A gif of an illustrated light bulb turning on and shining brightly to represent "innovation". An illustration of a light bulb shining brightly to represent "innovation".

Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Funds Empower Recipients to Take Risks and Test Innovative Approaches A Click-Through Story





Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant funding offers recipients the opportunity to support innovative programs that might not be feasible otherwise.

An illustrated animated speech bubble gif that says “I just think [innovation] is essential to serve the populations we're dedicated to serving. If we're fixed and unresponsive to the needs of the people or the new modes of communication that are more culturally acceptable, …we are just [being that] inflexible and tone-deaf entity that some in the public perceive us to be. [W]e have to be nimble to be responsive to the needs and the issues affecting populations we serve. [O]therwise we're…not fulfilling our purpose.” An illustration of a speech bubble that says “I just think [innovation] is essential to serve the populations we're dedicated to serving. If we're fixed and unresponsive to the needs of the people or the new modes of communication that are more culturally acceptable, …we are just [being that] inflexible and tone-deaf entity that some in the public perceive us to be. [W]e have to be nimble to be responsive to the needs and the issues affecting populations we serve. [O]therwise we're…not fulfilling our purpose.”

—PHHS Block Grant Coordinator, 2022




A gif of the state of Colorado (blue) zooming into the frame, followed by the words "Colorado's Innovation Incubator" emerging one at at a time, and then a yellow blinking outline. An illustration the state of Colorado with a yellow border and the words "Colorado's Innovation Incubator" overlaid on top.


Due to its inherent flexibility, Colorado’s Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) identified the PHHS Block Grant as a viable funding source for programmatic innovations that otherwise do not have traditional funding sources or may be considered less certain investments.


CDPHE developed a structured innovation mini-grant program and launched the pilot program in 2018.





Through a “Shark Tank”-style competitive process, CDPHE staff are invited to submit innovative program proposals for review, and staff pitch their programs and compete to receive funding that would otherwise not be available.


A gif of many examples of innovative program proposals appearing and stacking on top of eachother over a blue rounded box background. An image of many examples of innovative program proposals stacked on top of eachother over a blue rounded box background.

A gif of an illustrated light bulb turning on and shining brightly to represent "innovation". An illustration of a light bulb shining brightly to represent "innovation".


Each competing entry must align with a Healthy People objective, and the health department uses the Public Health National Center for Innovation (PHNCI) definition of innovation when selecting programs to fund.


The panel later decides which innovative projects to fund based on specific criteria including:

level of innovation

impact to the department

inclusiveness and equity

project feasibility

overall strength of proposal

Image of 4 people (two standing and two sitting at the table in the foreground) in an conference room discussing a document that the two standing people are holding and looking at.

PHNCI Definition of Public Health Innovation: the development of a new process, policy, product or program that increase quality, impact and efficiency.1


This use of funds allows adapting untested practices so that evidence can be collected regarding their effectiveness, increasing likelihood of finding future funding to expand or replicate a successful innovative program.


Colorado’s innovation mini-grant program has funded 27 innovation projects since its inception and is held in high regard by public health leaders and staff alike.

CDPHE Staff Feedback on the Program:


“This is the first time we’ve ever seen innovation funded and highlighted as much at the department. It’s a real shot in the arm and has energized my team.”

—Personnel Responsible for PHHS Block Grant-Funded Program, 2022


“It makes me proud to work for an organization that is willing to challenge their employees to think creatively about how to apply our resources and then actually reward them with the ability to execute those innovative dreams.”

—Personnel Responsible for PHHS Block Grant-Funded Program, 2022

Recipient Reflection

An illustrated animated speech bubble gif that says “…There are segments of our department that are very innovative. I think there are segments of our department that are very entrenched in an old style of doing work and are very resistant to following suit in the way that we approach the work that we do…And changing that culture is incredibly hard because it’s very ingrained into how we receive funding and the way that we’re treated as recipients of funding from multiple sources.” An illustrated speech bubble that says “…There are segments of our department that are very innovative. I think there are segments of our department that are very entrenched in an old style of doing work and are very resistant to following suit in the way that we approach the work that we do…And changing that culture is incredibly hard because it’s very ingrained into how we receive funding and the way that we’re treated as recipients of funding from multiple sources.”

—PHHS Block Grant Coordinator, 2022

A gif of the state of Idaho spinning into the frame, followed by the words "Get Healthy Idaho" spinnning into frame one at at a time An illustration of the state of Idaho with the words "Get Healthy Idaho" to the right of it






Get Healthy Idaho is an initiative born out of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s statewide health improvement plan, focused on “investing in place-based community-led collaboratives with the goal of advancing equity within communities.” 2





This initiative allows for the communities to decide how to best create innovative solutions for their needs.

An illustrated animation of a speech bubble that says “Innovation is incredibly challenging because the money’s not there. And we’ve made it work at a very limited level… A lot of times the term ’flexible funding‘ gets thrown out. I don’t like that term because I don’t want money without strings attached. I want resources that are really designed to go towards innovative practices at the community level.” An illustrated speech bubble that says “Innovation is incredibly challenging because the money’s not there. And we’ve made it work at a very limited level… A lot of times the term ’flexible funding‘ gets thrown out. I don’t like that term because I don’t want money without strings attached. I want resources that are really designed to go towards innovative practices at the community level.”

—PHHS Block Grant Coordinator, 2022






The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare utilized the flexibility of the PHHS Block Grant to support these communities, allowing them to maintain fidelity to health equity by advancing solutions that are led by the communities they aim to help.

An image of a many groups of people sitting in the grass of a park at sunset with trees around the perimeter.


Thanks for reading!

A gif of an illustrated light bulb turning on and shining brightly to represent "innovation". A gif of an illustrated light bulb turning on and shining brightly to represent "innovation".

Footnotes

  1. PHCNI. “Innovation in Governmental Public Health: Building a Roadmap”. https://phaboard.org/wp-content/uploads/Innovation-in-Governmental-Public-Health-Building-a-Roadmap.pdf

  2. Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Get Healthy Idaho. https://www.gethealthy.dhw.idaho.gov/