December 15, 2003
NCSL Gets Grant to Promote Active Living
Active Living Leadership Gives a Combined $1 Million to 4 Groups
DENVER - The National Conference of State Legislatures will partner with five other national groups to help state and local leaders integrate exercise opportunities into their communities.
NCSL has received a share in $1 million in grant funds from Active Living Leadership, a San Diego State University-based project supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Active Living Leadership works with government leaders to create and promote active living. Active living means integrating physical activity into daily routines. Neighborhoods seeking to promote this lifestyle are designed with pedestrians' and bicyclists' needs in mind. They provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage in daily physical activity.
NCSL and the other chosen organizations will help elected and appointed officials nationwide in their efforts to support active living policies and programs. These efforts could include exploring ways to design and retrofit neighborhoods to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists, adopting policy options that support an active lifestyle and locating schools in walkable communities so children can safely walk and bike to school.
The need for such an initiative is clear. In many communities throughout the United States, it is difficult to walk or ride a bicycle to work, school and other destinations. Recent studies have suggested that neighborhood design and a lack of transportation options may contribute to inactivity and obesity. National statistics show that nearly one in four American adults is sedentary and that the number of overweight children has doubled since 1980.
Other organizations receiving grants from Active Living Leadership include: the Local Government Commission; the National Governors Association; the International City/County Management Association and the Joint Center for Sustainable Communities, a partnership of the National Association of Counties and the United States Conference of Mayors.
"Government leaders must lead the charge to create healthy spaces and places," said Marla Hollander, director of Active Living Leadership. "They have a unique ability to encourage and enact policies and programs that will create healthier communities. An active living community also enhances quality of life, attracts business, and provides enormous cost savings to state and local governments, ultimately leading to greater economic viability."
Active Living Leadership has awarded more than $2.7 million in grants through this program since 2002 . The organization focused its initial efforts in five states: California, Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, and Washington. With the current round of grants, the program adds a focus on several of the Mid-Atlantic states and broadens its overall support to leaders nationwide.
As part of its national support strategy, Active Living Leadership will distribute information and resources to officials throughout the country. National activities will include conducting a survey about active living policies in communities across the U.S., identifying best policies, designing a training institute for governors and their staff, and sponsoring Webcasts to facilitate widespread learning.
As part of the initiative, the grantee organizations will host workshops, create resource materials, and provide technical assistance to communities looking for best management practices and innovative approaches to active living.
"Communities that create the means for residents to be more physically active are providing those residents a necessary ingredient for better health," said Michael McGinnis, M.D., M.P.P., senior vice president of RWJF.
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