Request for Proposals: Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (Healthy Teen Initiative)

Minnesota Department of Health has announced the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for its federally funded Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program. The purpose of the Title V State Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program is to fund states and territories to implement education exclusively on sexual risk avoidance that teaches youth to voluntarily refrain from sexual activity. Linking program participants to services provided by local community partners that support the safety and well-being of youth is also a key component of the program.

MDH targets its SRAE funding to implement Minnesota’s Healthy Teen Initiative (HTI). HTI targets available SRAE funding toward populations experiencing the greatest disparities in teen pregnancies and STIs through the implementation of high quality, medically accurate, evidenced-based and evidence-informed programs to promote healthy youth development, risk avoidance, and to voluntarily refrain from nonmarital sexual activity in youth 10-14. In addition, the initiative implements evidence-informed programs that reach parents or adult mentors of youth ages 10-19.

Eligible applicants

This opportunity is open to non-profit community-based youth-serving organizations, faith-based organizations, federally qualified health centers, tribal governments, local governments (city and county), school districts, alternative schools, and other related organizations. To be eligible for funding, applicants must serve the following population:

• Youth 10-14 years old, that include one or more of the following populations: Youth of color, American Indian youth, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning/queer (LGBTQ) youth, youth in foster care or aging out of foster care, youth in alternative learning centers (ALCs); and youth in the juvenile justice system.
• Parents or adult mentors of youth 10-19

Important dates

Funding

Funding will be allocated through a competitive process. The estimated total amount of funding that is available under this notice for federal fiscal year 2023 is $744,524. MDH plans to fund up to six grantees. Minnesota will target funding geographically with organizations who work with populations experiencing the greatest disparities. The estimated minimum amount for any grant is $60,000 and the estimated maximum amount is $175,000. *If selected, applicants may only incur eligible expenditures when the grant agreement is fully executed and the grant has reached its effective date, whichever is later.

Questions and answers

All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by email to health.MNSRAE@state.mn.us and include “MN SRAE RFP Question” in the subject line. Please submit questions no later than 11:59 p.m. CDT on June 9, 2023. Answers will be posted within two business days on this webpage.

To ensure the proper and fair evaluation of all applications, other communications regarding this RFP including verbal, telephone, written or internet initiated by or on behalf of any applicant to any employee of MDH, other than questions submitted as outlined above, are prohibited. Any violation of this prohibition may result in the disqualification of the applicant.

Optional informational webinar

MN Sexual Avoidance Education Program RFP Informational Webinar was held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 12 p.m.-2:00 p.m. CDT.  The recording can be viewed by accessing the link below.

SRAE (Sexual Risk Avoidance Education) RFP Informational Webinar - YouTube