Arkansas Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities
WHAT IS ARKANSAS CEAL?
The College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to participate in the national Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (CEAL) project. A goal of CEAL is to work with community leaders and organizations to support outreach, education, and address misinformation for populations hardest hit by COVID-19. These populations include Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Pacific Islanders, and people who live in rural areas.
Vision
Our vision is to create a COVID-19 free state, where no one is left behind to suffer from the devastating effects of this infectious disease and its unintended consequences.
Areas of Focus
- Increase COVID-19 awareness and educational outreach
- Provide accurate and trustworthy information to the public
- Increase diversity and inclusion of people who take the COVID-19 vaccines
What will CEAL do?
In the United States, COVID-19 has struck racially and ethnically diverse communities particularly hard. Although the nation has opened up, the fight is not over. There are over 2,000 positive COVID-19 cases in Arkansas on any given day and hundreds of COVID-19 adult and child patients in the hospital and/or on a ventilator.
The National Institutes of Health has funded the Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (CEAL)Teams across the country to work closely with community leaders, businesses, and organizations to help the nation move out of the pandemic. Arkansas CEAL seeks to spread trustworthy and accurate information about COVID-19 and the vaccines to the hardest-hit communities in Arkansas.
Our vision is to create a COVID-19 free state, where no one is left behind to suffer from the devastating effects of this infectious disease and its unintended consequences.
CEALFund was developed to help community organizations, churches, educational institutions, service organizations, businesses, community leaders, and others expand outreach, educational, and other activities to their clients and provide trustworthy and accurate information about COVID-19. CEALFund can support events, activities, educational tools, and novel strategies that promote the inclusion of communities hit hard by COVID-19 in efforts to eliminate COVID-19 in Arkansas.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has received generous funds from the National Institutes of Health to provide CEALFund to those who are prepared and ready to join the fight in making Arkansas a COVID-19 free state. CEALFund will support over 100 organizations in helping us to actualize our vision in 2021.
Join our Coalition to Fight COVID-19 Disparities in Arkansas!
The Arkansas CEAL coalition meets twice per month to provide community leaders, organizations, and businesses with tools, updates, and information to reduce the burden of COVID-19 on the hardest hit communities in Arkansas- Blacks/African Americans, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islanders, and rural communities.
The Coalition meetings are held every 4th Tuesday of each month from 1-2 pm.
We will also hold periodic technical assistance workshops on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 1-2 pm.
Meetings
| Date | Name | Presentation | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2021 | CEAL COVID-19 Kick-Off Town Hall Meeting | PowerPoint Presentation | Video |
| July 13, 2021 | CEAL FUND Technical Assistance Workshop/Application Meeting | PowerPoint Presentation | Video |
| July 27, 2021 | Town Hall Meeting: What you can do to help your clients fight the varients? | PowerPoint Presentation | |
| August 10, 2021 | Town Hall Technical Assistant Workshop: Door-to-Door CampaignArkansas | PowerPoint Presentation | |
| August 22, 2021 | Town Hall Technical Assistant Workshop | PowerPoint Presentation |
If you are a community organization and want to participate in our coalition survey, please contact Elizabeth Taylor at btaylor@uams.edu or 501-526-6689
COVID-19 Resources for Community Organizations and Business
- What is Covid-19?
- Covid-19 Dashboard
- Covid-19 County Data
- Vaccination Locations
- Myths and Facts About COVID-19 Vaccines
- Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna)
- Understanding the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine
- Covid-19 Recursos en Español
What are CEALFunds?
CEALFunds was developed to help community organizations, churches, educational institutions, service organizations, businesses, community leaders, and others expand outreach, educational, and other activities to their clients and provide trustworthy and accurate information about COVID-19. CEALFunds can support events, activities, educational tools, and novel strategies that promote the inclusion of communities hit hard by COVID-19 in efforts to eliminate COVID-19 in Arkansas.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has received generous funds from the National Institutes of Health to provide CEALFunds to those who are prepared and ready to join the fight in making Arkansas a COVID-19 free state. CEALFunds will support over 100 organizations in helping us to actualize our vision in 2021.
FAQs
How do I Apply for CEALFund?
You may apply for the CEALFund by completing the application online or submitting it in the mail.
CEALFund will be available until all funds are expended. However, we encourage you to apply early to start your CEALFund program as soon as possible.
How Do I Know If I am Eligible to Apply for CEALFund?
You are eligible if you are:
- A 501c(3) organization
- Established church
- Educational institution at any level
- Fraternities, sororities, and other service organizations
- Business that targets communities that are hard hit (Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Pacific Islanders, rural areas)
- Small businesses including beauty and barbershops
- Food pantries, adult day care centers, youth focused organizations, sports-related organizations, summer programs, and many others
If you are unclear whether or not you are eligible, please contact Elizabeth Taylor at 501-526-6689 or btaylor@uams.edu.
What are the Requirements for CEALFund?
Complete an application that describes the following:
- Description of your organization and its mission
- Statement that describes your organization’s track record of working with one of the target communities (Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Pacific Islanders, rural areas)
- Brief statement on how funds will be used
- Budget
- If you are funded, CEALFund asks that you participate in monthly online coalition meetings that will provide:
1) information that helps you provide trustworthy and accurate information to your clients
2) resources to help you reach your clients, and
3) opportunities for discussion of the successes and challenges of making Arkansas COVID-19 free. - Work with us to publicize our key messages.
What Does CEALFund Provide?
- CEALFund will provide up to $2,000 for each applicant. Upon approval, additional instructions will be provided on how to receive the funds.
- CEALFund will provide you with resources to help make Arkansas COVID-19 free.
- CEALFund will provide you with promotional items that help spread the word about our vision.
- CEALFund will connect you to a larger network of people to connect to fight COVID-19.
What Kind of Activities Count?
- Use your creativity! CEALFund will support educational and outreach activities, vaccine clinics in your community, one-to-one outreach, community-wide events.
- To get more ideas about events and activities that others are hosting across the nation, please go to our national website.
How Do I Start the Application Process?
How to Complete the CEALFund Application
Please click on the next link to get the application:
Apply to The Arkansas Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities CEAL Fund
If you would like to print the application please click here, and mail the completed application to the address below.
Please mail to:
CEAL Project
c/o Elizabeth Taylor
4301 West Markham St. Slot 820
Little Rock, AR 72205
For more information contact Ms. Elizabeth Taylor:
Email: btaylor@uams.edu or Phone: 501-526-6689.
For more information, contact:
Elizabeth Taylor, BA, Program Director
btaylor@uams.edu
501-526-6689
4301 West Markham St. Slot 820
Little Rock, AR 72211