FY_18 Working Toward Wellness
Submitted Questions & Answers
Question #1:
One more question about the RFP, on page 3 it says the following:
Category 1: Nutrition
Implement food service guidelines/nutrition standards where foods and beverages are available. Guidelines and standards should address sodium reduction.
Choose one or more of the interventions from the list below:
Create a healthy meeting policy.
- Establish food procurement guidelines for onsite food service establishment, or for use of company funds for purchasing food.
- Adopt healthy vending guidelines.
- Use competitive pricing to make healthier choices more economical.
Is that supposed to say meeting or eating?
Response #1:
Thank you for your interest in the Working Toward Wellness grants! The intervention is. ”Create a Healthy Meeting Policy”. It refers to policies that would help ensure there are healthy options available at meetings and events. The Department of Health would provide any necessary support in how to develop this and what makes the most sense for your worksite.
Question #2:
I’ve started looking at it and trying to organize what information I need to complete it and in the process I’ve developed some questions I hope you can answer.
-(pg. 2) “Worksites will be matched with a DoH staff from their area who will work closely w/them throughout the grant year…”- is this person Kate Roone for Springfield?
-(pg.3) “Create a healthy meeting policy”- this seems like the only intervention my worksite is able to comply with since we don’t have vending machine nor a cafeteria but I don’t know what a healthy meeting policy is. Will Kate be able to assist me with implementing this?
-(pg. 4) “Distribute and encourage employees to complete a brief eval survey provided by VDH”- is this also from Kate or from you?
-The application mentions “subrecipient” throughout the form, is that me?
-(pg. 5) “Key staff member(s) must be assigned to this grant for the full duration proposed”- can I just pick a couple other directors to name even if I’ll be doing most of the work?
Response #2:
Each worksite is matched with staff from the Office of Local Health in their area. Local office staff provide technical assistance throughout the year and are the primary contact, though worksites are welcome to reach out to us at the Central Office any time they would like. The staff member that provides worksite wellness support in Springfield is Kate Roome. Kate will be able to work with your worksite to develop and implement any policies/guidelines. While there are deliverables, there is also flexibility so that each worksite can find interventions that are the most effective for their location, employees, etc. A healthy meeting policy helps to promote healthy options at meetings and events. For example, it might state that any time there is a company sponsored event or meeting where there will be snacks, that low-sodium and/or low-fat options are available.
The evaluation survey will be provided by VDH, it will be a brief survey that employees can complete (voluntarily) that asks some basic questions on eating and physical activity habits. No one is required to complete a survey or answer any questions they do not wish to. It helps us to evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program and keep improving it.
The term “subrecipient” in the form refers to the worksite applying for the grant.
VDH recommends that a wellness team or committee be formed, not only for the purposes of the grant but also for future worksite wellness work. The time commitment does not need to be extensive. For the purpose of the application, you can list any individuals that are interested in planning wellness activities and helping start a worksite wellness program. It can be yourself, other directors, or any other staff members.
Question #3:
Can you explain what “Insurance Certificate” you need?? Why does it need auto coverage?? We have insurance but are not clear on specifically what you mean???
Also, (for instance) if we bought a treadmill with the grant money…how would you track it to ensure that 50% of employees use it? I am not sure how that works??
I guess I am not clear on the specifics of how this works? We send our proposal, we win the money, we implement something like purchasing fitness equipment and then you monitor?
Response #3:
The insurance certificate with auto coverage is a general requirement for the State of Vermont to award grant funding to an organization. This requirement is not specifically for this grant, but applies to all grants. A certificate can be obtained from your organization’s insurance company.
We encourage that worksites promote all worksite wellness activities that are available for employees. 50% participation is a goal, and VDH staff from your area Local Health Office can help your worksite develop a communication plan to engage as many employees as possible. VDH does not require worksites to specifically track participation in each activity, but that worksites aim for a goal of 50% of employees participating in some activity that is implemented.
After all the proposals are received, a scoring committee will score each proposal and select one worksite from each of the eligible areas. Our Local Health Office will work with you to complete any necessary activities and can also provide advice and support on activities to implement. Several options for using the funding are outline in the Request for Proposals, however, worksites can propose other activities as well. One of the first activities for the grant is to do an employee interest survey (we will provide a template for this, but worksites can make any changes they would like). This survey can help the worksite see what activities employees are interested in. Purchasing fitness equipment is one example that the funding can be used for. However, we do not require you to track participation for each activity. For example, we would require a worksite to track how many people are using a treadmill, or using a fridge purchased for the kitchen.
Question #4:
Hello, we were notified of this grant opportunity. Several of us that work for the Town (less than 100 employees in “” County) were seeking motivational help to get us exercising and eating healthier. Through the “” we could get motivational counseling but we would have to drive over 20 miles one way and could only get individual help. We would like someone to come here to guide, inspire and teach us exercises and healthy eating. Is this wish something the grant might cover?
Response #4:
The Working Toward Wellness grant provides technical assistance and funding to develop (or enhance) a sustainable worksite wellness program. There are a few activities required by the grant – some activities include completing an organizational assessment, developing a nutrition policy/guidelines, developing a physical activity policy/guidelines. The funding can be used toward sustainable activities to promote physical activity or nutrition. Some of the funds can be used to bring someone to the worksite to do workshops on health topics, that include topics such as exercising/physical activity, and nutrition. We encourage the use of the funding towards activities or items that can then be continued after the grant ends. For example, purchasing fitness equipment that can continue to be used, or setting up standing or active workstations.
Question #5:
I received your email about the Working Toward Wellness Grant a little while back and my boss would like me to look into it more. Is “” eligible for applying to the grant? We are part of BlueCross BlueShield's Blue Edge program which is very similar. I would love the extra wellness money, but I do not want to double-dip.
Response #5:
Eligibility for applying for the Working Toward Wellness grant funding is only based on size and location within one of the eligible areas. If your worksite is located in the Burlington area, you are eligible to apply as long as the worksite has less than 100 employees. In scoring the application, we do consider whether the worksite already has a well-established worksite wellness program and source(s) of funding. Worksites without established wellness programs and without sources of funding for worksite wellness activities are prioritized. However, we encourage any eligible worksites to apply if they are interested.