Indiana is #INitTogether and #TogetherWeWill …

create solutions to better our communities

100 GRANTEES

WHAT IS TOGETHER WE WILL?

IT IS ABOUT FUNDING IDEAS FOR THE COMMUNITY,
BY THE COMMUNITY.

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help reduce the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic among racial and ethnic populations that have been disproportionately affected. As part of this effort, IDOH’s Office of Minority Health is implementing Together We Will, a grant program investing $7 million from 2021-2023 in community initiatives that address health inequities for marginalized populations in Indiana.

Together We Will is focused on funding community projects impacting eight public health priority areas: Access, COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy, Environmental Justice, Infant & Maternal Mortality, Mental Health, Structural & Systemic Barriers, Substance Use Disorder, and Violence. (Please see the PRIORITY HEALTH AREAS section below for more information.)

Funding Update

Updated 9/7/2023

So far, Together We Will has awarded 90 grants, totaling over $6 million in funding for community solutions to reduce health disparities in Indiana. The total amount in grant funding available for Together We Will is $7 million.

Applications to the grant program were received on a rolling basis from late 2021 to August 11, 2023, and many outstanding proposals were received from organizations across Indiana. Thanks to the excellent projects planned by Hoosiers, the program will soon reach its ceiling of $7 million in awards. While this means that not all applications will be eligible to receive funding, applications that were submitted before the deadline and that met all administrative requirements to be reviewed will still be scored, with reviewer’s comments provided to applicants during the fall of 2023. These comments are intended to be helpful for organizations as they apply for other funding opportunities in the future.

With the application process closed, project scoping calls and peer technical assistance are no longer available. Evaluation calls with grantees will continue, providing a user-friendly system for grantees to comply with requirements on reporting how their grant funds were used.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants to the grant program must be located within Indiana. These include local health departments, hospitals, local government agencies, local coordinating councils, recovery-oriented systems of care, recovery hubs, drug-free coalitions, community coalitions, faith-based institutions, and non-profit organizations that have experience in leading community health improvement activities.

FUNDING

The amount available for Together We Will is $7 million. Applicants may apply for grants in an amount ranging from $1,000 to $75,000. The final award amount is contingent on submission of a reasonable proposal that is approved by IDOH’s Office of Minority Health.

GRANT AWARDS

Since December 2021, applications to the grant program have been received on a rolling basis. Applicants could submit proposals with budgets of $1,000 to $75,000. After receiving an award, grantees must expend their funds by May 30, 2024.

Please explore our Grantee Spotlights to see some of the wonderful projects that have received funding.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Together We Will provides the following:

A step-by-step process on how to create a great grant application.
Project scoping sessions with Together We Will team members who assist prospective applicants with questions about how to compile a proposal.
Scoring and written commentary from a Peer Review Panel composed of reviewers that are experts in grant development and community impact. Members of the Peer Review Panel have experience in reviewing grants on behalf of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), as well as other federal and state agencies.
If an application is not initially recommended for funding by the Peer Review Panel, one-on-one virtual technical assistance sessions with a Peer Technical Assistance Team is offered to applicants to help them in improving their application, with the goal of re-submitting the proposal for consideration. Members of the Peer Technical Assistance Team are community developers and seasoned project implementers.
Evaluation sessions with grantees, providing them with the opportunity to fulfill requirements about reporting on how their grant funds were expended and the status of their projects.

Priority Health Areas

ACCESS

Excellent doctors, comprehensive healthcare programs, patient-centric services, and continuously improving systems can transform communities. Our complex healthcare system consists of sophisticated processes that create unintentional barriers to entry.

COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY

Responses to COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy should focus on utilizing best public health practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. Long-term adoption of these best practices promotes good community health.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental Justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

INFANT & MATERNAL MORTALITY

Indiana’s current infant mortality rate for 2020 is around 6.6%. Indiana’s maternal mortality rate is also a concern, with 80% of pregnancy associated deaths classified as preventable in 2019.

MENTAL HEALTH

Each of us has had poor mental health at some point in our lives. Individuals with continuing mental health issues struggle to find support are amongst our most vulnerable. Providing people with access to licensed mental healthcare will improve quality of life.

STRUCTURAL & SYSTEMIC BARRIERS

Whether it’s transportation issues, translation and interpretation needs, or a lack of health insurance – barriers to healthcare need to be addressed and equitably transformed.

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER

Addiction is a public health crisis that stigmatizes people in our communities; treating it like the disease and public health issue it is provides our best chance at fighting it and helping those who are affected by it – both directly and indirectly.

VIOLENCE

Violence can take many forms, from interpersonal, gun violence and school shootings, digital harassment, to bullying. Our communities, families, friend groups, and relationships that are impacted by violence need safe spaces and victim advocates.