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Childhood Obesity Grants

Childhood obesity poses a growing public health issue in the United States. From 16 to 33 percent of American children are obese, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a condition that costs society an estimated $100 billion every year. Repeated studies have linked obesity to increased rates of depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Several grant programs fund the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

  1. School-Based Interventions to Prevent Obesity

    • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers a grant program called the School-Based Interventions to Prevent Obesity through the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Grants fund projects that encourage "the formation of partnerships between academic institutions and school systems in order to develop and implement controlled, school-based intervention strategies designed to reduce the prevalence of obesity in childhood," according to the School-Based Interventions to Prevent Obesity grant's guidelines. Preferred proposals include evaluations of different intervention methods to prevent childhood obesity. Grant amounts vary depending on the scope of proposed projects. Colleges, universities, government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, tribal organizations and regional institutions are eligible to apply.

      Grants Management Branch

      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

      6100 Executive Boulevard Blvd.

      8A17, MSC 7510

      Bethesda, MD 20892

      301-496-5482

      nichd.nih.gov

    Community-Based Partnerships for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control: Research to Inform Policy

    • The NIH and the NICHD offer grants through the "Community-Based Partnerships for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control: Research to Inform Policy" program. Grants support research into childhood obesity by "fostering the formation of local, state, or regional teams consisting of researchers, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders," according to the grant guidelines. Collaborative parties can include public health officials, educators, community representatives and other entities that influence policy related to childhood obesity prevention. Grants range up to $275,000 over a period of two years, with no more than $200,000 awarded per year. Institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profits, state and local governments, school districts, foreign organizations and community-based organizations are eligible to apply.

      Grants Management Branch

      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

      6100 Executive Blvd.

      Room 8A01

      Bethesda, MD 20892

      301-435-6975

      nichd.nih.gov

    Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity

    • The NIH and the NICHD offer grants through the Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity program. Successful grant proposals must "test the effectiveness of interventions for the prevention and control of diabetes and obesity that have a high potential to be adopted, and sustained in applied health care settings," according to grant guidelines. Preference is given to proposals that include methods of testing weight-gain prevention methods in children, youth and adolescents and family-based interventions to treat childhood obesity. Grants award up to $500,000 per year over a five-year period. Colleges, universities, tribal organizations, nonprofits, businesses, independent school districts and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply.

      Grants Management Branch

      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

      6100 Executive Blvd.

      Room 8A01

      Bethesda, MD 20892

      301-435-6975

      nichd.nih.gov

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