Wellmark announced 2017 grant cycles

     The Wellmark Foundation is offering two Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant programs in 2017. The MATCH grants are designed to support larger projects that build on the assets unique to a community and address local health needs in Iowa and South Dakota. The term “matching grant” means an organization is required to raise some money to match the grant amount.

     “The Wellmark Foundation’s goal is to be a catalyst in bringing groups together to impact health improvement within a community,” said Becky Wampler, The Wellmark Foundation executive director. “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.”

Large MATCH grants

     Request for proposals are being accepted for the Large MATCH grant. This challenge grant is for up to $100,000 and must be matched at 100 percent. This grant supports promising policies and projects that can help individuals, families, and communities achieve better health through 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 food – establishing or improving infrastructure of farmers markets and establishing or improving community gardens.

     • Supporting connections between local food systems and health – advancing efforts of 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 transpiration concepts – Safe Routes to School projects, walking school buses and adding bicycle parking.

     • Providing safe, accessible venues for physical activity in a community.

     The Large MATCH grant proposals are available at www.wellmark.com/foundation/ and are due by midnight on Friday, March 24.

Small MATCH grants

     A Small MATCH grant application will be available in May. This challenge grant is available for up to $25,000 to be matched at 50 percent. Its goal is also to encourage new collaborations that are focused on improving the health of a community.

     For more information, visit www.wellmark.com/foundation/.