departments (LHDs) in collaborating with local partners to identify and implement strategies to improve COVID-19 and routine vaccine confidence, education, and uptake specifically among adolescents and their families.
• The Improving Vaccine Access, Education, and Outreach Through Faith-Based Partnerships demonstration site project which will support LHDs in collaborating with faith-based partners to identify and implement strategies to improve COVID-19 and routine vaccine confidence, education, and access.

These are two separate funding opportunities. Although health departments may apply for both, they will only be eligible to accept funding from one of these projects. Please see below to learn more about each funding opportunity.

Strengthening Vaccine Confidence and Uptake among Adolescents and their Families through Community Partnerships

Expectations

The selected LHD demonstration sites will be expected to complete the following activities based on the scope of work with completion no later than September 29, 2024.

Scope of Work ($75,000):

• Develop a work plan with identified program activities, outcomes, and goals.
• Plan and implement or engage with an established youth advisory group to better understand adolescent’s vaccine and health decision-making, inform peer to peer communications campaigns, and identify channels to promote COVID-19 vaccination uptake, vaccine confidence, and overall awareness and trust in public health among adolescents. The strategy should be specific to the jurisdiction and/or population of focus and should empower vaccine recipients within the community.
• Develop community-specific solutions utilizing trusted messengers that build vaccine confidence, including tailoring COVID-19 vaccination content and materials to meet local context; create resources, health communication campaigns, and social marketing to address vaccine hesitancy, improve vaccine confidence, and increase equitable COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents and their families at the local level.
• Participate in scheduled (i.e., monthly, or bi-monthly) calls with NACCHO to monitor project progress, engage in peer networking, share best practices and resources, and receive technical assistance. Technical assistance may include facilitating connections between demonstration sites and subject matter experts, training opportunities for LHD staff, and/or providing activity planning and implementation support.
• Designate at least one LHD staff member to participate in a health equity training activity and incorporate learnings in LHD practice or strategies.
• Host or participate in grassroots community events to build awareness of and confidence in local public health services and to promote adolescent vaccination uptake.
• Amplify the messaging and communications developed by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) related to adolescent vaccination.
• Partner with NACCHO to develop new and/or update existing materials and share subject matter expertise focused on under-immunized adolescents and those experiencing inequities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage and uptake.
• Participate in evaluation activities and document project outcomes. As such, recipients will be expected to conduct the following activities:

• Participate in NACCHO’s evaluation and assessment activities (i.e., a pre-assessment, post-assessment, mid-year interviews), and project close out interviews.

• Submit progress reports bi-monthly (every two months) to share outcomes, challenges, and needs related to vaccine promotion and accessibility activities with NACCHO template.
• Designate one LHD main point of contact with whom NACCHO will directly communicate on all matters related to this project.

View and complete the Request for Application. Preview the Request for Applications here.

Improving Vaccine Access, Education, and Outreach Through Faith-Based Partnerships

Expectations

The selected LHD demonstration sites will be expected to complete the following activities based on the scope of work with completion no later than September 29, 2024.

Scope of Work ($100,000):

• Complete a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis assessing collaboration and partnership with a faith-based leader(s), stakeholder(s), and/or organization(s). 
• Develop and implement an action plan to promote COVID-19 and routine vaccine uptake in collaboration with faith-based partners using lessons learned from the SWOT analysis.  
• Attend and actively participate in scheduled Rapid Learning Network meetings with NACCHO, aimed at strengthening local partnerships and engagement with faith leaders and/or communities to improve vaccine confidence, education, and access opportunities. Meetings will include monitoring project progress, engaging in peer sharing, sharing best practices and resources, and receiving technical assistance. Technical assistance may include facilitating connections between demonstration sites and subject matter experts, training opportunities for LHD staff, and/or providing activity planning and implementation support.  
• Partner with NACCHO to develop and disseminate at least one communication product (i.e., podcast episode, story from the field, press release, etc.) to detail partnership with faith-based community/stakeholders highlighting strategies, challenges, successes, and sustainability regarding vaccine outreach and opportunities.  
• Participate in evaluation activities and document project outcomes. As such, recipients will be expected to conduct the following activities:  

• Participate in NACCHO’s evaluation and assessment activities (i.e., a pre-assessment, post-assessment, mid-year interviews), and project close out interviews.  
• Submit final report detailing the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from participation in the project.  

• Submit progress reports to share outcomes, challenges, and needs related to vaccine promotion and accessibility activities.  
• Designate one LHD member and a member from the faith-based partner organization as the main points of contact with whom NACCHO will directly communicate with, on all matters related to this project. 

View and complete the Request for Application. Preview the Request for Applications here.

Interested?

NACCHO will be hosting two optional informational webinars on August 16th. You can register for the Strengthening Vaccine Confidence and Uptake among Adolescents and their Families through Community Partnerships here and for the Improving Vaccine Access, Education, and Outreach Through Faith-Based Partnerships here. Recordings will be shared with all registrants in case you are unable to attend or would like to review.

• Application submission deadlines for both RFAs: August 31, 2023, by 11:59 pm PDT.
• Anticipated award notification: The week of September 18, 2023.
  

For more information or questions, email [email protected]. To learn more about NACCHO’s Immunization work, visit this webpage.