COVID-19 Contracts for Diverse Media Messaging and Community Outreach

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is partnering with many experienced and trusted diverse media vendors and community organizations in Minnesota as part of our public health response to COVID-19. Our relationships with diverse media vendors and community organizations play a key part in ensuring that all who reside in Minnesota and the 11 Tribal Nations that share its geography – including residents from communities of color, American Indian residents, LGBTQ residents, and residents with limited English proficiency – have access to needed, culturally relevant resources and have the opportunity to be fully informed with culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, accurate, and timely messages related to COVID-19.

Since our COVID-19 response work began, MDH has partnered with more than 120 different diverse media vendors, community-based organizations, and tribes. As of October 2020, MDH has current contracts with more than 60 unique organizations. Information about our current and previous contractors can be found in the links below:

• Current Diverse Media Contractors (PDF)
• Current Community Engagement Contractors (PDF)
• Current COVID Community Coordinator Contractors
• Previous Contractors (PDF)

For more examples of the work done in partnership with our contractors, please visit the COVID-19 Examples of Contractor Materials page.

There are no open funding opportunities at this time. A list of vendors selected through the most recent Requests for Services will be posted on this page once negotiations are complete.

Recent Funding Opportunities

COVID-19 Diverse Media Requests for Services

These Requests for Services asked 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 to communities of color, American Indian communities, and LGBTQ communities in Minnesota. Media services include formats such as online and social media, radio, television and print. Vendors were 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.

• Request for Services issued in April 2020 ($670,000 in funding distributed to 18 vendors)
• Request for Services issued in May 2020 ($800,000 in funding distributed to 17 vendors)

COVID-19 Community Engagement Request for Services

This Request for Services asked 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 participation in COVID-19 testing, case investigation, and contact tracing. Organizations and Tribes will be asked to learn about community questions and needs related to COVID-19 testing, case investigation, and contact tracing; work with the State and its partners to address those community needs; and connect communities to testing, case investigation, and contact tracing. The primary audience(s) for community engagement must include people of color, American Indians, and/or LGBTQ Minnesotans.

• Request for Services issued in May 2020 ($1,550,000 in funding distributed to 39 vendors)

Image credit goes to MDH contractor American Indian Community Housing Organization for their work with native artists to create posters that share health messages through an indigenous lens. Posters can be downloaded and printed from the American Indian Community Housing Organization website.

Video credit goes to MDH contractor Girls are Powerful, who launched a communication and wellness campaign focused on community building through empowerment, self care and wellness activities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.