The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office on Women’s Health (OWH) is offering $10,000 in competing funding opportunities for activities and events to enhance access to information and health care resources promoting the health of older women. This is the first year OWH has included an request for proposals (RFP) for health and safety initiatives supporting older women, and will be awarding projects up to $2,500.

The OHW has specifically stated that collaborations and activities that educate health professionals on issues related to older women are both strongly encouraged.

Proposed activities should on one of following three general topic areas:

1. Preventive and Behavioral Health such as:
Chronic Disease Self Management (http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/HPW/ARRA/Index.aspx)
Cardiovascular Disease and/or Heart Attack Symptoms in Women (http://www.womenshealth.gov/heartattack/; http://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-truth/; http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/)
HIV/AIDS in Older Women (http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/HPW/HIV_AIDS/index.aspx)
Oral Health in Older Women (http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/HPW/Oral_Health/index.aspx)

2. Abuse in Older Adults – including  but not limited to interpersonal and domestic violence prevention, elder rights protection, and trauma
http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/Elder_Rights/index.aspx
http://www.womenshealth.gov/violence-against-women/types-of-violence/domestic-intimate-partner-violence.cfm#h
http://www.womenshealth.gov/aging/safety-abuse/elder-abuse.cfm

3. Care Giving – including the role of older women as caregiver for spouse, parent and/or as guardian for grandchildren/children
http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/HCLTC/Caregiver/index.aspx
http://www.womenshealth.gov/aging/caregiving/raising-children-again.cfm
http://www.medicare.gov/campaigns/caregiver/caregiver.html

To submit a proposal for the Safety and Health for Older Women funding opportunity, please complete the RFP form (see here for the PDF) and email it  as a Word Doc or PDF to John Snow, Inc. (JSI) at owhapplication@jsi.com or mail it to JSI, ATTN: Jodie Albert, 1725 Blake Street, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80202.

Proposals must be received by November on 15th, 2012 by 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.  All proposals will be reviewed by an objective technical review panel, and applicants will be notified via email or mail regarding funding decisions by December 20th, 2012.  The period of performance for selected projects will begin upon receipt of award notification and end by September 16th, 2013.

For assistance with the RFP, please e-mail: owhapplication@jsi.com or phone toll-free: 1-866-224-3815.