Deadline: 20-Aug-21
Applications are now open for the Vaccine Outreach and Education Grant.
The Texas Vaccine Outreach and Education Grant program is a partnership between Texas A&M Health and the Texas Department of State Health Services Immunization Unit to fund strategies that ensure greater knowledge of and access to COVID-19 vaccines by those disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Community-based organizations (CBOs) will be awarded funds to engage their community in proactive COVID-19 vaccine education and outreach activities with the goal of increasing the number of people fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in Texas.
Preventing disparities in the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines is important to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of the virus. Reaching high vaccination rates across individuals and communities will be key for achieving broader population immunity through a vaccine. Lower vaccination rates among some groups will leave them at increased risk for infection, particularly as new variants spread.
Priorities
Priority will be given to applicants who focus on reaching:
- Communities of color
- Texans with disabilities
- Rural communities
Activities
- All awardees will be expected to complete the following required activities:
- Partner with local COVID-19 vaccine providers to ensure vaccine accessibility.
- Conduct community outreach through safe in-person methods, phone, virtual, or other person-to-person communication methods.
- Deliver community-based and culturally and linguistically appropriate education resources.
- Participate in regularly scheduled conference calls with other awardees, Texas A&M Health, and Texas DSHS to share progress on activities and discuss lessons learned.
- Share sample materials, communication products, best practices, success stories, and lessons learned with Texas A&M Health and Texas DSHS via online learning community.
- Highly Recommended Activities
- Engage with their local health department in their region to promote collaboration and avoid duplication of efforts. If awardee’s area does not have a local health department, awardee should collaborate with Texas DSHS Public Health Region staff.
- Optional Activity
- Host Community Conversations to discuss, identify, and address vaccine hesitancy and to identify community-acceptable approaches for improving vaccination accessibility and acceptability. Document and share findings with Texas A&M Health.
- Applicants may also propose activities supporting required community outreach and communitybased education activities. Below is a list of other activities that could be supported with award funds:
- Collaborate with state, regional, or local health departments – immunization programs in particular – on mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics, education campaigns, and other vaccination activities in communities with low vaccination rates.
- Work with vaccination service providers to expand the types of health professionals (e.g., community health workers, patient navigators, patient advocates) and administrative staff (e.g., front desk workers) engaged in promoting vaccination and referring individuals to COVID-19 vaccination providers and sites.
- Collaborate with community-level spokespersons/trusted messengers (e.g., faith leaders, teachers, community health workers, radio DJs, local shop owners, barbers) to tailor and share accurate information and materials.
- Develop or adapt education and outreach materials and/or leverage materials from other CBOs to reach underserved populations. Materials can include but are not limited to videos, social media, flyers, talking points, etc.
- Connect vaccination providers with places of worship, community organizations, recreation programs, food banks/pantries, schools and colleges/universities, grocery stores, salons/barber shops/beauticians, major employers, elder housing locations, and other key community institutions to set up temporary and/or mobile COVID-19 vaccination sites, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.
- Build partnerships with health care providers to increase provider understanding of the populations of interest and interventions to increase vaccination rates for these populations. Advocate for dialysis centers, prenatal care centers, well-baby care clinics, family planning clinics, dentists’ offices, nursing homes, and other specific provider sites or programs to deliver COVID-19 vaccines where patients are already seeking care for themselves or their family members.
- Address and decrease digital access and literacy gaps for individuals by providing direct support in registering with public health systems or appointment scheduling using the appropriate confidentiality protocols.
Funding Information
- Estimated award amount: $50,000 to $150,000
- Project Period: 6 to 9 months
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants are community-based organizations (CBOs), community coalitions, nonprofit organizations, associations, education agencies, faith-based organizations, and government entities.
- Local health departments and entities that are deemed a 501(c)(4) organizations engaged in lobbying activities are not eligible for funding under this project.
For more information, visit https://health.tamu.edu/vaccinegrant.html