Emergency Preparedness Grant Program

In the days and weeks following Hurricane Katrina, many of us searched for ways in which we could help the victims in the Gulf Coast region - and the response was overwhelming. Yet perhaps even more important are the lessons learned in the aftermath of this natural disaster and the lessons that will be forthcoming in the months and years ahead as the impacted areas continue to assess damage and to make plans for rebuilding their communities. As a state prone to natural disasters, North Carolina has a responsibility to learn from these lessons and to continue to enhance our emergency response infrastructure.

In response to this challenge, the BCBSNC Foundation reallocated a significant portion of responsive grant funding for the 2005-2006 fiscal year in order to create the Emergency Preparedness Grant Program. This one-time initiative provided funding to nonprofit organizations and government entities seeking to improve emergency preparedness plans and activities impacting vulnerable populations throughout our state. For the purposes of this program, vulnerable populations were defined as the elderly, chronically ill, low-income and non-English speaking populations.

Emergency Preparedness Grant Recipients

The BCBSNC Foundation's Fit Together grant program was created to provide funding and technical assistance to communities seeking to improve community health. The program supports innovative partnerships formed by nonprofit organizations and government agencies designed to improve access and remove barriers to physical activity in rural counties.

To qualify, projects had to utilize the comprehensive "5P approach" (programs, policies, physical projects, partnerships, and promotion) developed by Active Living by Design (www.activelivingbydesign.org), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Grants were awarded in May 2005, with recipients receiving three years of funding, and up to $40,000 per year.

Fit Together Grant Recipients