Senator Ortiz described her advocacy battles to ban soda vending machines from our schools. After looking at the statistics of the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes, banning soda vending machines from school seemed like a logical small first step to begin to address this epidemic.

The attendees at the Convening quickly learned that nothing is simple in Sacramento. School Boards across the state opposed the legislation because of the potential loss of revenues. Retailers also opposed the legislation. Of course, most of the opposition was not voiced in term of loss of revenues but used lofty statements such as the legislation would deny parents the freedom of choice. Senator Ortiz emphasized it was so important that physicians get involved in these issues - they have a tremendous amount of credibility.

MiniGrant Guidelines
Following the Breakout Session reports, the group participated in a brainstorming exercise to identify criteria that can be utilized to guide the dissemination of grant funds that will be made available to ethnic physician organizations to address health disparities in their communities. The Pfizer Foundation has awarded $100,000 to the CMA Foundation to be regranted to ethnic physician organizations to address health disparities.

• The project should bring EPOs together locally to address health disparities.
  
• Partnerships and collaboration should be stressed.
  
• Stress the development of tools for physicians to communicate with patients.
  
• There should be some type of measurable outcome, regardless of whether it is qualitative and quantitative. This can include process outcomes as well.
  
• If the grant addresses diabetes, show the linkage to the state diabetes plan of action.
  
• Make sure the grant identifies the intended outcome and what can realistically be accomplished through the minigrant funds.
  
• State in the criteria that a timeline is required.
  
• Determine whether grants should be given for ethnic physician organizations as well as individual physicians or only ethnic physician organizations.
  
• Plans for sustainability are provided in the grant application.
  
• The grant should demonstrate the value to NEPO's mission in addressing health disparities.
  
• Can the project be replicated? Projects that can be easily replicated will be considered stronger applications.
  
• The length of the application should be a brief narrative.
  
• The grant applications must align with the health disparities plan we develop

Questions and considerations raised by the group that will need further consideration included the identification of the grant reviewers. It was recommended that the reviewers be members of this larger group of invitees and NEPO partners. We will also need to decide whether to fund fewer grants for larger amounts versus a larger number of grants for smaller amounts. We should think through the benefits of each before deciding on the approach.

Participants raised the question as to whether the grants should be for start-up projects or for existing projects that are moving into their next phase/step, demonstrating some level of track record and less need to spend funds to develop the project. The question was raised as to whether the grant funds should be allocated for a specified period, say for one year. Finally, the group felt it was critical that CMA Foundation staff define how much Technical Assistance is going to provided the funded organizations as they implement their minigrant programs. This needs to be included in the RFP when it is sent out.