Georgia State Physical Activity and
Nutrition Funding Opportunity
Applications are due by 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
Need support writing and/or submitting your application? Contact G-SPAN at gspanatghpc@gsu.edu.
Introduction
In Georgia , more than one-third (33%) of adults and 1 in 6 (17%) high-school aged children have obesity. Physical activity and healthy eating patterns can reduce the risk of chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. In an effort to promote healthy eating and physical activity in Georgia, the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) was awarded a five-year cooperative agreement as part of the State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Through G-SPAN, partners are working together to leverage state investments, relationships, and resources to improve the health and well-being of Georgians. G-SPAN aims to provide safe and accessible physical activity opportunities, make healthy food choices easier, improve nutrition and physical activity in early care and education settings, and support breastfeeding.
G-SPAN’s 5-year plan includes:
- Implementing physical activity, nutrition, early care and education, and breastfeeding policy, systems, and environmental changes that promote obesity prevention
- Incorporating the voice of communities in the adoption, implementation, and evaluation of target strategies where there is the most need
- Strengthening existing and expanding new collaborations and capacity throughout the state
- Using evidence-informed communications to improve health behaviors and reduce chronic disease conditions in key communities and populations
In support of the 5-year plan, G-SPAN is offering funds to support new or existing policy, systems, and environmental change across the initiative’s 4 priority issues:
- Physical Activity
- Nutrition
- Early Care and Education
- Breastfeeding
What is policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change?
According to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, PSE change includes:
- Policy: “Policies take several forms such as laws, ordinances, regulations, and rules. They can be formal or informal.” G-SPAN’s definition includes “BIG P” policies like state and local laws, as well as “small p” policies like organizational policies and procedures. For example, this could include developing workplace breastfeeding policies.
- Systems: “Systems interventions are changes that impact all areas of an organization, institution, or community—not just policies.” For example, this could include the adoption of vending guidelines in a health system to encourage employees and patients to select heathier snack options.
- Environment: “Environmental interventions involve changes to the economic, social, or physical environment.” For example, this could include installing signs promoting the use of walking trails.
What can the funds be used for?
The funding opportunity can be used to support new or existing policy, systems, and environmental changes on one of G-SPAN’s 4 priority issues: physical activity, nutrition, ECE, and breastfeeding. Applicants should only apply for funding in one priority area. This section provides details and examples for each priority issue.
Physical Activity
Funding for physical activity opportunities can be used to build the capacity of local communities in Georgia to identify and secure resources for promoting healthy community design. Applicants can choose one of two options:
- Option 1: Co-design and co-facilitate a community design for physical activity (CD4PA) capacity building event in your community with the G-SPAN team.
- Option 2: Support a team of up to 4 participants to attend a conference, workshop, or other skill building event that increases attendees’ capacity to support healthy community design.
Nutrition
Funding for nutrition opportunities can be used for marketing, communications, and supplies for:
- Organizations interested in expanding or enhancing food service guidelines.
- Local farmers markets and farm stands interested in developing or expanding a fruit and vegetable incentive program or produce prescription program.
Examples of eligible supplies include, but are not limited to:
- Electronic benefits transfer (EBT) equipment,
- Promotional materials for a marketing campaign,
- Printer/copying machines for print media campaigns.
Early Care and Education
Opportunities for Early Care and Education (ECE) includes Farm to ECE activities. For example:
- Collaboration between farmers and ECEs (centers or family-based daycare homes) to source local produce using the Eat Learn Grow website.
- Adoption of farm-to-ECE PSE changes in early care sites.
- Materials and supplies costs for farm-to-ECE-related activities (including indoor and outdoor classroom materials, raised beds, gardening items, etc.)
Breastfeeding
G-SPAN is working with regional breastfeeding coalitions to implement components of the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Breastfeeding Continuity of Care Blueprint. The Blueprint includes 7 recommendations. G-SPAN is focusing on the first three:
- Breastfeeding as a Community Health Improvement Strategy
- Breastfeeding Policies, Systems, and Environmental Changes
- Transfer of Care Accountability and Referral Systems
We invite applicants to propose how they would act on one or a combination of these 3 recommendations. Examples include:
- Implementing skill building opportunities like the American Academy of Physicians’ (AAP) EPIC Breastfeeding Program, which offers “peer-to-peer breastfeeding education to physician’s offices, hospitals, and residency programs.”
- Supporting regional breastfeeding coalition leaders in implementing policy, environmental, or systems change in collaboration with a local employer to achieve PUMP Act provisions.
Who can apply?
The G-SPAN funding opportunity is open to Georgia-based organizations and businesses including:
- Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs)
- Childcare providers including ECE Centers and Family Child Care Learning Homes (FCCLH)
- Coalition Lead Partners (including breastfeeding coalitions, local health improvement coalitions, community wellness fund, etc.)
- Community-based Organizations (CBOs)
- Faith-based Organizations (FBOs)
- Farmers and Growers
- Health clinics
- Local Government Agencies (city planning, local public health)
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Out of School Organizations (before or after school)
- Schools and Academic Institutions
- Technical Assistance Organizations
Who cannot apply?
- Members of the G-SPAN Funding Opportunity Design Team.
- Individuals; applicants must be affiliated with an eligible organization (see who can apply list).
- REACH and HOP awardees (University of Georgia, Morehouse School of Medicine, DeKalb Board of Health, North Central Health District, and YMCA of Coastal Georgia /Healthy Savannah and their grantees.
- State agencies in Georgia.
- Organizations outside of Georgia.
Restrictions
- Funds must be used for policy, systems and environmental change activities.
- Funds cannot be used for K-12 school-based activities occurring during the school day. Funds can be used in out-of-school programs.
- Funds cannot be used to procure food.
- Funds cannot be used for fitness or exercise classes or one-time physical activity opportunities.
- Funds cannot be awarded to an individual.
- Funds cannot be used for activities that involve lobbying or advocacy as defined by state or federal laws. No funded activities will support or oppose candidates for public office.
Reporting Requirements
Awardees must:
- Measure impact. G-SPAN will help awardees identify an appropriate measure of impact.
- Submit an impact statement after implementing their project.
- Present at one G-SPAN Collaborative Action Team (CAT) meeting.
Templates and technical support will be provided.
What will awardees receive?
Awardees will receive:
- Up to $2,499 to implement their proposed project.
- Guidance from a dedicated technical advisor. If you need support writing and/or submitting your application contact G-SPAN at gspanatghpc@gsu.edu.
- Recognition on G-SPAN’s website and social media platforms.
- Connection to other awardees and members of G-SPAN’s network.
- All required reporting templates.
Learn More
G-SPAN hosted 3 informational webinars in June 2025 for interested applicants. The slides from those webinars are available here.
How to Apply
Access the online application here
If you prefer to download an application:
G-SPAN Physical Activity Option 1 Funding Opportunity Application
G-SPAN Physical Activity Option 2 Funding Opportunity Application
G-SPAN Nutrition Breastfeeding and ECE Funding Opportunity Application
Applications can be completed online, in Word or by hand.
- You can complete the application using a computer or you can complete the application by hand.
- You can submit your completed application via email at: gspanatghpc@gsu.edu. We will accept electronic versions (Word doc), scanned copies or photos of the application.