Community Change to Prevent Commercial Tobacco Use among Young People
Community Change to Prevent Commercial Tobacco Use among Young People supports organizations in youth-led policy, systems, and environmental change to prevent commercial tobacco use in Minnesota.
Funder: Minnesota Department of Health
Due Dates: October 23, 2026, 4 p.m. Central (Optional Notice of Intent) | October 30, 2026, 4 p.m. Central (Questions) | November 13, 2026, 4 p.m. Central (Application)
Funding Amounts: $125,000–$175,000 annually for two years, with up to three additional years possible
Summary: Supports youth- and young adult-led policy, systems, and environmental change to prevent commercial tobacco use in Minnesota communities.
Key Information: Generalizable research is ineligible; projects must advance community change rather than youth education or participation alone.
Description
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) funds organizations to engage and empower youth and young adults to lead local commercial tobacco prevention. The program combines leadership and advocacy development with policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies that reflect community priorities. It includes young adults ages 18–24 and connects local leaders to a statewide network supporting learning, storytelling, communications, and collective action.
Supported approaches include retail policy change, commercial tobacco-free spaces, culturally grounded prevention, supportive school policies, cessation referral pathways, and youth participation in community decision-making. The goals are to prevent initiation, reduce secondhand smoke and aerosol exposure, promote quitting, and eliminate tobacco-related disparities. Commercial tobacco is distinct from traditional or sacred tobacco used by American Indian communities.
