2026 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative RFP Questions and Answers
The question and answer period closes on Nov. 30, 2026.
To ensure all applicants have access to the same information, questions submitted after Nov. 30 will not be answered or posted to the website.
Please note: Questions may be edited for brevity or to make them more understandable to a general audience. If an individual submits two questions in one submission category, MDH may split and move questions into the corresponding category.
Topics:
General
Funding and project dates
Eligible applicants
Collaboration
RFP information and skill-building sessions
Eligible projects
Grant management responsibilities
Grant provisions
Project requirements and deliverables
Eligible and ineligible expenses
Review and selection process
Application and submission instructions
General
NEW - I am unable to locate the “PHA” document on the EHDI program website page that shows example “SMART” objectives, can you provide a link?
Thank you for your patience while we updated the Resource Guide for Priority Health Area Data, Determinants of Health, Strategy, and Evaluation (PDF).
This document can be found on the Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative and 2026 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative: Request for Proposals webpages.
NEW - I represent an organization whose mission is to provide opportunities in business development, workforce development, and missions and trade. To address our participants' health issues, we provide wraparound support. Would the expected outcomes of this grant program align with an organization that provides wraparound health support?
If your project activities are directly linked to and address one to three of the priority health areas listed in the RFP, you may be a good fit to apply. If your organization’s work broadly addresses the social determinants of health but cannot be directly linked to reducing disparities in one or more of these priority health areas, then this grant program would not be a good fit for you.
What are the details of the grant? What is the maximum award amount?
Details of the grant can be found in the Grant Request for Proposal Cover Sheet (PDF) and the 2026 EHDI Grants Request for Proposals (PDF).
- Estimated amount to grant: $5,142,000 annually
- Estimated number of awards: 20 - 30
- Estimated range of awards: $170,000 - $258,000 annually
We encourage applicants to follow the estimated range of award amounts listed in the RFP when planning a proposal.
Funding and project dates
NEW - Roughly what award sizes and reporting expectations should we plan around?
Note: This question has been split into three separate questions, which have been posted and answered under the corresponding category.
We encourage applicants to follow the estimated range of award amounts listed in the RFP when planning a proposal:
• Estimated amount to grant: $5,142,000 annually
• Estimated number of awards: 20 - 30
• Estimated range of awards: $170,000 - $258,000 annually
Reporting expectations are described in the 2026 EHDI Grants Request for Proposals (PDF) on pages 13-14.
NEW - Can the required 0.5 FTE primary liaison commitment be funded through a combination of EHDI grant funds and documented in-kind organizational support? Additionally, may the paid portion be supported by another organizational funding source, provided the time is properly allocated and no costs are charged to multiple grants?
Yes, the required 0.5 FTE primary liaison commitment can be funded through a combination of EHDI grant funds and documented in-kind organizational support.
The in-kind portion may be supported by another organizational funding source, provided the time is properly allocated and no costs are charged to multiple grants.
Eligible applicants
NEW - Which of the eight priority health areas could a culturally-rooted food and nutrition education program sit under? Are there examples of funded food or chronic disease prevention projects we should read before we write?
Note: This question has been split into three separate questions, which have been posted and answered under the corresponding category.
MDH does not advise applicants on the priority health areas they should select, nor provide examples of funded projects. Please note that costs related to any aspects of the food itself (purchasing the food, food preparation, food delivery, etc.) would be considered ineligible expenses, as listed on page 12 of the 2026 EHDI Grants Request for Proposals (PDF): “Direct client emergency assistance such as rent, deposit, food, transportation costs, or identification documents.”
NEW - Would overdose prevention and/or harm reduction programs qualify for the unintentional injuries and violence priority?
Yes, overdose prevention and/or harm reduction programs may qualify for the unintentional injuries and violence priority health area if program activities are directly linked to and address health disparities in this area.
We currently receive EHDI funding. Are we eligible to apply for the current round of EHDI funding?
An organization that is a current EHDI grantee (or serves as a contractor or subrecipient for a current EHDI grantee as part of the grantee’s approved workplan and budget) is eligible to apply for the next round of funding through this RFP.
Could you please confirm whether a Minnesota-registered, for-profit limited liability company is eligible to apply directly for this grant?
Since the list of examples of eligible applicants stated in the RFP (and EHDI statute) is not exclusive, for-profit organizations are eligible to apply.
May an eligible applicant hire qualified community health workers after receiving an award and utilize independent contractors or consultants to support approved program activities?
Yes. An applicant would list the proposed paid positions, such as contractors or consultants, in both the applicant’s work and evaluation plan and budget.
Would my organization, as a for-profit community-based consulting business, be eligible to apply directly or would I need a nonprofit or fiscal sponsor?
Since the list of examples of eligible applicants stated in the RFP (and EHDI statute) is not exclusive, for-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Page 7 of the 2026 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative: Request for Proposals (PDF) states “Applicants must have state or federal recognition as a formal organization or entity, such as a Federal Employer Identification Number or 501c3 status. Organizations or groups that do not have state or federal recognition may apply with a fiscal agent.”
Are universities eligible to apply?
Since the list of examples of eligible applicants stated in the RFP (and EHDI statute) is not exclusive, universities are eligible to apply.
We are a residential assisted living facility. We would love to learn more about eligibility and partnership opportunities for residential healthcare providers under the 2026 EHDI RFP, as well as any upcoming applicant technical assistance webinars.
If your project activities are directly linked to and address one or more (up to three) of the priority health areas (PHAs) listed in the RFP (teen pregnancy prevention, breast & cervical cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS & STIs, immunizations, infant mortality & prenatal care, injury & violence), you may be a good fit to apply. If your organization’s work broadly addresses the social determinants of health but cannot be directly linked to reducing disparities in one or more of these eight PHAs, then this grant program would not be a good fit for you.
We encourage applicants to view the two recorded webinars posted on the 2026 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative: Request for Proposals website.
To ensure all applicants have access to the same information, we are not able to send any guidance or connect with people or organizations directly. If you have additional questions, please submit them through the online Question Submission Form.
Is a for-profit professional limited liability company (PLLC) eligible to apply directly for EHDI funding to implement a community-based health disparities prevention and education initiative, or would participation require a nonprofit fiscal agent or partnership?
Since the list of examples of eligible applicants stated in the RFP (and EHDI statute) is not exclusive, for-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Page 7 of the 2026 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative: Request for Proposals (PDF) notes: “Applicants must have state or federal recognition as a formal organization or entity, such as a Federal Employer Identification Number or 501c3 status. Organizations or groups that do not have state or federal recognition may apply with a fiscal agent.”
Collaboration
None at this time.
RFP information and skill-building sessions
None at this time.
Eligible projects
Currently, there are no organizations that provide prenatal education for all individuals within our county. Would training two staff to provide prenatal education be an eligible project?
If training two staff to provide prenatal education addresses and improves health in one or more the priority health areas (for example, infant mortality and prenatal care access and utilization), then it would be an eligible activity.
Will the next cycle retain the existing priority health areas, and does culturally responsive maternal health navigation qualify?
MDH expects the eight priority health areas to remain the same in the next cycle since they are guided by the EHDI state statute.
If the culturally responsive maternal health navigation addresses and improves health in one or more the priority health areas (for example, infant mortality and prenatal care access and utilization), then it would be an eligible activity.
Our proposed project is a "food as medicine" intervention for individuals living with life-threatening illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and breast/cervical cancer. We provide home delivery of medically tailored meals plus diagnosis-specific nutritional education and counseling with staff registered dieticians. We are wondering if food as the actual health intervention is allowable under Level 1 or if this is excluded as an ineligible expense?
An eligible applicant could submit an application to address “diagnosis-specific nutritional education and counseling with staff registered dieticians.” However, costs related to any aspects of the food itself (purchasing the food, food preparation, food delivery, etc.) would be considered ineligible expenses, as listed on page 12 of the 2026 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative: Request for Proposals (PDF): “Direct client emergency assistance such as rent, deposit, food, transportation costs, or identification documents.”
Also, please note that grant funds may only support eligible expenses related to up to three of the priority health areas listed in the RFP, and no other health areas or illnesses.
The EHDI RFP identifies populations of color and American Indians as the primary populations intended to benefit from this funding. Would a community-based organization serving people with disabilities, specifically Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing individuals, be eligible to propose a project addressing health disparities related to disability and communication access? Additionally, could the proposed project serve the broader Deaf and Hard of Hearing community while intentionally prioritizing individuals who experience intersecting racial, cultural, and disability-related health disparities? We would appreciate clarification on how MDH considers disability and intersectionality when determining eligible focus populations and evaluating proposals.
MDH recognizes that approaches to health equity are both intersectional and multipronged. Applications focused on the intersections of race/ethnicity and other identities/communities experiencing inequities are welcome (e.g., projects serving LGBTQ+ people of color, American Indians with disabilities, etc.). Note that project activities must address and improve health in one or more of the priority health areas listed in the RFP.
Grant management responsibilities
NEW - Can a nonprofit's board chair act as the primary liaison between MDH and the grantee, or does this position need to be filled by a W2 employee? If so, are there any restrictions on how the board chair could be compensated for performing this duty? For example, would formal payroll be required?
A member of the organization’s board may not serve as the primary liaison between MDH and the grantee organization. The RFP states on page 15 that the primary liaison must be a member of staff with at least 0.5 FTE dedicated to the EHDI project. This individual should be listed in the EHDI budget (as either a paid or in-kind staff person on the project). This person may not be a subcontractor.
Grant provisions
None at this time.
Project requirements and deliverables
NEW - For the outcomes and evaluation requirement: Our project would be focused on disseminating information, resources, and referrals on immunizations to priority communities via trusted vehicles. Could we use media outcome measures (clicks, impressions, downloads, time spent listening, etc.)? Or do the outcomes need to be directly related to changes in patient behavior (e.g. data on actual immunizations)?
The measures you’re referring to (clicks, impressions, downloads, time spent listening) would be considered outputs but would not qualify as outcomes. We expect grantees to evaluate if their EHDI work is making a difference in the lives of the people they serve. So, outputs can be included in evaluation measures, but outcome measures are also needed. Outcomes would measure whether changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, health access, health status, wellbeing, or changes in the social conditions, society, or environment are a result of the program’s efforts to change norms, policies, practices, or systems.
Outputs, outcomes, and impact are all evaluation measures.
- “Outputs” measure what was done.
- “Outcomes” measure what changed.
- “Impact” measures broad, deep, long-term, systemic changes.
Outputs track the immediate, direct products or activities completed (e.g., number of people recruited, number of classes held, number of brochures distributed). They have the advantage of being easier and faster to count, so they are useful for tracking short-term or day-to-day progress to see if work is moving in the right direction. However, outputs are not as strong as outcomes when it comes to determining the effectiveness or impact of an EHDI program. For example, a program might have hosted 10 diabetes education workshops (output), but it doesn’t mean attendees learned about factors that cause diabetes. Or a program may have distributed 1,000 health brochures (output), but it doesn't mean they were read or had the intended impact of people using the information to make lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes.
NEW - Can you share requirements around TANF funding? For example, would there be any requirements or restrictions around curriculum or language used in group lessons around “out-of-wedlock pregnancies”?
The restrictions related to expenses with TANF funding are listed under the heading, “TANF Restrictions,” on pages 12 and 13 of the RFP. There are no requirements or restrictions related to curriculum or language used in group lessons. EHDI projects may be research-based and/or based on promising strategies.
If selected for TANF funding, grantees will work with MDH staff to ensure eligibility requirements are met.
Eligible and ineligible expenses
NEW - What is the relationship between community engagement work and research as an ineligible expense? For example, collecting feedback from the community through listening sessions on how to improve culturally competent care could be considered a type of research. Would this be ineligible?
Your example – collecting feedback from the community through listening sessions on how to improve culturally competent care – would be an eligible expense as long as the purpose of collecting the feedback is to inform or improve the implementation of grant activities. In general, EHDI does not fund research projects. If the bulk of the funds are to conduct research, and there is not a clear strategy to reduce health disparities in one or more of the priority health areas, then this would not be an eligible activity.
NEW - Will funding only cover time of staff directly working under EHDI or would it cover any staff time related to implementation of an activity? For example, staff time of medical providers at the grantee organization to participate in a cultural competency training?
EHDI can only cover time (salary, fringe, and training expenses) for staff carrying out EHDI activities. Regarding the example you’ve provided, EHDI funds could not be used to pay for salary and fringe of staff participating in a training if those staff do not work on EHDI grant activities.
NEW - Is food (for example, groceries for a “produce prescription” program) an eligible expense?
Food in this example is not an eligible EHDI expense.
Review and selection process
NEW - If an organization submits more than one project, do the projects compete for funding, or can each project be funded separately?
Each application would be evaluated separately – and could potentially be selected for funding – according to the scoring criteria and review process described in the RFP. Please note that applicants should submit separate applications for each unrelated project. If a single project addresses multiple priority health areas, the applicant should only submit one application (with a maximum of three priority health areas in a proposal).
Application instructions and submission
I am having difficulty including an Adobe signature, which is required on the Due Diligence and Conflict of Interest forms. Can you please advise?
Applicants must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete the form digitally, which can be downloaded for free from Adobe Acrobat. As an alternative, applicants may print the page that requests an Adobe signature, sign it using a pen, then scan and email the signed document with their application. If neither of these methods work for you or if you continue to encounter issues, please reach out to MDH at ommh@state.mn.us for support.