Request for Proposals Reducing the Burden of Menthol and Flavored Commercial Tobacco Products through Policy Change
The Minnesota Department of Health has opened a request for proposals (RFP) to advance local and Tribal policies prohibiting the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol, to prevent initiation among young people, promote cessation among adults, and advance health equity by reducing commercial tobacco-related health disparities.
Commercial tobacco products are tobacco products manufactured and sold by the tobacco industry, like cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and chew. Commercial tobacco is different from traditional or sacred tobacco, also known as Caŋsasa, Asemaa, or Kinnikinnick, and which are used by American Indian communities for sacred purposes.
Increasing the number of local or Tribal policies that prohibit the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products and increasing the number of Minnesotans living in communities with flavored commercial tobacco policies will improve public health and reduce the burden of commercial tobacco use in Minnesota.
Proposals Due Late proposals will not be accepted.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Anticipated Notice of Award
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Anticipated grant start date
Notice of intent
Applicants are encouraged to submit an optional, non-binding Notice of Intent. Proposals will still be considered even if an applicant does not submit a Notice of Intent. Likewise, an applicant is not obligated to submit a proposal just because they submitted a Notice of Intent.
If you intend to submit a proposal, please submit a Notice of Intent by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025.
Submit a proposal
Proposals must be received no later than 4 p.m., Central Time, Monday, September 29, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.
Forms and attachments
To complete and submit with your Online Grant Application:
Applicants are encouraged to reach out with questions. The last day to submit questions is Monday, September 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. Central Time. Answers will be posted Mondays through September 22, 2025.
Application
Posted 9/2/2025
Application question 2 (for Organizational Capacity and Experience) and question 9 (for Equity, Focus Population, and Cultural Competence) are very similar. Do you want the same answer twice, or should we answer with a different approach for each?
Each question will be scored independently. Please tailor your responses for each section of the application (e.g. highlight your organization’s capacity and experience for question 2 and emphasize your organization's cultural competence for question 9).