Iowa Workplace Lactation Support Grant Application July 2010

(Released June 17, 2010)

Overview

The Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition (IBC), formerly the Iowa Lactation Task Force, announces a statewide initiative to increase the number of businesses that provide lactation support to breastfeeding employees. The Business Case for Breastfeeding is part of a nationwide emphasis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau aimed at encouraging women to breastfeed their infants for a longer duration after they return to work. The State of Iowa was selected by HHS as one of 10 states in 2009 to implement the project and is offering grant awards in the amount of up to $500 to 8 worksites throughout the state that are interested in creating or improving lactation initiatives at their workplace.

Background

Women with infants and children below age three are the fastest growing segment of today’s labor force. Iowa data shows that 67% of Iowa women are in the workforce.  Given the substantial presence of mothers working outside the home, there is a strong need to establish lactation support in the workplace.

Although breastfeeding has numerous health benefits for the infant and mother, employers benefit from encouraging breastfeeding as well. Allowing women to express breast milk at work will create positive employee and employee benefits such as lower absenteeism, higher productivity, stronger company loyalty and morale, and lower heath care costs.  Aetna, Inc. saw a 3 to 1 return on investment after they started their lactation program in 2001 with an average annual savings of $1,435 per employee in health care claims.  Mutual of Omaha’s bottom line computed at $2,146 per employee annual savings in health care costs.

Priority Area:

Women who wish to continue to breastfeed after returning to work have few and simple needs. IBC will consider funding organizations that desire to:

• Provide a convenient, safe, private and comfortable lactation environment for breastfeeding mothers to express breast milk during breaks at work and support lactating women at the worksite.
• Create and implement policies that will support lactating women in the workplace.

Business Case for Breastfeeding Grant Application Details

Applications should address the stated priority areas through creative, original approaches. For example, an employer may want to purchase portable partitions, a small refrigerator, a breast pump or other supplies, or perhaps paint to improve an existing area. Applicants must be recommended by a “Business Case for Breastfeeding” partner. To locate one of the trained partners in your area, please contact Holly Szcodronski with the IBC at hszcodro@idph.state.ia.us or 515-281-5024.

Availability of Funds:

IBC will fund up to 4 proposals for a maximum of $500 each. Applicants must show an in-kind or matching funding of at least 50%. In-kind may be in the form of staff time/salary worked on the project. Following the grant award, businesses will receive 60% of the grant fund amount with the balance received after the final report is submitted to IBC.

Application Process:

Please complete the application and budget according to specifications.  Proposals will be considered only if all sections of the application form are complete according to specifications. Notice of awards will be made by September 24, 2010.

Completed proposals must be returned electronically to Holly Szcodronski at hszcodro@idph.state.ia.us no later than August 20, 2010.

Reporting Requirements:

Awardees will be required to submit a report demonstrating completion of the project goals including budget information. This report will be due on November 19, 2010. Receipt of IBC funding will be contingent on timely submission of this report. Failure to do so will result in discontinuation of funds as determined by the IBC Executive Board.

Workplace Lactation Support Grant Application

All proposals must address the questions below. Applications should not exceed a total of 5 single-spaced pages. Please use a 12 point font with one inch margins.

Please type responses to each of the following questions completely and concisely.

Section A: (5 points; applications will not be reviewed if a Business Case for

Breastfeeding Partner is not named)

Name of person submitting application:

Agency Organization:

Address:

Email (required):

Telephone:

Fax:

Name and contact information of recommending Business Case for Breastfeeding Partner:

_____________________________________________________________________________

Section B: (20 points)

Describe an overview of your worksite discussing key demographic characteristics such as size, type of industry, union status, etc. Describe why a lactation support program is needed within your business and discuss any barriers you’ve identified that need to be addressed. What do you hope to accomplish if funded? Please outline the general steps you will take to put your plan into place.

Section C: (10 points)

1.) Describe how you will evaluate your plan to ensure success.  (5 points)

2.) Include a timeline of your activities to complete your plan by filling in the table below. Expand table as needed.  (5 points)

Timeline (mm/yy)	Activities

Budget Format (15 points)

An itemized budget is required, use the form below expanding the table as needed.

In the first column, indicate what the funds from this grant will be used for.  Please be as detailed as possible. Examples of items a business may include in this column are:  breast pump, chair, table to put pump on, or to renovate/adapt existing space.  Further suggestions can be found on page 5 in the Suggestions for Furnishing a Workplace Lactation Area document.  Total funding from IBC must not exceed $500.  Note:  Grant funds will not be approved for salaries or travel.  We discourage funding for the training of an individual staff member without a mechanism for replication of the training for additional staff.

In the second column, please indicate the in-kind expenses for the project. In-kind

funding may be for salary/staff time worked on this project. The total in column two must be 50% or more of the requested amount to be considered for funding. For example, if you are requesting $500 in grant funds, then the in-kind match must be at least $250.

Glossary definition of in-kind:  Payment made in the form of goods and services, rather than cash.

Column One Funds requested from IBC		Column Two Funds provided through in-kind
Item/Expense:	Amount		Amount
Total Amount:		Total Amount:

Return application via email to: Holly Szcodronski at hszcodro@idph.state.ia.us no later than August 20, 2010.

Note:  This document and grant application have been adapted from the New York Statewide Breastfeeding Coalition mini-grant application.

Suggestions for Furnishing a Workplace Lactation Area

Basic Model	Even Better Model	State of the Art Model
Room that locks from inside	Same as “Basic” model	Same as “Basic” model
Electrical outlet (standard 110V)	Same as “Basic” model	Same as “Basic” model
Comfortable chair	Comfortable chair and footstool	Same as “Even Better” model
Small table or flat surface to hold breast pump	Same as “Basic” model	Same as “Basic” model
Room located near sink with hot running water	Room has sink with hot running water in it	Same as “Even Better” model
Disinfectant wipes	Same as “Basic” model	Same as “Basic” model
Paper towels and soap dispenser by sink with the hot running water	Paper towel and soap dispenser in room	Same as “Even Better” model
Employee rents or owns her breast pump	Employer pays for rental of hospital grade multi-user electric pump	Employer  provides for a personal electric pump or hospital-grade multi-user electric pump. Note: Consider including an electric personal breast pump in your employee health benefit package.
Employee provides her own pump attachment kit	Employer subsidizes pump attachment kit	Employer provides pump attachment kit
Employee stores breast milk in employee refrigerator or personal cooler.	Employer provides personal coolers for storing breast milk	Employer provides small refrigerator in lactation room for storing breast milk
Wastebasket	Same as “Basic” model	Same as “Basic” model
Room is clean	Same as “Basic” model	Same as “Basic” model
	Wall clock	Clock, mirror, wall hangings
	Bulletin Board for educational materials or communications	Same as “Even Better” model
	Educational resources available	Same as “Even Better” model
	Telephone available	Same as “Even Better” model
		Internet access

Adapted from:

• Easy Steps to Supporting Breastfeeding Employees, published in 2008 by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
• Lactation & Worksite Support Employer’s Guide, published by Polk County Breastfeeding Coalition.

Download word document here.