Background

The Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities "Closing the Gap" grant program, section 381.7351, Florida Statutes, was signed into law on June 8, 2000.  These grants are utilized to stimulate the development of community and neighborhood-based organizations to improve health outcomes of racial and ethnic populations and promote disease prevention activities. 

 Projects funded through the Closing the Gap grant program help stimulate broad-based participation and the support of both public and private entities by: 

• Fostering partnerships between local governments, community groups and private sector health care organizations;

• Helping communities address their most pressing health needs through targeted health screenings, education and awareness programs;

• Helping communities better understand the nature of health disparities among ethnic and racial groups; and

• Allowing state epidemiologists to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions so that identified "best practices" can be shared with other high-risk Florida communities.

Primary benefits to the state form the Closing the Gap Act include:

• Meaningful improvements in the lives of Floridians who now suffer disproportionately from disease and disability; and

• Development of tools and strategies that will enable Florida to eliminate these disparities.

What's New?

• CTG RFA Order of Submission 2012-2013
• CTG RFA 2012-13
• RED Advisory Committee Annual Report 2010
• CTG Evaluation Report 2010
• 2009-2010 CTG Grantees

The "Closing the Gap" grant program targets seven priority health areas:

• Cancer,

• Cardiovascular disease,

• Diabetes,

• Adult and Child Immunizations,

• HIV/AIDS,

• Maternal and Infant Mortality and

• Oral Healthcare.

• Keep your audience in mind. Reviewers will use only the information contained in your application to assess your proposal. Be sure your application and responses to the project requirements and expectations are complete and clearly written. Do NOT assume that reviewers are familiar with your organization. Keep the reviewer criteria in mind as you write the application.
  
• Follow the instructions in the program guidelines carefully. The instructions call for a particular organization of the materials, and reviewers are accustomed to finding information in specific places. Following these instructions will eliminate the need for reviewers to hunt through your application for information. Be organized and logical in your presentation so reviewers can follow the thought process for the proposed project.
• Involve evaluation expertise: In order to define successful intervention approaches, the involvement of an evaluator early in the process to provide assistance with evaluation design and data can be of great benefit.
• Be concise and clear. Make your points understandable. Provide accurate and honest information, including candid accounts of problems and limitations, and realistic plans to address them. If you omit any required information or data, explain why. Make sure the information provided in each table, chart, attachment, etc., is consistent with your proposal narrative and information in other tables.
• Be careful in the use of appendices. Do not use the appendices for information that is required in the body of the application. Be sure to cross-reference all tables and attachments in the text of the application.
• Carefully proofread your application. Misspellings and grammatical errors will impede reviewers in understanding your application. Be sure pages are numbered (including appendices) and that page limits are followed. Limit the use of abbreviations and acronyms, and define each one at its first use and periodically throughout the application.

Ask for assistance. If any questions arise when preparing your application, contact the person listed on front (title) page of the application guidelines via email.

CTG RFA Order of Submission 2012-2013

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to the e-mail address listed below.

You may contact us by email at MinorityHealth@doh.state.fl.us or by calling (850) 245-4941. Our fax number is (850) 245-4124.