Healthy Together Through Vaccinations Community Grant Information and Application

Access the application here

KAHP Healthy Together Through Vaccinations Grant Program

Community Grants to Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Increase COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance in Kentucky 

About Kentucky Association of Health Plans

Kentucky Association of Health Plans (KAHP) is the trade organization representing the Kentucky health insurance community. KAHP is a leader on issues that strengthen the accessibility, value, and quality of health care in the Commonwealth.

KAHP is comprised of all carriers offering health plans in Kentucky including Aetna, Anthem, CareSource, Humana, Passport, UnitedHealth Group, and WellCare. We work together with the community to provide effective health solutions for consumers, employers, and public purchasers.

Rationale for Healthy Together Through Vaccinations Project

Vaccines are the most effective tool to protect against severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control recommends COVID-19 vaccinations for all people ages 12 and older. COVID-19 vaccines also reduce the risk of people spreading the virus and thus protect members of the Commonwealth who are not yet able to be vaccinated. Millions of Americans have been safely vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines, but Kentucky lags behind other states in the overall vaccination rate with many counties experiencing some of the highest newly diagnosed COVID-19 case rates in the country. Kentucky has experienced over 700,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with over 9,000 deaths as a result. Vaccinations are the key to protecting our community, especially those most vulnerable to severe COVID-19 illness.

 The Healthy Together Through Vaccinations project aims to mobilize and empower community members to address vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination uptake particularly in communities where vaccination rates are low. Grants will be awarded up to $25,000 per recipient to pursue efforts toward improving vaccination rates in Kentucky communities.

Eligibility

Organizations are eligible to apply for a grant if they serve community members who reside in any Kentucky county. Prioritization will be placed on funding projects in counties with vaccination rates below 40%.

Eligible organizations include:

·       Non-Profit, Community Based Organizations

·       Local health departments

·       Community health centers

·       Schools

·       Faith centers

·       Local civic groups

·       Private health providers

·       Other local organizations with strong standing in their communities

Scope of Activities

Grants will be awarded to fund activities to include:

·       COVID-19 related community outreach activities

·       Communication concerning accessibility of COVID-19 vaccinations provided through local media, social media platforms, and printed materials

·       Education on COVID-19 vaccination efforts provided through informational videos, public service announcements, and printed material

·       Identification and recruitment of community members that may provide a special skill set to enhance outreach activities

·       Training opportunities to build community outreach capacity, aid in COVID-19 educational/awareness efforts, facilitation of vaccine scheduling and administration

·       Transportation efforts directed at increasing accessibility to vaccinations or related educational activities

·       Support to organizations to utilize or enhance existing communication channels for COVID-19 vaccination outreach

The following activities are excluded from consideration:

·       Provision of care currently funded or reimbursed (direct patient care)

·       Fund-raising activities

·       Overhead or administrative expenses

·       Lobbying activities or political causes

·       Retroactive expenses

·       Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, military, or marital status in hiring

 Timeline for Awards                                                                                        

·       RFP Release                                                 October 6th                         

·       1st Proposal Deadline                               October 20th                         

·       1st Award Notification                             November 1st                    

·       2nd Proposal Deadline                              November 5th                      

·       2nd Award Notification                            November 15th                 

·       Grant Period Ends                                     December 31st              

*Additional phases of funding may follow until funds are exhausted.

Application Process

To apply for a grant, complete the application found here. Awards will be provided in amounts up to $25,000 per grantee. Information requested includes:

1.      Name of the organization including contact information for an individual authorized to commit the applicant to the proposed activities or services

2.      County(s) to be served

3.      Target population

4.      Description of the proposed activity

5.      Timeline for the proposed activity

6.      Project goals and objectives with desired outcomes

7.      How the project will increase vaccination rates in the designated county

8.      Plan for evaluating success of the project

9.      Total amount requested and outline of budget

10.  Organization’s Tax Identification Number 

For questions, please contact or email.  Tom Stephens is the sole point of contact for questions pertaining to this RFP. 

click here for application

Evaluation Criteria

The successful awardee will:

1.      Have been operating continuously as a business or organization for a minimum of 24 months and possess the capability to successfully carry out the proposed activity as set forth in their proposal.

2.      The knowledge, skill, and expertise to implement the proposed activity as set forth in their proposal.

3.      Adherence to the Application Process as set forth above.

KAHP reserves the right to reject any and all submissions, wholly or in part, waive any irregularities in the submission process, and make selections, which in the opinion of KAHP, are in the best interest of KAHP.  KAHP reserves the right to enter into private negotiations with the selected applicant, even if those negotiations may result in changes to the applicant’s original proposal. 

Notification of Awards

The first round of award notifications will be issued on November 1st with a subsequent round to follow on November 15th. Additional rounds of funding may be issued until all funds are exhausted. Awardees will be notified by phone or email to the primary contact listed on the application.

Awardees will be asked to sign an agreement, submit a completed W-9 form and commit to submitting a brief summary of the activities at the conclusion of the grant period. KAHP reserves the right to modify the final grant amount and/or scope of service before a grant is awarded.

Awardees under this RFP agree to begin implementation of their proposals by December 31, 2021.

Questions: tom@gosssamfordlaw.com