Active SWV wants to award your workplace $1,000 to make your workplace environment healthier. Applications are open!
Deadline to apply is September 01, 2021 by 11:59pm
Each year, Active SWV in partnership with WV Health Promotion and Chronic Disease awards a series of Capacity Building grants to workplaces across the state. This time, we are seeking 20 workplaces, each to receive $1,000. The mission of these grants is to increase access to healthy food, physical activity and other supports to improve employee wellness. To date, Active SWV has awarded over $40,000 in Capacity Building grants. Check out the bottom of this article to see some of the creative changes our recipients have brought to their workplace.
How can I apply?
To be eligible to apply, at least one employee must be certified in the CDC Work@Health Employer Training course, or have one employee enroll and complete the course within the timeframe of the grant. Click HERE to read more about this 6-week virtual course. Your workplace must also have at least 20 employees and offer health insurance.
If your workplace meets, or is willing to meet, those requirements, you’re eligible to apply! Be sure to register for our grant info session to learn more about how to submit a strong application.
Don’t have an Work@Health certified employee?
Active SWV and other organizations offer the course throughout the year. Active SWV’s next course will begin September 22nd and wrap up by November 10th. To learn more about the timeline, course expectations, and what you’ll learn, register for our Work@Health info session HERE. If you’re unable to attend the info session, no worries! We will send a recording of the info session to all who register.
Success Stories
There are so many ways workplaces can use the Capacity Building Grant funds. From policy changes to systems and environment changes. Below are just a few ways workplaces have gotten creative in the past.
Fitness equipment. Adding permanent wellness features to the workplace is a popular way to improve the workplace environment. In 2019, Region 1 Partners in Action identified a long-unused conference room in their building. They used their funds to turn the room into a fitness center complete with yoga mats, elliptical, weights and more!
Conservation Legacy purchased two exercise bike desks (yes, those exist!) so employees could still be active even when their movement breaks were over.
Interactive Classes. Education can be one of the most important tools to prepare employees to make those healthy lifestyle changes. And the best part is these can accommodate remote or in person work environments!
New River Community and Technical College used their funds to purchase resistance bands and wellness challenge cards to be sent home with all employees. Even during remote work, they met virtually each week to learn new at-home exercise and wellness strategies.
Clay Middle School teachers with fitness backgrounds led yoga and aerobic classes before school. Other worksites have offered onsite cooking demos and lunch-n-learns on a variety of topics.
Policy Changes. One great way to know your leadership supports wellness is through policy changes. Southern Appalachian Labor School made a major move to ban tobacco on site. They used their grant funds to post educational signage about the new policy and tobacco cessation. Boone Memorial Hospital is working to pass a policy allowing all employees to take two 10-minute movement breaks each day.
