Deadline: 16-Aug-21
The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) is offering Vaccine Education & Outreach Faith-Based & Community Organizing Grant to reach Black New Yorkers who are hesitant to get vaccinated.
Goal: The goal of this effort is to support faith and community-based efforts across New York State and New York City to assess, create and disseminate information that promote vaccine confidence and uptake among vaccine eligible individuals in communities of color, especially Black communities. Grant recipients will undertake outreach and engagement activities to effectively listen to community concerns and address misinformation to promote uptake and reduce access barriers that leave Black New Yorkers vulnerable to the life-threatening impact of COVID-19. At the core of the grassroots outreach effort, they will lean on the expertise, knowledge, and trust of partners that have a history of working within specific communities to build vaccine confidence.
Activities
Grantee partners will be responsible for implementing the following activities:
- Planning and implementing Train the Trainer Town Halls in key communities: Train the Train Town Halls will provide community leaders in neighborhoods hardest hit with support and materials for engaging community members on the latest information about the virus, testing and the vaccine. Town Halls will provide community leaders an opportunity to build expertise, strategize on engagement, and effectively reach other key leaders in their network with critical information. These events will also provide organizing and education materials personalized to the audience and relevant to the community.
- Conducting direct outreach via phone banking, text banking, or canvassing: Grantees will safely organize one-on-one contact with constituents to discuss the benefits of vaccination while answering and resolving questions around hesitance and access. Grantees will have the option of directly engaging their own organization’s network and contact lists via phone, text message, and in-person methods to inform, educate, and address hesitancy surrounding vaccinations. Grantees will also be encouraged to safely canvass local markets, religious services, festivals, and block parties to connect with community members directly.
- Attending and speaking at ongoing virtual and in-person community events: Grantees will attend and present at community events, organization meetings, religious services, classes, and any other activities that attract members of your community, whether online or in-person, to convey key facts about vaccination and encourage attendees to get vaccinated locally. Grantees will be responsible for strategically activating volunteers, members, or community leaders to make these announcements within their institutions and throughout the community.
- Engaging local media, social media, networks, or contact lists to disseminate messaging: This strategy focuses on getting the message out far and wide within networks and media that exist within your unique community. Grantees will identify and work with local media, social media, and online networks to publish stories reinforcing key messaging themes and leveraging community leaders as trusted messengers.
- Distributing outreach materials: Grantees will have full access to all Roll Up Your Sleeves New York organizing materials including the COVID-19 Toolkit for Black Communities, outreach focused posters, palm cards, and other materials in both print and web/digital forms.
Funding Information
- Across New York City, 40-60 grants will be offered in $5k, $10k, and $20k increments depending on the application and potential for impact.
Geographic Focus: Over 100 zip codes around New York State and New York City have been identified as having a lower vaccine uptake rate and are a primary focus of this project. They plan to partner with and fund organizations working on the ground within less vaccinated communities of color to help leverage local efforts.
Criteria
FPWA reserves the right to select community groups, organizations, and faith-based organizations based directly on the proposal submitted and to negotiate further with one or more respondents. FPWA reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.
The proposal will be evaluated by the leadership of the FPWA and additional relevant stakeholders.
Evaluation of the proposals will include but not be limited to the following criteria:
- Prior COVID-19 outreach and engagement activities;
- Relevant experience and success in organizing community leaders, neighborhood members, faith leaders, and community groups;
- Existing relationships within your neighborhood or network; and,
- Ability to meet deadlines and operate within budget.
For more information, visit https://www.fpwa.org/nys-covid-grant/
