NNLM Region 5 Environmental Health Outreach Award

Posted by Michele Spatz on August 17th, 2021 Posted in: Funding, News from NNLM Region 5
Tags: environmental health, Funding

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Environmental Health Outreach Award

Background/Purpose

The Network of the National Library of Medicine Region 5, under cooperative agreement with the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), announces the availability of funding through Environmental Health Outreach Awards to address environmental health issues in underserved communities through education and creative community responses to improve health equity.

Awards should focus on building partnerships, collaborating with libraries (all types), public health agencies, academic programs, healthcare workforce, or community organizations to reach underserved populations in the region and effectively provide meaningful education, raise awareness of how the environment impacts heath and plan or implement projects that address an important environmental health issue in underserved communities.

Specifically, the Environmental Health Outreach Award seeks to address one or more of the following aims from the NNLM Region 5 cooperative agreement.

• Increase community-driven approaches and interventions for outreach and engagement to advance biomedical and health information access and use through collaborations with libraries and organizations serving health professionals, public health workers, and the public.
• Administer funding awards to support a highly trained workforce for biomedical and health information resources and data, improve health literacy, and increase health equity through information.

Eligibility

Applicants must be from institutions that are members of NNLM Region 5. Membership is free and open to institutions interested in improving equitable access to health information. To verify your membership, find out your NNLM ID or to apply for membership, contact Outreach and Access Coordinator Emily Hamstra via email: ehamstra@uw.edu.

Proposed projects may include the following activities (other creative ideas encouraged):

• Creating environmental health action kits to support education and action on an important environmental health issue in an underrepresented community.
• Offering online educational opportunities to increase awareness and teach participants how to use electronic environmental health resources, including NLM and other NIH resources.
• Forming and facilitating a local coalition to educate and empower underrepresented communities on environmental health issues.
• Establishing an action collaborative to address an important environmental health issue in an underserved community.
• Planting a sustainable community garden in a community’s food desert which includes a “grow your knowledge” display that links to NLM healthy recipes.
• Crafting a walking educational exhibit on the interconnection of health and the environment which includes QR codes to relevant NLM and other NIH resources as well as local and regional resources or environmental health activities.

Funding

Funding Period: November 8, 2021 – April 30, 2022

Amount: Up to $5,000

Number of Awards Available: Minimum of 3

Additional Funding Information: Maximum fixed price award is $5,000. A payment for the full amount of the award will be made when the agreement is signed.

Application

Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, October 15, 2021

Note: Applications submitted by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, October 15, 2021, will receive first consideration.

Application Instructions:

Step 1: Applicants should inform NNLM Region 5 of their Letter of Intent to apply by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, October 1, 2021, by emailing nnlm@uw.edu

Please follow these Letter of Intent (LOI) Guidelines:

• Your LOI should be a brief, yet effective one-page letter that summarizes your full proposal.
• Address your LOI to “NNLM Region 5” and email it to: nnlm@uw.edu
• Include the name of your library/organization.
• State the grant you are applying for, e.g. NNLM Region 5 Environmental Health Outreach Award, and the approximate amount of money you are requesting.
• Provide a short description of the project and how it fits NNLM’s purpose for the award. Include the population to be served and any relevant statistics.
• Include major activities along with the names and titles of key project staff members.
• Think of the letter of intent as a concept paper, not an absolute.
• Questions about the Letter of Intent? Email NNLM Region 5 at: nnlm@uw.edu

Step 2: Download this Application Form and submit the completed Application Form to nnlm@uw.edu by the Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, October 15, 2021 

The Region 5 staff will acknowledge your application when received, and notification of awards will be given by November 8, 2021.

Budget Guidelines:

• Maximum award is up to $5,000.
• Applicants must complete the budget table in the application with detailed costs for each category, including a description for budgeted items, explaining the purpose of each item in the project.
• Allowable expenses Personnel, equipment, supplies, travel and other costs such as reproduction of materials, software, Internet service provider fees. These are examples only and are not meant to be all-inclusive.
• Expenses are also allowed to publicize a health information event or resource, including NLM or NNLM resources or services, but the allowable costs are limited to educational materials or publicity, such as posters, displays, flyers, bookmarks, or brochures. Please consult the policy at http://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/spending-on-promotional-items/index.html.
• Non-allowable expenses: Furniture is not allowed and food is not allowed.
• Indirect Costs (IDC) or Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs: Indirect cost (IDC)/F&A can be included based on your institution’s federally approved IDC agreement (non-research rates apply). A 10% MTDC rate may be used if no IDC agreement exists.

Evaluation of Applications

Applications will be reviewed by: NNLM Region 5 staff and Network member volunteers.

Reviewers will score applications based on the following categories and criteria.

1. SIGNIFICANCE (40 points)

a. Are the significant contributions to NNLM goals checked by applicant?

b. Does the information provided support the need for the project, including information about the target population (worksheet provided in the Award Application), environmental health information resources or services available, environmental health information resources or services which are needed, and relevant barriers to be addressed? Does the application discuss the program’s potential impact on future environmental health information services to this group or population?

2. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH (40 points)

a. Are the methods, tools, or approaches suitable to demonstrate skill and value of the library, library staff or community organization and/or its staff to accomplish the project?

b. Is the ability to execute the milestones and overall project within the timeframe specified?

c. Does the application include an evaluation plan to measure indicators of desired outcomes?

3. KEY PERSONNEL (10 points)

a.  Are the qualifications and time commitments of key personnel to initiate new services and partnerships explained?

b. If applicable, do project partners bring experience to the team?

4. BUDGET (10 points)

a. Is the budget reasonable and within funding limits?

b. Is the budget justification sound?

Additional Information

508 Compliance:

If web-based resources are developed using NNLM funding, developers are asked to ensure accessibility for the greatest possible number of people by adhering to standards described in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. For information on Section 508-compliant website development, see National Library of Medicine Web Pages & Accessibility and HHS Section 508 policy.

Reporting:

1. For any classes, training sessions, presentations, exhibits and/or site visits conducted as part of this project, a Region 5 Activity Report and a Participant Information Sheet are required and must be submitted to NNLM Region 5 staff within 14 days of the activity. NNLM Region 5 staff will provide access to the report templates to awardees.
2. A progress report summarizing activities and evaluation completed to date is due to the NNLM Region 5 staff no later than February 18, 2022. NNLM Region 5 staff will provide access to the report template to awardees.
3. A final report is required to be submitted to NNLM Region 5 staff no later than May 27, 2022. NNLM Region 5 staff will provide access to the report template to awardees.

Technology Improvement Reporting: A Technology Improvement Report is required for projects receiving or purchasing technology. The Technology Improvement Report must be submitted within 30 calendar days upon completion of the project or no later than May 27, 2022. Access to the report template will be provided to awardees.

NIH Public Access Policy:

Final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts resulting from funded projects must be submitted to the digital archive PubMed Central (PMC) upon acceptance for publication. For more information, see NOT-OD-08-033 and the Public Access website.

Data Sharing and Development of Training Materials:

In order to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and information associated with the NNLM Cooperative Agreement Award, all awardees are required to share any data or training material resulting from funding. This information must be submitted to the following collection sites as applicable:

• National Networks of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) website;
• Other site specifically designated by the NLM as part of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.

In addition, award recipients are expected to use or adapt existing training materials before developing new materials. Consult with the Region 5 office prior to developing materials.

Publication and Copyrighting:

NIH must be given a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license for the Federal government to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the material and to authorize others to do so for Federal purposes, i.e. the ongoing development of the NNLM.

NIH Acknowledgement:

Any resource developed with project funds must include an acknowledgment of NIH grant support and a disclaimer stating the following:

“Developed resources reported in this [publications, press releases, internet sites] are supported by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) under cooperative agreement number UG4LM013725. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”

Need additional information or help?

Contact Michele Spatz, Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, NNLM Region 5: mspatz@uw.edu Telephone: 206-543-8262