Healthy and Sustainable Communities Grant Awards
The 2025 winners have been announced! Read the press release.
About the Awards
Since 2012, the Childhood Obesity Prevention/Environmental Health and Sustainability Awards — a partnership between The United States Conference of Mayors and the American Beverage Association for a Healthy America (ABFHA) — has awarded nearly $6 million to cities of all sizes across the country to support programs that aim to improve the health and wellness of the nation’s children, families, neighborhoods, and cities.
A total of $1,000,000 in funding will be awarded to nine cities across three population categories: Small City (less than 75,000), Medium City (75,000-250,000), and Large City (more than 250,000). Applications are due Monday, November 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET.
We are pleased to announce that the program has expanded its scope, introducing a new name and increased investments for winning cities.
Large City
1st Place: $275,000
2nd Place: $100,000
3rd Place: $75,000
Medium City
1st Place: $200,000
2nd Place: $75,000
3rd Place: $50,000
Small City
1st Place: $150,000
2nd Place: $50,000
3rd Place: $25,000
All member cities of The United States Conference of Mayors are eligible to receive this award, including service cities. Each application must include a signed letter of support from the mayor. There is no limit on the number of applications a mayor can support or submit.
This award aims to support programs that engage community members and promote or stimulate behavior change, in the categories of a) healthy communities; b) environmental health and sustainability, or c) a hybrid of both. Types of programs eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:
Healthy Communities Initiatives
- Increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, through the development of school and community gardens, and/or programs that support farmers’ markets and/or free or low-cost fruit and vegetable distribution in affected communities
- Cooking and nutrition programs that focus on teaching how to eat better and/or how to prepare healthy meals
- Programs that encourage kids to exercise in and out of school
- Programs that empower community members to engage in educating their community in the decision-making process about issues that directly impact their health and well-being – for example, hiring and training youth advocates
Environmental Health Sustainability Initiatives
- Strategies to encourage and improve residential recycling rates and reduce contamination
- Food waste reduction initiatives, composting, and other waste/landfill diversion programs
- Beach/waterway and other types of community clean-up initiatives
- Projects that promote water conservation
- Projects that develop parks and other open spaces
- Projects that promote alternative transportation options, such as bike paths, and/or enhance neighborhood walkability for residents
Hybrid Programs
- Programs that include strategies to reduce childhood obesity and also address environmental health and safety concerns.
Informative Webinars