NEWS

Active Living by Design calls for proposals aimed at helping Americans become more physically active

CHAPEL HILL -- Active Living by Design, a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will award grants of up to $200,000 to 25 qualifying community-oriented partnerships that develop strategies to more fully incorporate physical activity into daily life.

Launched in September, Active Living by Design is dedicated to establishing innovative approaches to increase physical activity through community design, public policies and communications strategies that can become models for success nationwide.

The $16.5-million program is based within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Public Health.

Active Living by Design is now accepting proposals from local, state or regional entities that demonstrate a readiness and ability to incorporate the goals of active living into ongoing local efforts. The program will give preference to applicants demonstrating interdisciplinary partnerships, engaging government agencies, and proposing innovative programs, policies and communications strategies that have potential to increase access to physical activity.

"Active living" is a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines. The goal is to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week, as recommended by the 1996 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health.

More information on the call for proposals is available at www.activelivingbydesign.org. Deadline for submitting proposals is Jan. 31. For additional information, call (919) 843-2523 or e-mail info@activelivingbydesign.org.

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Active Living by Design contact: Mark Dessauer, (919) 843-3077 or mark_dessauer@unc.edu

School of Public Health contact: Lisa Katz, (919) 966-7467 or lisa_katz@unc.edu