Press Release
Public Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mini Grants Open to the Public

Kittitas County, WA - 05/20/2022 - The COVID-19 Health Equity Coalition (CHEC) is accepting applications for mini grants that serve Kittitas County residents to support COVID-19 prevention, mitigation, or recovery of high-risk or underserved populations. Apply online at https://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/health/community/health-equity.aspx the deadline to apply is June 3, 2022, by 4pm.

Grant awards will range from $10,000 to $25,000. Projects need to be related to COVID-19 but are not limited to COVID-19 vaccinations or testing.  Projects may support broad efforts in behavioral health, recovery, community resilience, etcetera. Applicants must have a tax ID or state vendor number to receive an award.
Examples of potential projects are listed below; however, this is not a complete list of possible projects:

• Rural Paramedicine for COVID-19 testing and vaccination. This approach can build community capacity to reach underserved groups such as home bound residents and other adults 65+ years.
• Increasing behavioral health access in rural communities.
• Increasing supports and services for rural residents with long-haul COVID-19 symptoms.
• Design improvements to address rural residents who already face barriers to care exacerbated by COVID-19 such as transportation issues, childcare needs to make healthcare visits, limited access to relevant specialists, or being uninsured or under-insured, lack of technology to participate in telehealth interactions from home.
• Recovery from the COVID-19 impacts on healthcare, behavioral health, and public health workforce.
• Recovery from the COVID-19 impacts on key community assets integral to the health of the community.
• Youth strategies, such as structured activities or opportunities meant to assist recovery from the social isolation, depression and anxiety suffered during the pandemic.
• Health promotion programs to address common risk factors for COVID-19, such as heart disease or obesity.
• Community resilience projects to reduce social isolation and strengthen community bonds.
• Outreach and engagement around deferred health care.

The application is online and includes organization contact information, project details, project sustainability, along with a budget and an opportunity to upload supplementary documents.  Frequently asked questions about the mini-grant application are also available at Health-Equity-FAQ.pdf (kittitas.wa.us)
 
The COVID-19 Health Equity Coalition was formed in January 2022 in response to a grant awarded to the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).  The goal of the coalition is to advance health equity in Kittitas County and work collaboratively to reduce COVID-19 related health disparities among rural and underserved populations.
 
For questions about the mini grants please visit the Kittitas County website at www.co.kittitas.wa.us/health or call 509-962-7515.
 

• Mini Grants Open to the Public.pdf

Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us

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Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, 509-962-7515