New COVID-19 Funding Opportunities: Diverse Media Messaging and Community Engagement

• The Minnesota Department of Health released two Requests for Proposals for contracts related to COVID-19 diverse media messaging and community engagement around COVID-19 vaccines. The messaging, outreach and engagement may include addressing ongoing vaccine hesitancy, booster doses, and vaccines for youth including ages 12 and younger. The proposal submission deadline for both funding opportunities is October 28, 2021.

1. Community-based Organizations and Tribes for COVID-19 Outreach and Engagement

• This Request for Proposals will ask community-based organizations and Tribes to propose a plan for culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, and timely community engagement activities to aid the state in increasing community understanding of and in engaging communities around COVID-19 vaccines. Activities may include outreach and engagement to address ongoing vaccine hesitancy, to encourage booster doses, and to promote vaccines for youth including ages 12 and younger. Organizations and Tribes will be asked to learn about community questions and needs related to COVID-19 vaccines; work with the State and its partners to address those community needs; and connect communities to vaccination. The primary audience(s) for community engagement must include people of color, American Indians, LGBTQ communities, and/or disability communities in Minnesota.

• Funding: $1,200,000 available for multiple contracts from January 2022 – December 2022.

• Target Audience of Request for Proposals: Community-based organizations and Tribes; priority will be given to entities that are led by people of color, American Indians, LGBTQ individuals, and/or disability communities.

• Informational Webinar: Tuesday, October 12, 1PM- 2PM. (will be recorded and posted on web) Join Community Engagement Request for Proposals Info Session Meeting number (access code): 2484 096 6882 Meeting password: Start123 Or join by phone: 1-855-282-6330

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2. Diverse Media Vendors for COVID-19 Communications

• This Request for Proposals asks vendors to propose a plan for media services to help MDH in getting culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, accurate, and timely messages related to COVID-19 vaccines to communities of color, American Indian communities, LGBTQ communities, and disability communities in Minnesota. This may include, but is not limited to, addressing ongoing vaccine hesitancy, booster doses, and vaccines for youth including ages 12 and younger. Media services may include formats such as online and social media, radio, television, and print. Vendors are encouraged to use methods that are adaptable to quickly changing information and explore alternative methods of communication that are effective while people maintain social distancing.

• Funding: $1,200,000 available for multiple contracts from January 2022 – December 2022.

• Target Audience of Request for Proposals: Media vendors; priority will be given to media vendors who are owned/led/operated by people of color, American Indians, LGBTQ individuals, and/or disability communities.

• Informational Webinar: Wednesday, October 13, 10-11 AM (will be recorded and posted on web) Join Diverse Media Request for Proposals Info Session Meeting number (access code): 2497 814 6763 Meeting password: Start123 Or join by phone: 1-855-282-6330

• MDH will make final selections of contractors based on a competitive review of proposals, while also ensuring that the final cohort of selected contractors covers a range of racial, ethnic and cultural communities and geographic areas in Minnesota. Current contractors of MDH are eligible to apply. Please note that organizations funded by MDH or DEED through the COVID Community Coordinators initiative for 2022 are not eligible to respond to this Request for Proposals.

• Please visit the COVID-19 Contracts for Diverse Media Messaging and Community Outreach page for more information.