blue bulletin from bcidaho

Community transformation grants help Idaho cities build healthy communities

Foundation grants help to enrich Idaho's communities

Community Transformation Grants Help Idaho Cities Build Healthy CommunitiesAs part of its mission to build healthier communities, the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health has awarded Community Transformation Grants (CTG) to Idaho cities since 2013.

These youth-focused, multiyear grants are unique because they allow the cities, not the Foundation, to choose how grants funds are used.

While the Foundation provides funding and expertise, working closely with mayors, city leadership and community organizations, leaders from local organizations meet monthly to learn about community health and the unique assets and opportunities in their communities. This helps them better understand their own communities and identify opportunities to impact health.

Community leaders then work together to develop an action plan that focuses on creating sustainable change that lasts for generations.

How cities use their CTG grants

Cities have used CTG funding for a variety of projects, including:

  • Skate parks
  • Community gardens
  • Winter sports parks and Nordic centers
  • Outdoor synthetic skating rinks
  • Food pantries
  • Running clubs
  • Kids discovery centers
  • Piloting youth programs that were later adopted and funded by city budgets
  • Disc golf courses
  • Playgrounds
  • Cooking classes
  • Bike and pedestrian plans
  • Safe Routes to Schools programs
  • School greenhouses

The Foundation has awarded Community Transformation Grants to nine Idaho cities: Bonners Ferry, Kuna, Lapwai, Middleton, Nampa, Orofino, Rexburg, Sandpoint and Twin Falls.

Grants were evaluated by an independent organization to gauge their effectiveness. The evaluation showed the grant strengthened relationships between individuals and organizations, influenced city and school policies to better support physical activity and healthy eating, and had a catalytic effect by helping communities attract other resources.

More information

To find out more about these grants and about the work the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health does, visit bcidahofoundation.org.

Posted: October 27, 2021