Examples of RFAs for smoke-free campuses and dorms and tobacco-industry free sponsorship – 12/11/07

Q: Are there states with examples of RFAs for Smoke-free campuses and dorms and tobacco industry-free sponsorship. A TCN Members is looking for examples from other states or organizations of RFAs that benefit 18 to 24 year old college students through the creation and implementation of smoke-free campuses and dorm policies and policies that would eliminates tobacco industry sponsorship on campus and in the surrounding college town.

A:

1. Arkansas – Has provided a document describing Arkansas’ initiative
   
   
   • Arkansas’ Oxygen Project description is attached
     
     
2. California – RFA released in 2005 to fund two statewide projects, one of the two projects was to address the implementation of advocacy campaigns targeting youth or young adults (18-24) and the other project was to focus on providing training and TA related to secondhand smoke (SHS) to TCS funded projects. 
   Also recommends contacting the organization (California Youth Advocacy Network) that was awarded funds from this RFA.  Their website is http://www.cyanonline.org and the lead project person who works on college campuses is Kimberly Homer-Vagadori at kim@cyanonline.org or 916-339-3424 ext. 22.  The other project that California funded through a different RFA (community level) that addresses tobacco industry sponsorship in bars in what could be considered a college town is Smoke-Free Chico of the American Lung Association of California.  The project director is Shelly Brantley, her contact is shellydb@aol.com or 530-897-4140.
   
   
   • Here is California’s electronic copy of the RFA
   
   
3. Maryland: Maryland funds colleges in Maryland to develop campus based coalitions focusing on policy and social norms issues.  Maryland has been relatively successful at strengthening tobacco control policies on campus, but have not addressed tobacco sponsorship.  Maryland is providing an attachment of one of their recent solicitations to become part of the statewide college Smoking STOPS (Students Together Organizing Prevention Strategies) Here coalition.  Additionally, they "wrapped" a Baltimore College Shuttle that travels between/among about seven campuses of different colleges/universities in the Baltimore metro area with cessation/norming messages.
   
   
   • Maryland’s Board Bid Notice is attached
     
     
4. Michigan: A sample tobacco-free college campus work plan is attached from the Michigan Department of Community Health, Tobacco Section.  The tobacco-free college campus objective was included as an option for community organizations to apply for as part of a general RFA to increase smoke-free environments that was released in 2004.  Other options, such as tobacco-free schools also were included. This workplan might be useful by providing some activities that could be included in an RFA for smoke-free college/university campuses. 
   
   
   • Michigan’s Tobacco Free Workplan is attached.
   
   
   
5. North Carolina: Attached is the RFP for Phase II of the North Carolina Tobacco-Free Colleges Initiative. This program funds 20 organizations working on approximately 60 college campuses statewide. UNC-EnTER serves as the lead technical assistance provider for the initiative.
   
   
   • North Carolina’s Tobacco-Free Colleges Initiative Phase II RFP is attached.
   
   
   
6. South Dakota: South Dakota did not do a general RFP but chose to send invitation letters directly to the post secondary institution Presidents.  The funding available was based on two areas - number of full time students and existing tobacco policy.  The policy-linked funding and clear criteria motivated half of the institutions to improve their policy either before the application was due or within 3 months of the application process.  Two institutions passed TOBACCO free buildings and grounds (and no-sale/giveaway/promotion) policy within three months of the invitation, as a result of the funding associated with the policy criteria.
   
   The grants began in late summer.  The institutions primarily made policy changes prior to the grant agreements being signed because a written copy of their policy was required along with the application for prevention grant funding and better policies meant more funding for support.
   
   South Dakota has provided the following sample documents:
   
   1. Sample Tobacco Free Policy
   2. Post Sec School Letters
   3. Post Secondary Mid Year reporting form
   4. Post Secondary Application form
   5. Post Secondary Policy Award Criteria
   
   
   
7. Texas: Suggests contacting Bacchus & Gamma Peer Education Network at http://www.bacchusgamma.org.  A few years ago Texas brought a representative of Bacchus & Gamma (Jan L. Gascoigne, Ph.D. CHES) to one of our quarterly meetings to discuss working in the universities.