Funding Opportunity
Comprehensive Plan Grants
Your Zip Code Predicts Your Health More Than Your Genetic Code
The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health knows that comprehensive plans are powerful tools that can address building healthier, more resilient communities for generations to come.
That’s why we are offering grants of $25,000 to Idaho cities to help integrate health as a central focus in their comprehensive plans. This initiative encourages cities to take a holistic approach to health, recognizing that health is shaped by housing, transportation, economic opportunity, environmental quality, and social connection—not just parks and recreation.
Cities must meet the following criteria to be considered:
- Community Health Academy Participation: The city’s mayor and/or designated staff have successfully completed BCIFH’s Community Health Academy.
- Comprehensive Plan Age: The city’s comprehensive plan has not been updated since January 1, 2020.
- Commitment to Community Engagement: The city demonstrates a commitment to meaningful community input — particularly engaging residents, youth, and underserved populations — in the plan update process.
- Clear Vision of Community Health: The city has a plan for how this funding will improve health outcomes and equity in their communities.
Grant funds may be used to:
- Hire consultants with expertise in public health and/or planning
- Support community engagement efforts, including outreach, translation, childcare, meeting supplies, and culturally relevant materials
- Strengthen health integration across all sections of the existing comprehensive plan
Frequently Asked Questions
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Incorporated Idaho cities that have completed the Foundation’s Community Health Academy are eligible to apply. Cities must be interested in updating their comprehensive plan to include a health focus or lens. Improving the health of the community should be a focus of the applicants.
WHY SHOULD YOUR CITY APPLY?
There are very few grants that support this work in Idaho. Our goal is to help cities that have a desire to improve the health of their community through planning.
WHEN IS THE APPLICATION DEADLINE?
Applications are due by November 10, 2025.
WHEN WILL GRANTEES BE ANNOUNCED?
We are expecting to announce grantees by Thanksgiving.
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE GRANT?
$25,000.
WHAT ARE THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH?
The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These conditions impact our health. Learn more by viewing this report about social determinants of health in Idaho.
WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASPECT OF THIS GRANT?
Supporting healthy communities for all community members is one of the Foundation’s core values. Enhanced inclusive community engagement produces more education, information, and public input around health needs and outcomes of the community. Grantees should plan on engaging a variety of community members in creative ways, providing education and a place for community input. Educational community opportunities may include pop-up demonstration projects, multilingual materials, place-based audits in underserved communities, or focus group meetings with nontraditional partners such as churches, cultural centers, or youth centers.
USEFUL RESOURCES FOR GRANT APPLICANTS
Driggs Plan: https://www.driggsidaho.org/comprehensive-plan
APA toolkit: https://www.planning.org/publications/document/9201866/
Change Lab Solutions: https://www.changelabsolutions.org/
Building A Healthier Idaho Report: Download or view the report
The application period has closed.