Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States, resulting in more than 440,000 premature deaths nationally and 10,300 deaths in the state of Missouri each year. Health officials in Missouri face a continued challenge to reduce the burden tobacco use places on the health and economy of our state.

The MFH Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative is a nine-year, multi-phase program that includes grantmaking, policy, capacity building, evaluation and communication activities. MFH is taking a comprehensive approach to tobacco use in order to assure integration of all aspects of prevention and cessation. This model for comprehensive tobacco use prevention is based on the understanding that behavior change requires awareness, education, advocacy, organizational changes, policy and environmental changes and implementation of multi-phased strategies. Comprehensive tobacco control programs are proven to significantly reduce smoking, which in turn reduces morbidity, mortality and health care costs.

Throughout the development of this initiative, MFH met with representatives from the Missouri Statewide Tobacco Steering Committee to review the key components and needs of the Missouri Comprehensive Tobacco Use Prevention Program. The guiding principles, strategies and objectives from the statewide plan were utilized to form the basis for the MFH Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative.

Regional grants support development of a structure that provides coordination of specific strategies for tobacco prevention and cessation. Grantees are large organizations with annual operating budgets that meet or exceed $2 million. Four regional grants were awarded in 2004 and 2005 to Randolph County Health Department, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Curators of University of Missouri and American Lung Association.

Community grants are awarded to smaller community-based agencies that implement models and activities designed in conjunction with a regional grant recipient.

Innovative Funding

Do you have an innovative idea for tobacco use prevention or cessation in Missouri?

Through the Innovative Funding program, the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative will accept concept papers to test new approaches and innovative ideas that advance tobacco prevention and cessation in Missouri. These grants will be awarded to initiate:

• a new project
• pilot a creative idea or approach
• gain a different perspective or better understanding of tobacco control in Missouri through applied research.
• Concept papers will be accepted for program ideas that are not currently supported through the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative.

Innovative funding is very limited and competitive.

Timeline:
1. Concept papers will be accepted from February 1 - June 12, 2008.
2. Notification of acceptance will be provided from MFH 2-4 weeks after the submission of a concept paper.
3. Applicants with accepted concept papers will have 6 weeks to submit a full proposal.
4. Funding announcements will be made in Fall 2008

For more information: contact Matthew Kuhlenbeck, Program Officer, at 314.345.5541 or mkuhlenbeck@mffh.org or Michael Renner, Program Officer, at 314.345.5533 or mrenner@mffh.org.

The Center for Tobacco Policy Research at Saint Louis University School of Public Health seeks to: Conduct rigorous research and evaluation that is relevant and useful to tobacco control professionals and policymakers. Establish effective and collaborative relationships with national, state, and local tobacco control partners. Please click on the links below for additional information.
Strategy 1 Logic Model	Strategy 2 Logic Model	Strategy 3 Logic Model

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