UW Center on Aging Offers Healthy U Funding Opportunities for Wyoming Organizations

Funding from the University of Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) will offer organizations in Wyoming the opportunity to incorporate Healthy U chronic disease education programs into their existing structures.

WyCOA will award up to six $5,000 mini-grants to organizations that demonstrate a strong capacity to offer sustainable programming with a vision for long-term implementation. Grants will be awarded progressively as awardees complete critical benchmarks such as identifying leaders, planning a class and implementing a program.

WyCOA will host an informational session for the funding opportunity at 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, via this Zoom link: https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/91895441745. For more information, or to apply for funding, visit www.uwyo.edu/healthyu/news/index.html. All applications must be received by midnight Monday, March 7.

“These mini-grants offer unique opportunities for applicants to make an impact on both an individual’s health and the community’s health,” says Larry Goodwin, a senior project coordinator at WyCOA.

Awards for this funding are intended to support Healthy U program initiatives. Successful applicants will receive ongoing program support from WyCOA-certified leaders. Workshops will establish a scope of work and implementation plan.

Applicants should have an interest in health programming or work with populations affected by chronic disease. Eligible organizations include, but are not limited to, community groups, nonprofit organizations or faith-based organizations.

“Leaders are often volunteers, church members, senior center staff, patient educators, public health workers or wellness advocates,” Goodwin says. “They are members of the community, your friends and family.”

Healthy U is WyCOA’s implementation of the Self-Management Resource Center’s renowned, evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. The six-week program improves symptoms related to a wide variety of chronic conditions, builds confidence in managing healthy conditions and increases physical activity.

Chronic conditions include issues that affect someone on a day-to-day basis such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, chronic pain, anxiety, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia.

For more information about Healthy U, visit www.uwyo.edu/healthyu/; call WyCOA at (307) 766-2765; or email healthyu@uwyo.edu.