About Sage Grants
Our Sage grants support public health programs related to chronic disease prevention and management. Part of our Community Grants Program, Sage grants are awarded to at least 10 eligible urban Native health and human service organizations and to urban Indian organizations which have programming focused on Indigenous approaches to chronic disease. These awardees receive grants of up to $61,670 for their programming efforts.
The Community Grants Program Request for Applications (RFA) encourages the use of American Indian and Alaska Native traditional, cultural, and regional knowledge in developing, implementing, and/or supporting chronic disease education, prevention, management, and survivorship initiatives among urban Indian communities.
We are now accepting applications for our 2025-2026 cycle for chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs in the following areas:
- Commercial Tobacco
- Diabetes (including pre-diabetes)
- High Blood Pressure
- Obesity (including physical activity and nutrition)
- Oral Disease
Background
Chronic diseases are illnesses that last longer than one year and require ongoing medical attention, limit daily activities, or both.1 Chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are among the top ten leading causes of death in the United States.2 Many chronic diseases can be avoided by making healthy choices. Tobacco cessation, healthy eating behaviors, regular physical activity, and preventive screening tests are some of the best ways to help prevent, delay, or manage chronic diseases.3
As a result of the disruption of traditional ways of life, AI/AN people experience higher rates of chronic diseases when compared with other racial or ethnic groups. AI/ANs have the highest prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in the United States and are twice as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to have diabetes.4 For urban AI/ANs, data from 2010-2014 shows that heart disease was the top cause of mortality.5 The prevalence of obesity, a major risk factor for developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic disease, has also increased dramatically in AI/AN populations over the past 30 years.6
Similar trends can also be seen in smoking prevalence, another risk factor for developing chronic diseases. Among urban AI/ANs, 39.4% reported tobacco use within the past month, compared to 27.6% of NHW.5 Tobacco cessation can significantly lower the risk of developing chronic diseases related to smoking. Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of disease and mortality and smoking cessation can improve overall health status and life expectancy at any age.7
Important Dates
| RFA and Application Materials released | Friday, December 12, 2025 |
| Pre-application webinar | Friday, December 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. PT |
| Funding application deadline | Friday, January 30, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. PT |
| Award Notification | Friday, February 20, 2026 |
| Grantee Orientation | Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. PT |
| Funding period | September 30, 2025–September 29, 2026 |
Pre-application Webinar
The pre-application webinar provides an overview of this funding opportunity, timelines, components for application submission, details on review process, and a question and answer.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive the funding under this application, your organization must be one of the following:
- An Urban Indian Organization (UIO) or a Title V Program as defined by Indian Health Service
- A member of the National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC)
- A not-for-profit urban Indian organization whose leadership and board are made up of a majority of urban Indians, and whose mission is to provide public health services to urban Indians may be eligible to apply on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants must also participate in evaluation activities, community of practice meetings, and technical assistance calls to be coordinated by UIHI. Grantees from previous award cycles are encouraged to apply.
Restrictions
- for research.
- for clinical care.
- to purchase furniture, equipment, or clinic/patient supplies.
Recipients may use funds for
- reasonable project purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services.
- salaries.*
- federally negotiated indirect costs rates up to 30%.
*If requested, salaries are restricted to project activities.
Application Components
The Request for Applications (RFA) and Guidance are available below. Submission must include a completed application form, work plan, and a Budget Worksheet and Justification, which can be found below.
Request for Applications (RFA)
Work Plan
Budget Worksheet and Justification
Application Form
Submission Instructions
Please use this Online Application Link to access the application form. You will need to upload your completed work plan and budget as part of this application.
*Applicants with limited online access may download an application form as a word document here and email the completed application form, work plan, and budget to Julia Wejchert at cdp@uihi.org with the subject line: 2025-2026 SAGE RFA: <insert agency name>.
Only one application form is required (online form OR word document).
Application Technical Assistance
Applicants may contact UIHI via phone or email to obtain clarification of RFA application requirements and process.
Julia Wejchert
Chronic Disease Prevention Program Manager
Urban Indian Health Institute
cdp@uihi.org
206–324–9360 ext. 1211
*Sage Community Grant Program is funded the Centers for Disease Control RFA NU58DP007935
References
- CDC. About Chronic Diseases. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated April 28, 2021. Accessed June 18, 2021. www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm
- Kochanek KD, Xu JQ, Arias E. Mortality in the United States, 2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 395. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.
- CDC. How You Can Prevent Chronic Diseases. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated April 28, 2021. Accessed June 18, 2021. www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/prevent/index.htm
- CDC. Native Americans with Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated January 10, 2017. Accessed June 18, 2021. www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aian-diabetes/index.html
- Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle Indian Health Board. (2016). Community Health Profile: National Aggregate of Urban Indian Health Program Service Areas. Seattle, WA: Urban Indian Health Institute.
- Halpern, Peggy, and Jerry Regier. Obesity and American Indians/Alaska Natives. USDHHS, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation: Washington, DC (2007).
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Smoking cessation: A report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2020. www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2020-cessation-sgr-full-report.pdf