SYSTEMS CHANGE GRANTS: Changing systems to improve community health across the state

In their ongoing effort to improve health and well-being for vulnerable populations, Vitalyst Health Foundation announces the recipients of their annual Systems Change Grants. The grants are awarded to Pima County Community Land Trust as the fiscal sponsor and partner of CUADRO LLC, Local First Arizona, and The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Each grant is for $175,000, with a total funding of $525,000.

Local First Arizona will be using the funding to aid the Coalition for Farmland Preservation, who plan to address public policy and regulations in the food system by examining major issues confronting local agriculture. These issues include agriculture land rapidly transitioning to urban land uses; municipalities that have no inventory of potential parcels most suitable for urban agriculture; and public policies and regulations that are not written to accommodate urban agricultural uses now or for the next generation of farmers.

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension will use funds to support their project “Evidence to Action to Normalize Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) Access in AZ”, which will work to achieve equitable access to drug treatment for Arizonans with opioid use disorder. The goal is to expand multi-day take home doses of opioid use disorder medications, which would reduce the need to continually go to a doctor for the medication.

The Pima County Community Land Trust seeks to use the funds to establish and nurture an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Incentive Program with the intention of alleviating a growing housing crisis in Tucson. The program will include a package of zoning incentives designed to encourage and support: urban infill, locally-led development, socially integrated housing, mixed-income neighborhoods, and serve as a counter to gentrification-fueled displacement.

SPARK GRANTS: Supporting collaborations in the journey to address systemic change

Continuing its mission to connect, support and inform efforts to improve the health of individuals and communities in Arizona, Vitalyst Health Foundation has announced this year’s Spark Grants. Designed to support organizations with a desire to collectively affect change in their communities, nine $20,000 grants were awarded to Arizona organizations in support of their mission.  

The 2021 Spark Grant recipients are: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Consortium, Arizona Advocacy Network, Arizona Center for African American Resources, Arizona Family Health Partnership, Black Lives Matter PHX Metro, Black Mothers Forum, Cihuapactli Collective, Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, and Southwest Folklife Alliance.  

Medical Assistance Program Grants

Following is a listing of Medical Assistance Program grants approved for three year awards by Vitalyst’s Board of Trustees in 2018.  Due to COVID-19, our Board of Trustees authorized an extension of one year for the Medical Assistance grants.  Requests for proposal for Hearing, Vision and Heart/Lung will reopen in January 2022.

Grantee	Grant Type	Amount per Year
Alhambra Elementary School District	Vision	$5,000
Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.	Vision	$80,000
Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics	Vision	$8,000
Area Agency on Aging, Region One	Vision	$15,000
Foundation for Blind Children	Vision	$50,000
Society of St. Vincent de Paul	Vision	$10,000
AT Still University	Hearing	$50,000
EAR Foundation	Hearing	$170,000
Maricopa County Department of Public Health	Heart/Lung	$70,000
Crossroads*	Substance Treatment	$17,000

*The substance treatment funds do not use an RFP process as there is limited funding (<$20,000 available each year).