Creating Healthier Rural Communities Through the End Zone for Chronic Disease Prevention Program

The Creating Healthier Rural Communities Through the End Zone for Chronic Disease Prevention program is administered by the Tennessee Department of Health as part of its broader efforts to improve population health outcomes across the state. This initiative builds on Tennessee’s commitment to addressing chronic disease through policy, systems, and environmental change strategies. The Department has developed the End Zone Playbook, a structured framework that provides communities with evidence-based interventions designed to improve access to healthy food, expand safe spaces for physical activity, and strengthen social connections. The program prioritizes sustainable, community-driven solutions that align with local health priorities and generate measurable long-term benefits. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support organizations in rural and suburban Tennessee counties in implementing these evidence-based strategies. Applicants are required to incorporate at least the Healthy Food Environments component from the End Zone Playbook and are encouraged to integrate additional strategies related to physical activity and social engagement. Projects must align with Community Health Improvement Plans and demonstrate meaningful collaboration with local stakeholders such as schools, municipalities, healthcare systems, and community-based organizations. Applicants must also provide documentation of these partnerships, including at least one letter of support from a partner organization. Funding is structured into two categories: Category A and Category B. Category A provides up to 1,500,000 per county over a five-year period, while Category B provides up to 1,000,000 per county over the same duration. Applicants may serve up to three counties, allowing a maximum total award of 4,500,000 under Category A or 3,000,000 under Category B. Funds must be allocated according to fixed annual distributions and used strictly for allowable activities as defined by the program. Administrative and indirect costs are capped at 10 percent of the total award, and all expenditures must be necessary, reasonable, and compliant with applicable federal and state regulations. Eligibility is limited to organizations capable of implementing policy, systems, and environmental changes within Tennessee’s rural and suburban counties. Specifically, eligible counties include all counties in the state except Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Sullivan. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, academic institutions, and other organizations with demonstrated capacity, authority, and partnerships to execute the proposed work. Projects must focus on community-level impact and demonstrate readiness to implement multi-sector collaboration. Applications must be submitted through the Tennessee Department of Health procurement portal and include several required components. These include a completed application form, competitive requirements documentation, a detailed project workplan, a line-item budget with justification, and supporting documents such as resumes for key personnel and letters of support. Additional administrative forms, including a W-9 and supplier maintenance documentation, are also required. Applicants must follow strict formatting and submission guidelines, and late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances. Applications are evaluated by a committee of Department of Health representatives based on criteria such as the strength of the project plan, cost effectiveness, organizational experience, collaboration, and projected impact. The evaluation process emphasizes the feasibility and sustainability of proposed interventions, as well as the applicant’s ability to measure outcomes and demonstrate success. Following evaluation, selected applicants will enter into grant agreements consistent with the State’s standard contract terms. The application cycle for this opportunity opened on June 5, 2026, and closes on July 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time. A pre-response teleconference was held on June 11, 2026, and written questions were accepted through June 15, 2026, with responses issued on June 18, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced in early August 2026, with a project start date of October 1, 2026 and a performance period extending through September 30, 2031. This opportunity does not indicate a recurring cycle and is structured as a competitive, time-limited funding initiative.

Emphasize strong partnerships clear measurable outcomes and cost effective budgeting while minimizing indirect costs