BACKGROUND
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have inadequate access to culturally responsive programming that addresses substance use and are disproportionately affected by policies that do not consider their needs. In response to this challenge and the lack of diverse representation, experience, and perspectives among currently funded grantees, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) has launched the Redefining Community Wellness Grants Program to intentionally center BIPOC voices throughout the grantmaking and capacity building process. The goals of this program are:
- To support organizations that are BIPOC-led and that primarily serve BIPOC communities including CBOs, FBOs, and TIPSOs to redefine community wellness and address the negative impacts of substance use in their communities through a wide range of programming that help improve health, wellness, and quality of life for community members; and
- To provide capacity building to improve organizations’ ability to apply for future funding, which ultimately helps increase BIPOC representation in receiving grants beyond this program.
In designing this program, HRiA and BSAS collaborated with a Community Advisory Board (CAB) of BIPOC residents and organizations that were geographically diverse with a range of personal and work experiences with substance use and related services, to guide decisions regarding priority populations and scope of work for the Redefining Community Wellness grants.
REDEFINING COMMUNITY WELLNESS GRANT AWARDEES
African Cultural Services, Inc.
B FREE Wellness
Black Behavioral Health Network, Inc.
Calvary Pentecostal Church
Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell
Chastity’s Consulting & Talent Group
Choice Recovery Coaching, Inc.
Dwelling House of Hope, Inc.
Follow My Steps Foundation, Inc.
Future Hope Apprenticeship and Recovery Program
Latin American Health Alliance of Central Massachusetts
Mandela Yoga Project, Inc.
Merrimack Valley Dream Center, Inc.
MotherWoman d/b/a Women of Color Health Equity Collective
Savesouls, Inc.
Sueños Basketball
Talbot Avenue Church of Christ
Transformational Prison Project
Urban Impact Initiative Massachusetts
Vietnamese American Civic Association, Inc.
FUNDING PERIOD OF THE FIRST COHORT
March 2024 – June 2025
- Planning phase: March 2024 – June 2024
- Implementation phase: July 2024 – June 2025
QUESTIONS?
Please contact us at SUDgrants@hria.org with questions about the program.
Redefining Community Wellness is administered and managed by Health Resources in Action (HRiA), a non-profit public health organization that helps people live healthier lives and create healthy communities through prevention, health promotion, policy, and research. In addition to providing financial support through grants, HRiA will provide funded organizations with capacity building trainings, technical assistance, and individualized support, and facilitate a learning community. Capacity building services are intended to help funded organizations deliver effective programs and increase readiness for future state funding.
