Boston is offering $1 million for community-led efforts to improve Black men’s health, seeking proposals that address disparities in longevity through prevention, better access to care and stronger community connections.
The Boston Public Health Commission plans to fund as many as four organizations, with each eligible for up to $250,000, according to a city announcement. The request for proposals seeks initiatives aimed at improving life expectancy, addressing chronic disease and connecting Black men with care.
The funding comes through Live Long and Well, Boston’s broader effort to reduce health disparities across racial groups and neighborhoods. The commission committed the money earlier this year and is now seeking organizations to carry out the work.
The city’s announcement identifies Boston-based community groups, nonprofits, coalitions, religious organizations and organizational partnerships among potential applicants. It also identifies organizations serving Black men or communities of color as intended participants in the effort.
Community input shapes funding priorities
The proposal process draws on community engagement and a summit devoted to Black men’s health. The city said discussions with community leaders helped establish the priorities for the grants, connecting the funding opportunity to concerns raised by those working with Black men.
According to the commission’s bid listing, proposals must address at least one of four broad themes. Those themes cover equitable systems and economic opportunity; prevention and overall well-being; behavioral health; and community relationships and collective action.
The scope extends beyond access to medical services. Economic mobility and social connections are explicit priorities alongside prevention and mental health support, giving organizations several areas in which to develop proposals. Applicants do not have to address every theme to meet the listing’s requirement.
The city announcement describes the priorities in practical terms: organizations can propose work that bolsters prevention, supports mental and behavioral health, expands economic opportunity or helps Black men build stronger networks and community ties.
A focus on community organizations
In the city’s announcement, Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu emphasized the knowledge held by Black men and the organizations that serve them. She described the funding as a way to support trusted partners in expanding prevention, improving connections with care and addressing conditions that contribute to shorter lives.
Mayor Michelle Wu likewise framed the grants as a partnership with community organizations to reduce disparities. The commission’s bid listing places the solicitation within its broader mission of working with communities, particularly those affected by racism and systemic inequities.
The two city documents present the grants as a targeted investment within that larger public health effort. The announcement sets out the available funding and intended recipients, while the bid listing establishes the thematic requirement organizations must meet in their proposals.
What’s next: The commission is seeking proposals from qualified organizations for the grant awards. Submissions must connect their proposed work to at least one of the four priorities developed through community input.
