disability justice in public health – Aug 15

Posted by WITH Foundation on July 30, 2024

WITH Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation issue RFP to advance disability justice in public health

The WITH Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have issued an RFP for advancing disability justice in public health. Through the RFP, grants will be awarded to support collaborative proposals that advance disability justice in public health and center the goals, perspectives, and needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in communities of color. The efforts supported through this RFP will contribute to a public health system that is fair  and just, treats all people  with dignity and respect, and rectifies past harms, and  prevents future ones. Proposals should prioritize one of the following approaches:

Implementation: Support implementation of models, i.e., testing and advancing solutions to enhance governmental public health in being trustworthy, accountable, truly collaborative, and anti-racist. Models should support the leadership of and power sharing with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color, or those with a demonstrated track record of working with adults with I/DD in communities of color;

Educational resources: Develop public health curricula and/or training resources with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color, and/or create/leverage networks supporting resource dissemination and utilization within public health and disability justice ecosystems, help public health systems become more accountable to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color—communities that have been historically marginalized;

Advocacy, Power and Bridging: Support regional or national advocacy, community power building to build and shift power, and serve as a bridge between governmental public health with entities such as grassroots organizing groups, social movement groups, movement-building organizations, community-based organizations, community organizing groups, and base-building groups related to the care that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color receive within public health;

Research: Identify and close gaps in knowledge and inform efforts to improve health related to the care adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color receive, e.g., community-based or community-led research that assists disability-led organizations in illuminating and addressing structural barriers within the governmental health system that are experienced by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color.

A secondary goal of this RFP is to foster new partnerships or significantly enhance existing partnerships between disability organizations, advocates, community organizations, and healthcare providers. Applications are encouraged from all interested parties, especially from projects that are led by people most harmed by structural racism and other systems of oppression, and projects that intentionally address the experiences of Black women with I/DD, women of color with I/DD, and other historically marginalized perspectives within inclusive gender-based and gender-affirming care.

Applicants are asked to self-select their geographical area of focus (which must be within the United States). In the event that a collaborative proposal is submitted, a lead organization must be selected (by the applicant) for the proposed project. Grants of $100,000 (each) for one-year period will be awarded.

Eligible applicants include section 501(c)(3) public charities; healthcare, community, and disability organizations that are based and operate in the United States.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the WITH Foundation website.

Deadline: August 15, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. PT