The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of May 17, 2021:

In this Edition

• Quarterly PI Call
• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources

Quarterly PI Call

• Quarterly PI Calls are an opportunity to disseminate information and updates related to the WCC grant. The next Quarterly PI Call will be Friday, May 21, 2021 from 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET. We will be meeting via Zoom. You should have received a new Outlook Calendar invite from Hayat Essa that will include the link and password to connect to the meeting. If you have not received an email please reach out to her. The agenda for the meeting is attached.

Quarterly PI Call Schedule:

• May 21, 2021
• August 20, 2021

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Freedom from Trauma, Violence, and Addiction

May 27, 2021

1:00 – 2:30pm ET

The impacts of trauma, violence and addiction on human life are far reaching. Adverse experiences and toxic environments can harm health and well-being across a lifespan and generations. Join your WCC peer leaders and national voices to learn and think together about;

• Shaping collective understanding about the intersections between Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s)
• Engaging cross-sector partners to co-create community conditions that support freedom from trauma, violence, and addiction
• Maximizing Cooperative Extension and 4-H youth—adult partnerships to interrupt intergenerational trauma and advance thriving

Register

WCC Communications Update

NEW! WCC Website/Portal Update

We are pleased to announce that we have made a major update the WCC website at wellconnectedcommunities.org. Please take some time to explore the new site. We will continue to make improvements to the site from here. The web presence is a single site, so to access former portal functionality (Initiative Contacts, Calendar, Quarterly Reports) go to the “Portal Login” link in the main navigation.

• Logins: Your login for the site should remain the same. If you do have issues logging in, please email Jennifer and Hayat.

• New Resource Library Functionality: The resource library has been made public and can be found under “Act in Your Community.” We have implemented a new functionality in this update, which does not require you to upload files. So, if you have LINKS to resources hosted by your LGU or others that would be valuable to the group, they are now easier to share. Please pass on resources to Jennifer and Hayat at jgrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu and hessa@fourhcouncil.edu.

• Errors or corrections: If you find any broken links, images, or other issues, email Jennifer and Hayat with a link to the page where you found the issue. This is especially important if you see https://dev.coh.engagementnetwork.org/ in the URL. Don’t think you can only reach out if you find something wrong, though. We are happy to hear suggestions for improvements, as well.

• On the Horizon: We are now working to launch expanded community profiles. Participating communities and LGUs are currently mapped. We are working on adding links from that mapped community listing to pages that show a full profile of each community. This update should be available in the coming months.

Additional Resources

• Voices for Healthy Kids Advocacy Training Series

Reclaiming Indigenous Health: Collaborating with Tribal Nations and Organizations

Please join us next week for our latest webinar, Reclaiming Indigenous Health: Collaborating with Tribal Nations and Organizations! This webinar will feature work done by the American Indian Cancer Foundation on collaborating with tribal nations and organizations to reclaim Indigenous health. Upon completion of the webinar, participants will be able to identify areas for partnership with Tribal Nations and Indigenous Serving Organizations seeking to develop and implement culturally relevant Policy, System and Environment (PSE) change within their respective communities. Register Here

• Wednesday, May 19, 2021
• 3 p.m. ET/ 2 p.m. CT/ 1 p.m. MT/ 12 p.m. PT

• Global Youth Justice, Inc. and 9/11 Day Grant

Global Youth Justice, Inc. has been awarded a competitive three (3) year federal grant from AmeriCorps for purposes of being a National Partner of 9/11 Day of National Service, beginning in 2021, with the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 Day of National Service on September 11, 2021.

The Global Youth Justice Network comprises 1800+ Youth/Teen/Student/Peer Court and Peer Jury Diversion Programs in Communities, Tribes, and Schools — in 47 USA States, 25+ Tribes, District of Columbia, 11 Countries, and 1 Dual-Island Nation.  These Youth-Led and Volunteer-Driven Diversion Programs are the most replicated local juvenile justice program in America, since the establishment of the 1st Juvenile Court in 1899 in Illinois, USA.

And, since they are volunteer-driven, they are now already a Top 5 youth service opportunity for teens in America, and they are the #1 essential youth service opportunity in America.  And, since juvenile crimes occur daily all over America, they provide year-round continual youth service opportunities – instead of being only episodic, and therefore, these diversion programs are highly regarded for their civic, service, rule of law, and other youth development benefits, beyond their primary purpose – to divert youthful offenders from the justice system. And, given much needed justice reform efforts in America, our unique Volunteer-Driven Youth/Teen/Student/Peer Court and Peer Jury Diversion Programs are experiencing an even greater surge in their establishment and expansion. Grant sizes range from collateral like 9/11 flags up to $2,000 and $5,000.There is an estimated 90-minute application completion time. Deadline: May 28, 2021. Click here for more information.

• 130 9/11 Day Opportunities and Grants
• 2 Eligibility Categories
• 4 Opportunities to Apply

• Engaging Youth in PSE Health Action

Wisconsin has been implementing the Youth Advocates for Community Health program, which supports the process of young people identifying issues, enhancing awareness of communities, and discovering their niche to address issues through policy, systems or environment change. The program has been led by state and local staff from UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Health and Well-Being Institute (including FoodWise nutrition education staff) and Positive Youth Development Institute (including 4-H and Community Youth Development staff members). Presenters will provide an overview of the YACH Process and the curriculum resources and share experiences of engaging youth in projects from destigmatizing mental illness to improving safe routes to school, including lessons learned from adapting to a COVID environment.

Elizabeth Adams, Health and Well-Being Institute Population Health Fellow

Michelle Gobert, Forest County Positive Youth Development Educator

Christa Van Treeck, Associate Professor, Marquette County 4-H Youth Development Educator

• Topic: June 4-H Healthy Living Update
• Time: Jun 18, 2021 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
• Join Zoom Meeting
  • https://ndsu.zoom.us/j/98263415535?pwd=bUw2eUx3UXJFaUtKcUhuVHZLNUZ3Zz09

• Hunger in America – Share Your Story

In April, the House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Jim McGovern asked the public to submit stories and ideas for fighting hunger in the U.S. “Whether you’re an educator with exciting new research, an organization with an innovative concept, or a family on the frontlines, your voice deserves to be heard. Share your story and help guide us in our work to finally end hunger now.” 

See more here: https://rules.house.gov/hunger-america-share-your-story

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of May 10, 2021:

In this Edition

• Quarterly PI Call
• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• Additional Resources

Quarterly PI Call

• Quarterly PI Calls are an opportunity to disseminate information and updates related to the WCC grant. The next Quarterly PI Call will be Friday, May 21, 2021 from 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET. We will be meeting via Zoom. You should have received a new Outlook Calendar invite from Hayat Essa will include the link and password to connect to the meeting. An agenda for the meeting will be provided a week prior to the call.

Quarterly PI Call Schedule:

• May 21, 2021
• August 20, 2021

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Freedom from Trauma, Violence, and Addiction

May 27, 2021

1:00 – 2:30pm ET

The impacts of trauma, violence and addiction on human life are far reaching. Adverse experiences and toxic environments can harm health and well-being across a lifespan and generations. Join your WCC peer leaders and national voices to learn and think together about;

• Shaping collective understanding about the intersections between Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s)
• Engaging cross-sector partners to co-create community conditions that support freedom from trauma, violence, and addiction
• Maximizing Cooperative Extension and 4-H youth—adult partnerships to interrupt intergenerational trauma and advance thriving

Register

Additional Resources

• County Health Rankings

Institutional Contacts for Health and Well Being, The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health.  The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all counties within states and call attention to the differences in opportunity to live long and well from one county to the next. In addition to the county-level data, the Rankings also features What Works for Health, a database of more than 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local changemakers as they take steps toward expanding opportunities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Take Action Center also provides valuable guidance for communities who want to move with data to action.

• Engaging Youth in PSE Health Action

Wisconsin has been implementing the Youth Advocates for Community Health program, which supports the process of young people identifying issues, enhancing awareness of communities, and discovering their niche to address issues through policy, systems or environment change. The program has been led by state and local staff from UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Health and Well-Being Institute (including FoodWise nutrition education staff) and Positive Youth Development Institute (including 4-H and Community Youth Development staff members). Presenters will provide an overview of the YACH Process and the curriculum resources and share experiences of engaging youth in projects from destigmatizing mental illness to improving safe routes to school, including lessons learned from adapting to a COVID environment.

Elizabeth Adams, Health and Well-Being Institute Population Health Fellow

Michelle Gobert, Forest County Positive Youth Development Educator

Christa Van Treeck, Associate Professor, Marquette County 4-H Youth Development Educator

• Topic: June 4-H Healthy Living Update
• Time: Jun 18, 2021 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
• Join Zoom Meeting
  • https://ndsu.zoom.us/j/98263415535?pwd=bUw2eUx3UXJFaUtKcUhuVHZLNUZ3Zz09

• Hunger in America – Share Your Story

In April, the House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Jim McGovern asked the public to submit stories and ideas for fighting hunger in the U.S. “Whether you’re an educator with exciting new research, an organization with an innovative concept, or a family on the frontlines, your voice deserves to be heard. Share your story and help guide us in our work to finally end hunger now.” 

See more here: https://rules.house.gov/hunger-america-share-your-story

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of May 3, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• WCC Webinar Recordings
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Freedom from Trauma, Violence, and Addiction

May 27, 2021

1:00 – 2:30pm ET

The impacts of trauma, violence and addiction on human life are far reaching. Adverse experiences and toxic environments can harm health and well-being across a lifespan and generations. Join your WCC peer leaders and national voices to learn and think together about;

• Shaping collective understanding about the intersections between Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s)
• Engaging cross-sector partners to co-create community conditions that support freedom from trauma, violence, and addiction
• Maximizing Cooperative Extension and 4-H youth—adult partnerships to interrupt intergenerational trauma and advance thriving

Register

WCC Webinar Recordings

• Food Security as a Unifying Priority

If you were unable to join last week’s webinar, you will find a recording on the portal here.

Additional Resources

• County Health Rankings

Institutional Contacts for Health and Well Being, The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health.  The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all counties within states and call attention to the differences in opportunity to live long and well from one county to the next. In addition to the county-level data, the Rankings also features What Works for Health, a database of more than 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local changemakers as they take steps toward expanding opportunities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Take Action Center also provides valuable guidance for communities who want to move with data to action.

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn, and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.

Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of April 26, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• WCC Webinar Recordings
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Freedom from Trauma, Violence, and Addiction

May 27, 2021

1:00 – 2:30pm ET

The impacts of trauma, violence and addiction on human life are far reaching. Adverse experiences and toxic environments can harm health and well-being across a lifespan and generations. Join your WCC peer leaders and national voices to learn and think together about;

• Shaping collective understanding about the intersections between Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s)
• Engaging cross-sector partners to co-create community conditions that support freedom from trauma, violence, and addiction
• Maximizing Cooperative Extension and 4-H youth—adult partnerships to interrupt intergenerational trauma and advance thriving

Register

WCC Webinar Recordings

• Food Security as a Unifying Priority

If you were unable to join last week’s webinar, you will find a recording on the portal here.

Additional Resources

• Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Vaping, Tobacco and Health Equity Youth Voice Town Hall

April 29, 2021

1:00pm ET

Vaping is not only a public health challenge but an equity issue. In recognition of National Minority Health Month, join us to learn how youth-adult partnerships can reduce tobacco use and vaping, and identify ways to champion health equity through youth advocacy. Featuring youth activists and adult allies from partner organizations including American Heart Association, Truth Initiative, and the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living. If you are unable to attend, you can still register to receive a recording of the event. Register here.

• County Health Rankings

Institutional Contacts for Health and Well Being, The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health.  The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all counties within states and call attention to the differences in opportunity to live long and well from one county to the next. In addition to the county-level data, the Rankings also features What Works for Health, a database of more than 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local changemakers as they take steps toward expanding opportunities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Take Action Center also provides valuable guidance for communities who want to move with data to action.

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn, and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.

Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of April 19, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Food Security as a Unifying Priority

April 22, 2021, 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

We are all somehow connected to food – as growers or makers or servers and certainly, as eaters. While foods and food culture can be unique, food is a vital condition we all need to thrive. Join in a conversation with national voices and Extension peers to explore a variety of starting points and strategies for multi-solving as we work together to create food systems that advance health and well-being. Register for this webinar here.

WCC Communications Update

• We are getting ready to add a new feature to the public website that maps all of our communities and provides a mini profile for each. (An expanded public community profile is planned for launch soon after that.) Please help us out by providing the following for each of your WCC communities
  • Community coalition name
  • Coalition online presence/s (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, website, etc.)

Please send the above information to Jen GE at JGrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu.

Additional Resources

• Know the Risks : A Guide to Youth and E-Cigarettes

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 1:00 – 1:45 PM ET 
Alliance for a Healthier Generation hosts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to uncover the risks of youth vaping. Join this 45 minute session to gain insight into e-cigarette paraphernalia and the impact vaping can have on young people’s health. Register here. Please also see below for addition resources on vaping and e-cigarettes.

• Vaping: What Families Need to Know
  Be an informed advocate for youth in your life by getting to know the latest vaping devices, common terms used by young people to talk about tobacco and vaping, and the health risks associated with these products.
• Get Your Head Out of the Cloud
  Build a personalized conversation guide to better support your child in making good, healthy decisions about smoking and e-cigarettes.
• Talk With Your Teen About E-Cigarettes:  A Tip Sheet for Parents
  Try one of these sample text messages to get your teen’s attention and remind them of how smoking and vaping can impact their lives.

• County Health Rankings

Institutional Contacts for Health and Well Being, The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health.  The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all counties within states and call attention to the differences in opportunity to live long and well from one county to the next. In addition to the county-level data, the Rankings also features What Works for Health, a database of more than 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local changemakers as they take steps toward expanding opportunities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Take Action Center also provides valuable guidance for communities who want to move with data to action.

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn, and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.

Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of April 12, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Food Security as a Unifying Priority

April 22, 2021, 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

We are all somehow connected to food – as growers or makers or servers and certainly, as eaters. While foods and food culture can be unique, food is a vital condition we all need to thrive. Join in a conversation with national voices and Extension peers to explore a variety of starting points and strategies for multi-solving as we work together to create food systems that advance health and well-being. Register for this webinar here.

WCC Communications Update

• We are getting ready to add a new feature to the public website that maps all of our communities and provides a mini profile for each. (An expanded public community profile is planned for launch soon after that.) Please help us out by providing the following for each of your WCC communities
  • Community coalition name
  • Coalition online presence/s (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, website, etc.)

Please send the above information to Jen GE at JGrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu.

Additional Resources

• Virtual Tribal Water and Food Sustainability Summit This Week

UNL Extension, through the Tribal Extension Office, the Nebraska Water Center, and the Native American Coalition, are sponsoring a Virtual Tribal Water and Food Sustainability Summit on April 14-15. Tribal speakers will be presenting on:

• Traditional Tribal worldviews and relationships with water and the earth
• Tribal youth programs that are involved in food and water sustainability projects.
• Creating relationships between Tribal water and earth protectors and the University faculty

The Summit starts at noon CST both days; Wednesday will feature adult tribal programs and Thursday will focus on youth tribal programs.  Use this link to register: https://unl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArf-6rqTgtGN2ky_7QFbhl3oxnhr_RxHks

The WCC Project at Macy, NE will be featured on Thursday afternoon with a presentation by Ricardo Ariza from 2:50-3:50 PM CST.

• County Health Rankings

Institutional Contacts for Health and Well Being, The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health.  The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all counties within states and call attention to the differences in opportunity to live long and well from one county to the next. In addition to the county-level data, the Rankings also features What Works for Health, a database of more than 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local changemakers as they take steps toward expanding opportunities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Take Action Center also provides valuable guidance for communities who want to move with data to action.

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn, and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.

Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of April 5, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• Reporting
• Important Announcements
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Food Security as a Unifying Priority

April 22, 2021, 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

We are all somehow connected to food – as growers or makers or servers and certainly, as eaters. While foods and food culture can be unique, food is a vital condition we all need to thrive. Join in a conversation with national voices and Extension peers to explore a variety of starting points and strategies for multi-solving as we work together to create food systems that advance health and well-being. Register for this webinar here.

WCC Reporting

• Year 2 Q1, 2021 Reporting

• Action Required The Q4 report was due March 15, 2021. Please visit the WCC community portal to upload your report for the period December 1, 2021 – February 28, 2021.
  • The reporting will consist of each community submitting a community report – submitted via the WCC community portal
  • One LGU Financial Status Report – an excel spreadsheet submitted to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu
  • One Tobacco Separation Protocol validation letter – emailed to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu

Important Announcements

• Master Volunteer Curriculum
• Please note that the Master Volunteer Curriculum is now public on the WCC Website. Find it here.

WCC Communications Update

• We are getting ready to add a new feature to the public website that maps all of our communities and provides a mini profile for each. (An expanded public community profile is planned for launch soon after that.) Please help us out by providing the following for each of your WCC communities
  • Community coalition name
  • Coalition online presence/s (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, website, etc.)

Please send the above information to Jen GE at JGrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu.

Additional Resources

• County Health Rankings

Institutional Contacts for Health and Well Being, The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health.  The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all counties within states and call attention to the differences in opportunity to live long and well from one county to the next. In addition to the county-level data, the Rankings also features What Works for Health, a database of more than 400 evidence-informed strategies to support local changemakers as they take steps toward expanding opportunities. Each strategy is rated for its evidence of effectiveness and likely impact on health disparities. The Take Action Center also provides valuable guidance for communities who want to move with data to action.

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn, and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.
3. Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of March 29, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• Reporting
• Important Announcements
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Food Security as a Unifying Priority

April 22, 2021

1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

We are all somehow connected to food – as growers or makers or servers and certainly, as eaters. While foods and food culture can be unique, food is a vital condition we all need to thrive. Join in a conversation with national voices and Extension peers to explore a variety of starting points and strategies for multi-solving as we work together to create food systems that advance health and well-being. Register for this webinar here.

           Watch (17min): Food Systems for Thriving Together

WCC Reporting

• Year 2 Q1, 2021 Reporting

• Action Required The Q4 report was due March 15, 2021. Please visit the WCC community portal to upload your report for the period December 1, 2021 – February 28, 2021.
  • The reporting will consist of each community submitting a community report – submitted via the WCC community portal
  • One LGU Financial Status Report – an excel spreadsheet submitted to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu
  • One Tobacco Separation Protocol validation letter – emailed to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu

Important Announcements

• Master Volunteer Curriculum
• Please note that the Master Volunteer Curriculum is now public on the WCC Website. Find it here.

WCC Communications Update

• We are getting ready to add a new feature to the public website that maps all of our communities and provides a mini profile for each. (An expanded public community profile is planned for launch soon after that.) Please help us out by providing the following for each of your WCC communities
  • Community coalition name
  • Coalition online presence/s (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, website, etc.)

Please send the above information to Jen GE at JGrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu.

• Conversations on Food Justice: Food Sovereignty & Justice for Native Peoples

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• Youth in Action Applications

The 4‑H Youth in Action Program recognizes four confident young leaders with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in our core pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living and STEM. Each year, Pillar Winners will experience an exciting year of telling their 4‑H story and celebrating their leadership. Winners receive:

• $5,000 higher education scholarship
• Promotional video showcasing their 4‑H impact story
• All-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. for National 4‑H Council’s Legacy Awards
• Networking opportunities with 4‑H celebrities and other prominent alumni
• Recognition as the official 4‑H youth spokesperson for their pillar

Apply Applications should be submitted no later than 11:59 PM PT on Monday, March 29, 2021.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.
3. Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of March 22, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• Reporting
• Important Announcements
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Professional Development

Food Security as a Unifying Priority

April 22, 2021

1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

We are all somehow connected to food – as growers or makers or servers and certainly, as eaters. While foods and food culture can be unique, food is a vital condition we all need to thrive. Join in a conversation with national voices and Extension peers to explore a variety of starting points and strategies for multi-solving as we work together to create food systems that advance health and well-being. Register for this webinar here.

           Watch (17min): Food Systems for Thriving Together

• Youth Voice and Leadership

What’s Up with YAP?: Status of WCC Youth-Adult Partnerships

March 25, 2021

3:00pm – 4:15 pm ET

There are new Youth-Adult Partnership best practices/models emerging from the pandemic that will be described, and a deeper dive will include examples of the new ways youth are working with adults in community health change. Pennsylvania will share what can be done if access to youth is missing right now. Tennessee will focus on its efforts to maintain the traditional YAP and its new docu-series of YAP training videos. Nebraska has youth working to implement action plans and adult Master Volunteers are training newly-recruited diverse youth. Wisconsin will highlight its program “Youth Advocates for Community Change”(YACH). See you Thursday!. Register

WCC Reporting

• Year 2 Q1, 2021 Reporting

• Action Required The Q4 report was due March 15, 2021. Please visit the WCC community portal to upload your report for the period December 1, 2021 – February 28, 2021.
  • The reporting will consist of each community submitting a community report – submitted via the WCC community portal
  • One LGU Financial Status Report – an excel spreadsheet submitted to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu
  • One Tobacco Separation Protocol validation letter – emailed to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu

Important Announcements

• Master Volunteer Curriculum
• Please note that the Master Volunteer Curriculum is now public on the WCC Website. Find it here.

WCC Communications Update

• We are getting ready to add a new feature to the public website that maps all of our communities and provides a mini profile for each. (An expanded public community profile is planned for launch soon after that.) Please help us out by providing the following for each of your WCC communities
  • Community coalition name
  • Coalition online presence/s (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, website, etc.)

Please send the above information to Jen GE at JGrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu.

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• Youth in Action Applications

The 4‑H Youth in Action Program recognizes four confident young leaders with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in our core pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living and STEM. Each year, Pillar Winners will experience an exciting year of telling their 4‑H story and celebrating their leadership. Winners receive:

• $5,000 higher education scholarship
• Promotional video showcasing their 4‑H impact story
• All-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. for National 4‑H Council’s Legacy Awards
• Networking opportunities with 4‑H celebrities and other prominent alumni
• Recognition as the official 4‑H youth spokesperson for their pillar

Apply Applications should be submitted no later than 11:59 PM PT on Monday, March 29, 2021.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.
3. Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.

The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of March 15, 2021:

In this Edition

• Upcoming WCC Webinars
• Reporting
• Important Announcements
• WCC Communications Update
• Additional Resources
• National Health Outreach Conference

Upcoming WCC Webinars

• Youth Voice and Leadership

March 16 Webinar of the Status of YAP is moved to Thursday, March 25, 3-4:15 PM:  OOOPS—This webinar was scheduled too closely to the deadline for WCC quarterly reports (March 15) and activities around the Youth Community Health Action Plans/Dolphin Tank presentations for teams that went to the 4-H Healthy Living Summit (March 20). It has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 25 as a 75-minute session.  There are new Youth-Adult Partnership models emerging from the pandemic that will be shared, and a deeper dive will be included for examples of the new ways youth are leading community health change by several LGUs.  Register

• Professional Development

April 29, 2021,1:00PM ET

Save the date! Our second WCC Professional Development session on Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) change

will be on April 29^th at 1pm. Look out for more information in the next bulletin and on the portal.

WCC Reporting

• Year 2 Q1 Reporting Due March 15, 2021

• Action Required The Q4 report will be due March 15, 2021. The reporting period is December 1, 2021 – February 28, 2021.
  • The reporting will consist of each community submitting a community report – submitted via the WCC community portal
  • one LGU Financial Status Report – an excel spreadsheet submitted to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu
  • one Tobacco Separation Protocol validation letter – emailed to bmckay@fourhcouncil.edu

Important Announcements

• Master Volunteer Curriculum
• Please note that the Master Volunteer Curriculum is now public on the WCC Website. Find it here.

WCC Communications Update

• We are getting ready to add a new feature to the public website that maps all of our communities and provides a mini profile for each. (An expanded public community profile is planned for launch soon after that.) Please help us out by providing the following for each of your WCC communities
  • Community coalition name
  • Coalition online presence/s (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, website, etc.)

Please send the above information to Jen GE at JGrizzard@fourhcouncil.edu.

Additional Resources

• Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant

Please note that this is a two-step application process. Please read through the grant information carefully

Voices for Healthy Kids works around the country to improve or create equitable policies that will make the places kids live, learn and play healthier. Today we announce a call for proposals for the Policy Campaign Opportunity, designed to support advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. We seek to support and drive local, state and tribal policy change efforts that will dramatically improve the health of children with a focus on those experiencing the greatest health disparities including Black, Brown, and Native children or from families from low income.

Short Form Application Timeline

March 15, 2021		Call for Short Form Application
April 5, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Short Form Application Deadline
April 20, 2021		Notifications

Invited Applicants Timeline

April 20, 2021		Application Available
May 16, 2021 5 p.m. Pacific		Application Deadline
June 4, 2021		Notification of Award/Decline

Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income. 

Learn more about the Voices for Healthy Kids policy areas and the types of campaigns that will be supported.

Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.

Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.

Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.

• Youth in Action Applications

The 4‑H Youth in Action Program recognizes four confident young leaders with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in our core pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living and STEM. Each year, Pillar Winners will experience an exciting year of telling their 4‑H story and celebrating their leadership. Winners receive:

• $5,000 higher education scholarship
• Promotional video showcasing their 4‑H impact story
• All-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. for National 4‑H Council’s Legacy Awards
• Networking opportunities with 4‑H celebrities and other prominent alumni
• Recognition as the official 4‑H youth spokesperson for their pillar

Apply Applications should be submitted no later than 11:59 PM PT on Monday, March 29, 2021.

• Mentoring for Youth Affected by the Opioid Crisis and Drug Addiction

This program supports the implementation and delivery of mentoring services to youth who are currently abusing or addicted to drugs, youth at risk for abusing drugs, and youth with family members who are currently abusing or addicted to drugs. Mentoring services can be one-to-one, group, peer, or a combination. Funding can be used to support new mentoring matches or continue existing mentoring matches at the time of application. Closing date: March 16, 2021.

• 2021 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism, April 26-29, 2021

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, encourages those who are interested to save April 26-29, 2021, for the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism “NECV” 2021! Plans are underway for an exciting Extension professional conference with a focus on volunteerism at the Hard Rock Hotel and Conference Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This conference is ideal for volunteer-focused professionals who are serving within all areas of Extension programs (4-H, ANR, FCS). For information about calls for proposals and registration opening:

Join the NECV 2021 interest list-serv at: http://eepurl.com/gY8Pzz.

Follow developments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1NECV/

2021 National Health Outreach Conference, May 3-7, 2021

The conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. See https://cvent.me/Ygg1N0 for additional details about the conference.

Purpose: To showcase research, best practices and dissemination strategies that will create positive impact on the health of all Americans.
Goals: 

1. Educate attendees about best practices for translating current research and health-related recommendations to target audiences, especially youth, minority and workforce audiences.
2. Prepare attendees to translate research using communication practices and approaches to address health issues for target audience.
3. Explore how to develop successful collaborations of multi-disciplinary partners to effect system, community and individual behavior changes to build population health.