Supporting effective programmes through grants

Overview
The Union is administering grants for the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use via The Union’s partner the World Lung Foundation.

The grants programme focuses on low- and middle-income countries that have the greatest number of tobacco users. Fifteen countries where around 80% of the world’s smokers live have been targeted. Priority is given to projects that lead to substantial improvements in tobacco control laws, regulations, policies and programmes. The grants programme aims to allow people in those countries to build their capacity for tobacco control and to run tobacco control programmes that will have an immediate and ongoing impact.



The grants are short-term (one to two years), and range from US$10,000 per year for a short-term advocacy campaign to US$500,000 per year for a comprehensive tobacco control initiative.

In the first round of the grants programme, governments, intergovernmental organisations (including WHO), state and provincial authorities, and NGOs in the countries concerned were invited to submit ideas on how to deliver effective tobacco control interventions. In 2007, some 80 projects in more than 30 countries were selected for funding from almost 1200 project proposals received. Priority for funding was given to projects that lead to a sustainable improvements in tobacco policies, such as tax/price measures, smokefree environments, and advertising bans.

Successful applicants
Click here to see a selection of successful applicants from the first round. Negotiations for Round Two grants will be completed in Spring 2008.

Submissions of project ideas to the third round of grants closed on 17 January 2008. Applicants whose project ideas are invited to submit a full proposal will been informed in early March.

For all grants priority is given to projects that lead to sustainable improvements in tobacco policies, in particular:

• tax and price measures, including anti-smuggling measures
• establishment of smokefree workplaces and public places
• direct and indirect advertising bans
• other evidence-based regulatory/legislative initiatives
• effective, long-term mass media campaigns and programs

An additional track – Model Smokefree Areas – funds the creation and enforcement of 100% smokefree environments in workplaces and public places within a national or subnational jurisdiction. Proposals must:

• involve a coalition of governments and NGOs
• cover at least a major city or province/state
• include plans for enforcement, communication and evaluation
• cover at least all public buildings, healthcare facilities and public transport

Proposals including additional public places, such as private workplaces, restaurants and bars will be more favourably reviewed.

The Grants programme of the Initiative is jointly managed by The Union and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK). For more information on the Grants programme click here