Over the summer, Thrive was selected by the Office of Population Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of only 13 organizations in the country to receive a Tier 2 Innovation and Impact Network Grant. With this funding, Thrive will work alongside Oklahoma County community organizations to create new, innovative programs and resources for parents and caregivers of adolescents that will increase protective factors* and ultimately lead to a decline in STI rates and teen pregnancy.
Thrive is currently soliciting proposals from community organizations that would like to participate. Selected organizations will be guided through a process of creating innovative, equitable, and sustainable strategies and projects that empower and equip caregivers. Organizations will work with Thrive and its partners to develop these strategies through a human-centered design process.
Laura Lang, CEO of Thrive, is excited about this intuitive process. “We aren’t asking applicants to describe a solution within their application. We don’t want them to come to us with all the answers. Instead, we want teams who have identified a problem within their community related to caregivers and adolescent sexual health and are open to learning and developing through a design process.”
Up to six awards will be approved and distributed to organizations between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021. Each funded organization will receive a budget of $65,000 for the 12-month grant period. Multiple year funding commitments may be awarded if the pilot project shows promise. Grants are limited to organizations located and providing service in Oklahoma County.
It is recommended that a minimum of at least 10 hours a week or 25% of a full-time staff member is dedicated to this project. Additionally, organizations should designate a minimum of two and up to three staff members to participate.
For interested organizations, Thrive will host a webinar on Friday, October 9, 2020 from 1-2 p.m. where they will provide an overview and answer questions about the grant opportunity. To complete an application, visit https://thriveokc.org/our-work/spark-innovation-okc/.
*Protective factors are conditions or attributes in individuals, families, communities or society that increase the health and well-being of children and families. Examples include, but are not limited to, positive connections to supportive adults, healthy relationships, parental involvement and attitudes of supportive healthy behaviors, and coordinated adolescent and family-centered services.
