Applications are due by November 12, 2023 for the 2023-2024 cycle. See below for additional information.
Overview
The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) for the Advancement of Public Health seeks to support community-based public health programs. The program is named after the late Martha Barclay-Giel, a retired Captain of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. Captain Barclay-Giel dedicated her life’s work to advancing the health of Americans. After retiring, she donated considerable sums of money to COF. She is a member of the
John Adams Society.
Grant Amounts
The maximum grant amount is $10,000 per recipient. COF may elect to provide less than the full amount requested.
Submission Timeline
The application period for 2024 will open from September 18, 2023 to November 12, 2023. Award recipients will be announced in early 2024.
Eligible Applicants
Any non-profit entity, including 501(c)(3) or local/state/tribe/tribal organizations whose primary mission is addressing one or more public health issues.
See here for frequently asked questions.
Eligible Public Health Issues
Grants will be open to all areas of public health, with the Surgeon General’s Priorities of special interest. These include topics related to Health Misinformation, Health Worker Burnout, Social Connection, Youth Mental Health, and Workplace Well-Being.
See the following link for more details: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/index.html.
Proposed projects should have a strong disease and/or injury prevention component that impacts the health of a community by promoting wellness, early detection, and early interventions. Funds are not intended for clinical care or patient treatment.
Rating Criteria
All applications will be evaluated and ranked competitively based on the following criteria:
- Defined public health goal(s) and measurable outcomes.
- A clear and concise description of the intended use of the funds and project rationale.
- The likelihood of making an impact and obtaining a successful public health outcome in the community.
- Innovative and unique strategies.
Ability to describe the “next step” by the applicant organization after the COF grant funds are used to address the public health issue.
- Community support and/or partnerships with other organizations.
Questions
All questions should be directed to Lynn Abrahamson, Grants Manager, at [email protected] (include ‘Seed Grants” in the subject line). Due to the large volume of inquiries we are unable to respond to phone calls.
Sections of the Application
The information below will be asked in the online application. Your organization may want to prepare answers before starting the online application.
- Applicant contact information
A brief overview statement about the applicant organization and describe its mission to advance public health. (Limited to 300 words.)
- The organization’s current annual budget total.
- The organization’s current total number of paid full-time employees.
- The federal tax status of the organization.
- The amount of funding requested and the total project cost.
A letter of support.
A description of how the project will be evaluated. (Limited to 600 words)
A short paragraph about the specific public health issue(s) the grant funds will target and the desired public health goal. (Limited to 300 words)
A description of how the grant funding will address the public health issue(s). (Limited to 600 words)
A summary of at least one innovative or unique aspect of the proposed project. (Limited to 250 words)
A list of external partners with a short description of their roles and/or financial contributions. (Limited to 300 words)
A project timeline, including tentative dates for completion of materials, publicity, and events. (300 words)
2023 Recipients
Congratulations to the following 16 recipients of the 2023 Barclay-Giel Seed Grants. We thank all 166 organizations who applied for funding. Organizations can share this Seed Grant Press Release 5.15.2023.
Alaska Seeds of Change (AK) – provide wellness and resiliency training for at-risk youth.
Borough of New Providence (NJ) – reduce mental health stigma through education and advocacy.
Care and Counseling (MO) – address mental health in youth through a primary prevention approach.
C-ASSIST (MI) – target misinformation/vaccine hesitancy among Arabic-speaking refugees & immigrants.
First 5 Yuba County Children & Families Commission (CA) – provide maternal/paternal/youth health programs.
Frontline Workers Counseling Project (CA) – expand mental health services for frontline health workers.
Liv Sober Recovery Living (MO) – support opioid overdose prevention and health education programs.
Mayes County HOPE Coalition (OK) – reduce youth tobacco and vaping use.
Portland Public Health Division (ME) – confront vaccine hesitancy within the homeless population.
REBOOT Recovery (TN) – expand trauma healing services among health care workers and first responders.
Scenic Rivers Area Health Education Center (WI) – support student interns working in the community.
Step-Up, Inc. (IN) – certify peers as part of prisoner health education and reentry program.
The Clay Counts Coalition (KS) – decrease youth suicide in a rural setting.
Waco Family Medicine (TX) – provide interventions for traumatized children using a therapy room.
Youth Crisis Center (WY) – expand youth mental health and crisis intervention services.
Youth Crossroads (IL) – support trauma-informed care for youth/families in communities of color.
2022 Recipients
Congratulations to the following 16 recipients of the 2022 Barclay-Giel Seed Grants. We thank all 206 organizations who applied for funding. Organizations can share this Seed Grant Press Release 3.31.2022.
ABLE-NH (NH)- improve oral care for persons with disabilities.
- Boost Oregon (OR)- address vaccine hesitancy using videos and print materials.
Chaldean Community Foundation (MI)- provide health education and prevention training for older adults.
Cherokee County Health Services Council (OK) – reduce tobacco use and vaping in youth.
Coalition RX (NE) – prevent substance abuse and mental health issues in older adults.
Community Health Worker Coalition (WA) – target misinformation about COVID among migrants and refugees.
Health Outreach Prevention Education (OK) – provide sexually transmitted infection education and services for youth.
Klamath County Public Health (OR) – address tobacco and substance abuse in young people.
Maryland Primary Care Program (MD) – improve health literacy in the primary care environment.
Not 1 More Project (IN) – address maternal health in Black communities.
PA Coalition for Oral Health (PA) – prevent HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers.
Rosa es Rojo, Inc (TX) – promote cancer prevention and wellness of Hispanic women/families.
Seven Valleys Health Coalition (NY) – instill healthy eating habits and promote nutritional principles through a produce prescription program.
Siouxland Community Health Center (IA) – provide a dental sealant program for elementary school children
The Keya Foundation (SD) – reduce tobacco and e-cigarette use in youth.
The Northampton Recovery Center (MA) – provide support for families/friends of individuals with substance abuse disorders.
2021 Recipients
Congratulations to the following 11 recipients of the 2021 Barclay-Giel Seed Grants. We thank all 39 organizations who applied for funding. Organizations can share this press release.
Adaptive Athletics (AL) – Enhancing health promotion in children with disabilities through participation in sports.
- African Family Health Organization (PA) – Crafting and delivering culturally-appropriate COVID-19 messaging in multiple languages.
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation (AL) – Reducing opioid dependence by piloting non-pharmacologic alternatives to pain management.
- Central Oklahoma American Indian Health Council (OK) – Utilizing the centering care approach in prenatal care.
- Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council (GA) – Preventing suicide by providing skills-based interventions and resiliency training.
- KinderSmile Foundation (NJ) – Empowering uninsured US Veterans with oral health education.
- Michael Glynn Memorial Coalition (SD) – Integrating substance abuse education and fitness promotion in adolescents.
- Patient Assistance Foundation (CA) – Addressing health promotion through screening and disease management.
- Refugee Dream Center (RI) – Reducing cultural barriers to health by educating refugees on American approach to healthcare.
- San Mateo County Health Foundation (CA) – Promoting colorectal cancer/blood pressure screening in Black community.
Tuggle Elementary School (AL) – Targeting social-emotional and/or behavioral difficulties among students through the building and equipping of calming rooms.
2020 Recipients
Congratulations to the following 16 recipients of the 2020 Barclay-Giel Seed Grants. We thank all 72 organizations who applied for funding. Organizations can share this press release.
- Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition: Benton, WA – comprehensive addiction recovery (link)
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake: Murray, UT – access to behavioral health resources (link)
- City of New Orleans Health Department: New Orleans, LA – safe routes to school (link)
- Community Choice Action Health Partners: Wenatchee, WA – stroke/TIA hospital readmissions (link)
Community Health Coalition: Durham, NC – smoking/addiction behavior modification (link)
Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation: Anchorage, AK – rural youth ATV safety (link)
Morgan County Substance Abuse Council: Martinsville, IN – dangers of e-cigarettes (link)
North Carolinians Against Gun Violence: Durham, NC – unsecured guns and role of HCPs (link)
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic: Oklahoma City, OK – peri-/prenatal, newborn education (link)
Safe Kids Kansas: Topeka, KS – SIDS prevention (link)
St Mary’s Health Clinics: Saint Paul, MN – connecting patients to oral health screening (link)
Staten Island NFP Association, Inc.: Staten Island, NY – emergency preparedness planning (link)
The Village Community Garden and Learning Center: Rochester, MN – addressing hunger (link)
Tri-County Health Department: Greenwood Village, CO – healthy farmers markets (link)
Volunteers of America, Utah: Salt Lake, UT – addiction/mental illness in Wasatch Front (link)
Waypoint Foundation, Inc.: Sarasota, FL – grade school access to mobile dental health (link)
2019 Recipients
Congratulations to the following 15 organizations. We thank all 251 organizations which applied for funding. Organizations can share this press release regarding the funding announcement.
- Center Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully (link)
Central Vermont New Directions Coalition (link)
City of Lowell Health Department (link)
Community Health Worker Coalition for Migrants and Refugees (link)
Fresno Police Chaplaincy (link)
Lake County General Health District Tobacco (link)
- Madison County Health Department, NY (link)
2018 Recipients
Congratulations to the following 20 organizations. We thank all 300 organizations which applied for funding. Organizations can share this press release regarding the funding announcement.
- Baystate High Street Health Center (link)
Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center (link)
CareNet Counseling East (link)
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (link)
Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers (link)
Eastern Iowa Health Center (link)
ECDC African Community Center of Denver (link)
Fargo Cass Public Health (link)
Health Resources in Action (link)
- Ledge Light Health District (link)
Life Changers Counseling and Life Coaching (link)
Mercy Health Foundation (link)
Naugatuck High School (link)
North Dakota Head Start (link)
Open Aid Alliance (link)
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (link)
Pomperaug Health District Medical Reserve Corps (link)
Quaboag Hills Community Coalition (link)
Special Kids, Special Care (link)
- Valley County Health Department (link)