Healthy Living Grant Program
Supported by Purdue Pharma L.P.
Encouraging Grassroots Health Education in Communities Across America
Obesity kills more Americans every year than AIDS, all cancers and all accidents combined. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that a third of Americans are obese, causing significant health and financial consequences to our nation. A recent White House study found a 400% jump in prescription drug abuse between 1998 and 2008. From infants to the elderly, violence affects the health of people in all stages of life.
The AMA Foundation, with support from the AMA Alliance, began the Healthy Living Grant Program to address these critical issues. Based on the thought that local leaders can come up with the best solutions to these problems, this initiative supports grassroots organizations who are on the front lines in their communities. These grants provide critical funding that can jumpstart a project, affect change quickly, increase visibility for a project/organization, encourage collaboration and make a lasting difference in a community.
Manatee County Substance Abuse Coalition, Bradenton, Fla.
The AMA Foundation supported the coalition's prescription
medication safety mass media campaign to educate
parents, physicians, policymakers and youth.
Application and deadline
View and download the 2012 application form. Please read the complete instructions and eligibility requirements on the first two pages. The application deadline is July 16, 2012.
This year's grants are supporting projects in the area of:
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Prescription Medication Safety, supported by an unrestricted grant from Purdue Pharma L.P.: Educational and awareness programs about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, targeted to children, parents or schools.  |
In 2012, the Healthy Living Grant program will focus on medical-related organizations* and will encourage collaboration with nonprofits, schools or government entities. Grant of up to $8,000 will support approximately 25 projects addressing Prescription Medication Safety for children and youth ages 2-21.
Organizations can submit no more than one application per year.
Applicant organizations must have annual operating budgets less than $2 million. Medical organizations applying can use their department/division budget for this requirement.
Applications are due to arrive at the AMA Foundation office by Monday, July 16, 2012 at 5:00pm Central Time.
The 2012 grant applicants will be notified in mid to late September 2012 as to the status of their application.
*A medical organization is defined as: hospitals and free clinics, public health departments, medical schools and nonprofit organizations of medical students and physicians, and their affiliates (includes medical societies and their affiliate organizations, such as foundations or alliances).
Healthy Living Grant Program frequently asked questions
For organizations interested in applying for Healthy Living grants.
Guidelines to request funding from the AMA Foundation
Tips on applying for funding and grant-writing, description of AMA Foundation funds, and links to other resources.
The AMA Foundation announces the 2011 Grant Recipients.
Read about the recipients and their projects.
2010 Grant Recipients
2009 Grant recipients
2008 Grant recipients
2007 Grant recipients
Instructions for current grant recipients
2011 Grant recipients must submit a final report form.
2010 Grant recipients must submit a final report form.
Learn about Health Living Grant recipients
- Indiana State Medical Society Alliance—Treat the Troops
- Girls on the Run Manhattan
- Fostoria Community Hospital—Smoke Less, Breathe More
Note: Prior to 2010, the Healthy Living Grant program was known as the Fund for Better Health program.
To date, the AMA Foundation has awarded over $550,000 to 288 nonprofit organizations improving the health of their communities.
Due to the Healthy Living Grant, many organizations report that they gain added stakeholders, visibility and funding due to the AMA Foundation "stamp of approval" for their project. Healthy Living Grant recipients reported that their public health projects:
- Will continue (86%)
- Aided in collaboration (79%)
- Stimulated new funding (55%)
- Increased volunteers (62%)
Example – Grant Project Results:
Example of impact of a grant project:
The Youth Foundation in Colorado used the funds for their Kidstrong program—affecting 500 elementary aged children throughout the school year. Through pre and post testing, there was an increase in knowledge as well as positive behavior change:
- Kids who exercised for a minimum of 20 minutes, 4 times a week increased by 42%
- Kids who watched television for 3 hours a day or more decreased by 33%
- The number of kids who learned that one should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables nearly doubled.
- They maintained a 90% attendance rate throughout the year.
Recipients – In their own words
“On behalf of the Girls on the Run program…we would like to thank you for your gift for new curriculum production for the program. We are proud to bring this important program to the community, but can only do so because of the generosity of people like you…these lessons help to prepare the girls for a successful future based on their ability to achieve the goals that they have set for themselves.”
—Charisse Smith Mitchell, Executive Director, Girls on the Run
“…partners like you are the heart and soul of what makes the Foundation effective. With your support, we’ll be able to continue to provide training, technical assistance and resource materials to these Physician Champions and their communities to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Words cannot adequately convey how much we appreciate your support that makes our work possible!”
—Carol Lee, Esq., President and CEO, California Medical Association Foundation
“Thank you and the AMA Foundation for the generous grant to People’s Grocery! Your partnership is a critical force to achieving our shared vision to increase access to healthy food and food justice in the West Oakland community.”
—Brahm Ahmadi, Executive Director, People’s Grocery
“Thank you so much for this generous grant. The Drug Free School program has had a great impact in an impoverished region of Appalachia where the students are at great risk for substance abuse and an area where there is the greatest increase in deaths from prescription drug abuse. The AMA Foundation grant will allow the VCOM program to reach even more at risk students.”
—Edward via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Blacksburg, Va.
"I donate to the AMA Foundation because of the wide variety of programs they sponsor to improve health care and the state of medicine. Most recently I have donated to the Fund for Better Health because I have seen the direct benefit of the grant funds in my local community."
—Dinah Goldenberg
Past AMA Foundation Board Member
North Dakota Medical Association Alliance
Fund for Better Health/Healthy Living Grant Program donor
Donate now
Donate to the AMA Foundation Healthy Living Grant Program to help organizations across the nation improve the health of their communities.
American Medical Association
Learn about the AMA's resources that support a physician-patient alliance for a longer, healthier life
AMA Healthy Lifestyles e-Letter
This electronic AMA communication focuses on addressing four key lifestyle behaviors – poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and excessive or risky use of alcohol—and their health consequences. To subscribe to this free monthly e-mail newsletter, e-mail Healthier.LifeSteps@ama-assn.org or call (312) 464-4202
AMA Alliance
The AMA Alliance addresses several critical issues impacting communities, such as violence, tobacco use, healthy lifestyles and assistance to the medically underserved. They provide educational materials, awareness and support.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Let's Move
Keep up with the efforts of the White House to improve the nutrition and physical fitness of our nation's children. You can also explore their Facebook page.
USDA – Food Atlas
Get an overview of a community's ability to access healthy food.
County Health Rankings
The health of a community depends on many different factors—ranging from individual health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is collaborating with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to develop these Rankings for each state's counties.
National Physical Activity Plan
Learn how organizations are partnering to promote physical activity in the United States with a comprehensive set of policies, programs and initiatives.
The Partnership at Drugfree.org
The National Institute on Drug AbuseQuestions? Contact Dina Lindenberg, Program Officer, AMA Foundation, (312) 464-4193.
