RWJF Grants

Active Grants
Public Health

Project:
Training and leadership development for Minnesota's Emerging Leaders Network in public health

Grant Detail:
$29,994, (awarded on Dec 8, 2005, starting Dec 15, 2005 ending Dec 14, 2006)
ID# 55807

Grantee:

State of Minnesota Department of Health
P.O. Box 64975
Minneapolis, MN 55440-4975

Summary:
The purpose of this project is to improve the cultural competency aspects of the Emerging Leaders' Network (ELN); support training retreats; help enhance the curriculum, including participation by alumni; and advance the creation of a program component to enable, broaden, and sustain the professional networks that develop within and among ELN cohorts.

Contact Information:
Debra L. Burns (Project Director)
debra.burns@health.state.mn.us
Phone: (651) 296-8209

The SmokeLess States Program

Gerlach KK and Larkin MATo Improve Health and Health Care: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Anthology , VIII: 29-46, January 2005

This chapter describes SmokeLess States®: National Tobacco Policy Initiative, one of the largest investments made by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with $99 million authorized in grants since 1992. Primarily, grants were awarded to non-governmental organizations, with the intention that they would educate the public and policy-makers about the tobacco problem. Two features about the program are significant: (1) the Foundation encouraged its grantees to be activists; (2) advocacy was emphasized to bring about policy change. The program relied heavily on three major health voluntary organizations: the American Cancer Society; the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association. They provided financial support and, in particular, funds to help lobbying efforts which the Foundation could not support directly. In addition to insight on the effects of advocacy, this chapter offers a window into the role of coalitions in bringing about social change. The program ended in 2004 and its lasting impact has yet to be determined.

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