1.      Funding a health promotion campaign

 When beginning the process of implementing a new health promotion campaign, it is necessary to consider what the potential funding resources could be. There are various potential funding sources for community-based research on health promotion, health education, and health communication that can be identified all over the United States. These sources include both private and public funding agencies, each with its own regulations concerning who is eligible to receive program aid, and how much aid is available. By identifying potential funding for the implementation of a new health promotion program, it is possible to get the aid necessary to make community-based programs successful.

 One of the most common sources of funding for community-based research on health promotion, health education, and health communication is the National Institutes for Health. The National Institutes for Health (NIH) is the principal health research agency of the Federal Government. The NIH is a component of the Department of Health and Human Services composed of 27 distinct institutes and centers with its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland (NIH, 2015). Along with providing funding for health research, the NIH also provides agreements and contracts to help accomplish health program goals. Anyone interested in developing a new health promotion, education, or communication research program may apply for assistance from the NIH. Grants for health-related research and research training projects or activities make up the largest category of funding provided by the NIH. The NIH awards research grants for terms ranging from one to five years (NIH, 2015).

 Another organization that could be a potential funding source for a new health promotion program would be the Environmental Justice Partnership for Communication. This agency funds health research, education, and intervention programs that address improved ways to serve low income, immigrant, and minorities who may be disproportionately exposed to environmental and occupational stressors (Seifer, Kauper-Brown, & Robbins, 2004). The Environmental Justice Partnership for Communication Grant Program will fund a project for up to four years at $225,000 per year (Seifer, Kauper-Brown, & Robbins, 2004). This grant program is particularly applicable to the establishment of new health promotion programs because it aims to improve the health of low income populations which are typically at-risk populations. Examples of current health promotion programs currently funded by the Environmental Justice Partnership for Communication include initiatives to help low-income woman stop smoking, community child health research, and research on other health issues related to low income communities (Baron et al., 2009).

 

 

 One recommendation of how to use funding to promote a new health promotion campaign would be to develop and implement mobile health services that target low income and rural populations. Further resources and funding could be used to aid in the recruitment and retention of skilled and experienced health professionals. Also, such funding and resources could be used to investigate what aspects of poverty lead to experiencing poor health in general. This would include community-based research to determine what specific factors are most relevant to understanding the link between poverty and poor health, as well as low-cost solutions to identified factors.

National Institutes for Health. (2015). Grants. Retrieved from: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm

Seifer, S.D., Kauper-Brown, J. & Robbins, A. (2004). Directory of funding sources for community-based participatory research. Seattle, WA and Portland, OR: Community-Campus Partnerships for Health and the Northwest Health Foundation.

Baron, S., Sinclair, R., Payne-Sturges, D., Phelps, J., Zenick, H., Collman, G.., & O'Fallon, L.R. (2009). Partnerships for Environmental and Occupational Justice: Contributions to Research, Capacity and Public Health. American Journal of Public Health, 99(Suppl 3), S517–S525.