Next Round of Healthy Communities Action Teams (HCAT) Grants
This grant funds Virginia community teams to implement science-based, long-term strategies that prevent childhood obesity by promoting healthy behaviors through policy, systems, and environmental changes.
Funder: Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2026: Mandatory Pre-Application Conference — Option 1 (projected) | September 2026: Mandatory Pre-Application Conference — Option 2 (projected) | September 2026: Mandatory Pre-Application Conference — Option 3 (projected) | October 2026: Full application deadline via online grants portal (projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $40,000/year for 3 years ($120,000 total); no match required; multiple awards; total pool ~$3.6M.
Summary: Funds community teams in Virginia to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes that prevent and reduce childhood obesity by promoting healthy behaviors.
Key Information: Attendance at one mandatory pre-application conference is required for eligibility.
Description
The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) offers three-year grants to support the creation and sustainability of Healthy Communities Action Teams (HCATs) across Virginia. HCATs work collaboratively at the community level to implement policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes that promote at least one of eight proven healthy behaviors to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. These behaviors include breastfeeding, increased fruit and vegetable consumption, reducing ultra-processed foods, promoting physical activity, decreasing screen time, ensuring adequate sleep, reducing stress through mindfulness, and lowering intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. Funding supports both the development of HCAT infrastructure and the implementation of long-term, community-based obesity prevention strategies.
