Live Long and Well: Reducing Life Expectancy Gaps for Black Men in Boston

Request for Proposals
Live Long and Well: Reducing Life Expectancy Gaps
for Black Men in Boston
October 1, 2026

Request for Proposal (RFP) Timeline and Activities
Thursday, October 1 RFP Legal Notice publication in The Boston Globe
Thursday, October 1st RFP available online at www.boston.gov/bid-listings by 10:00 AM ET
by 10AM ET
Thursday, October 8th All questions due via email by 5:00 PM ET to: RFR@bphc.org
by 5PM ET Subject: ["Organization Name"]-Reducing Life Expectancy Gaps for Black Men in
Boston
Tuesday, October 13th
by 5PM ET All responses to questions posted by 5:00 PM ET at www.boston.gov/bid-listings
Friday, October 30th Proposal and required supporting documents due via email by 5:00 PM ET to:
by 5PM ET RFR@bphc.org and TPOLK@bphc.org
Subject: ["Organization Name"]-Reducing Life Expectancy Gaps for Black Men in
Boston
NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS DEADLINE
Friday, December 4th Notification of Decision:
Desired date for notification of award to proposer however, BPHC has the
discretion to extend this date without notice. The contract(s) results from this
RFP shall be in effect when all necessary contract documentation is fully
executed by BPHC and awarded Vendor(s). BPHC will email each awarded
organization a subaward agreement for review, and to be completed and signed
within 14 days
Introduction
The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is the local public health department for the City of Boston.
BPHC works in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston
residents, especially people and communities affected by racism and systemic inequities.
BPHC prioritizes health equity and racial justice. This work supports BPHC's vision of a thriving Boston
where all residents can live health, fulfilling lives free from racism, poverty, violence, and other systems of
oppression.
Service contracts awarded by BPHC may be subject to the following City of Boston's Living Wage Ordinance.
The ordinance requires covered employers working on qualifying City contracts to pay eligible employees a
living wage. The living wage is updated annually. For more information, visit
https://www.boston.gov/worker/empowerment/living-wage-division.
As part of its commitment to an equitable procurement process, BPHC will actively consider and encourage
participation from Certified Underrepresented Business Enterprises (CUBE), including Minority-owned
Business Enterprises (MBE), Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBE), Veteran-owned Business
Enterprises (VBE), Disability-owned Business Enterprises (DOBE), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Business Enterprises (LGBTBE), Minority Non-Profit Organizations (MNPO), Women Non-Profit

Organizations (WNPO), Minority Women Non-Profit Organizations (MWNPO), as well as local businesses,
to respond to this RFP.
Overview
Black men in Boston experience significant health disparities across a range of health outcomes, including
chronic disease, behavioral health, and access to care, and premature death. They bear the greatest burden of
early death with the shortest life expectancy and highest premature mortality of all groups, including the highest
mortality from both cancer and heart disease. These inequities extend beyond physical health, with the highest
rates of mental-health related emergency department visits and homicide. These disparities are driven by a
complex set of structural and social factors, including systemic racism, economic inequities, barriers to
healthcare access, and longstanding gaps in culturally responsive services.
Addressing these disparities requires more than traditional health care interventions. It requires community-
centered solutions that strengthen prevention and wellness, support mental and behavioral health, improve
economic opportunity, and build strong social networks and community connections.
The Live Long and Well Black Men's Health Initiative builds on the momentum of the Black Men's Health
Activation Summit, which brought together community leaders, health professionals, advocates, and
policymakers to identify priorities and strategies for improving health outcomes for Black
men. Participants identified four cross-cutting themes that recognize the connection among health, wellbeing,
community, and the conditions in which people live. These themes serve as the framework for this funding
opportunity.
This initiative is part of Live Long and Well, Boston's Population Health Equity Agenda, which focuses on
reducing long standing inequities in health outcomes. The Live Long and Well Black Men's Health
initiative seeks to support organizations and collaborations that are positioned to advance innovative,
community-rooted strategies aligned with these priorities.
Scope of Work
Boston's Racism as a Public Health Crisis Declaration Funds will invest $1,000,000 annually to qualified
organizations working to address health inequities affecting Black men. BPHC anticipates awarding up to four
qualified vendors, with each selected organization eligible to receive up to $250,000 for the one-year
performance period of March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2028.
The Live Long and Well Black Men's Health Initiative recognizes that health outcomes are shaped by access to
healthcare as well as social, economic, and structural conditions. The initiative will support projects that address
health holistically while strengthening community leadership, collaboration, and systems change.
BPHC seeks proposals that align with at least one of the four cross-cutting priority themes identified through
community engagement and the Black Men's Health Activation Summit:
* Strengthening Systems, Equity, Access, and Economic Mobility

* Advancing Prevention, Wellness, and Holistic Health
* Centering "Behavior & Health" in Behavioral Health
* Building Community, Strengthening Connection, and Mobilizing Collective Action
BPHC expects funded organizations to work in partnership with community members and other organizations
to advance meaningful and sustainable improvements in health and well-being for Black men in Boston.
Period of Performance and Funding
The anticipated period of performance is on or about March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2028.
BPHC anticipates awarding up to four contracts. Each contract may be funded up to $250,000 for the base
period. Total funding available through this RFP is up to $1,000,000 for the base period.
Qualifications
Eligible applicants include Boston based:
* Community-based organizations
* Nonprofit organizations
* Community coalitions
* Faith-based organizations
* Partnerships between organizations
* Organizations serving Black men and/or communities of color
Applicants must:
* Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or apply with a fiscal sponsor that will execute the contract with
BPHC;
* Demonstrate experience and meaningful results addressing health inequities;
* Demonstrate experience working with Black men; and
* Operate programs or services that serve Boston residents (or the target geographic areas).
Collaborative proposals are strongly encouraged, particularly proposals that bring together organizations across
sectors such as health, workforce development, community organizing, and behavioral health.
Review and Selection Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed and scored based on the applicant's responses to Section 2: Proposal Narrative.
BPHC will use the following criteria:
Proposal Narrative Scoring
Points
1. Organization Description: The organization demonstrates a clear connection between 25
its mission, experience, and the goals of this RFP. The proposal explains how the
organization's staff, leadership, partnerships, and community relationships will
support the proposed work.
2. Knowledge and Experience: The organization demonstrates experience working with 30
community-based projects and activities, specifically work serving Black men and
communities of color in Boston.
3. The proposed project has specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound 35

(SMART) goals. The project addresses at least one of the four cross-cutting themes
and has a clear connection to improving health equity for Black men.
4. Innovation: The proposed project demonstrates a new and/or unique approach to 25
close the life expectancy gap for Black men in Boston.
5. Evaluation Plan: The proposal includes a practical evaluation plan with clear 25
measures for assessing implementation, progress, and outcomes.
6. Organization Capacity: The organization demonstrates staffing, partnerships, 25
infrastructure and operational capacity needed to implement the project and
complete required reporting.
7. Transformational Community Engagement Plan: Black men and other community 20
residents are meaningfully involved in project planning, design, implementation, and
evaluation. The proposal explains how project progress and outcomes will be shared
with community members and partners.
8. Cross-sectoral Collaboration Plan: The proposed project includes meaningful 15
collaboration across sectors, such as health, workforce development, community
organizing, and behavioral health, to strengthen the project's reach and impact.
9. Sustainability Plan: The proposal explains how the work or its impact may continue 10
beyond the funding period and identifies anticipated barriers to continuation.
10. Project Budget: The budget narrative is clear and reasonable, and the total 20
proposed budget does not exceed $250,000 for the base period.
Total 230
Submission Instructions
To be considered for funding, applicants must submit responses to the sections below. Responses should
be in 11-point Calibri font, single-spaces, with one-inch margins. Include all required supporting
documents. Please answer each question within the stated page limit.
Section 1: Cover Sheet
The cover sheet does not count toward page limits
1. Title - "Live Long and Well: Reducing Life Expectancy Gaps for Black Men in Boston"
2. Name of the organization that will perform the services
3. Name of organization that will execute the contract with BPHC, if different (e.g. fiscal sponsor)
4. Organization's Physical Address
5. Mailing Address, if different from physical address
6. Contact person's name, position, email address, and phone number
Section 2: Proposal Narrative
1. Organization Description
Describe the organization's mission, vision, and core services. Describe the organization's experience
serving Black men and communities of color and its experience working in Boston Neighborhoods. If
relevant to the proposed project, describe relationships and experience in neighborhoods such as Dorchester,
Roxbury, East Boston, and Mattapan. Limit: 2 Pages
2. Organization Experience
Describe the organization's experience working with community-based projects, programs, or initiatives.
Include examples of past or current work, and, when available, relevant data or reports demonstrating
results, awards, or other recognition. Limit: 2 Pages

3. Proposed Project and Goals
Describe the proposed project plans and its SMART goals for advancing health equity for Black men. The
project must address at least one of the four cross-cutting themes listed below. Applicants may address more
than one theme (see Appendix A. for background on themes).
* Strengthening Systems, Equity, Access, and Economic Mobility
* Advancing Prevention, Wellness, and Holistic Health
* Centering "Behavior & Health" in Behavioral Health
* Building Community, Strengthening Connection, and Mobilizing Collective Action
Include a description of the organization's evaluation plan, that explains how the organization will
measure implementation, progress, and outcomes. Describe the measures or indicators that will be used
to assess the effectiveness of the proposed project. Limit: 3 Pages
4. Innovation
Describe how this proposed project uses a new, creative, or otherwise meaningful approach to reduce the life
expectancy gaps for Black men in Boston. Limit 1 Page
5. Organizational Capacity
Describe the organization's capacity to manage and implement the project, including project leadership,
staffing, partnerships, infrastructure, and operational processes. Describe how the organization will meet
BPHC's administrative and reporting requirements. Limit: 3 Pages
6. Community Engagement Plan
Describe the organizations community engagement plan, specifically how the organization will conduct
outreach to and meaningfully engage Black men and other community members in decision-making of
this project. Explain how community members will help: (1) identify and understand community needs, and
(2) evaluate project impact and effectiveness. Limit: 1 Page
7. Cross-Sector Collaboration Plan
Describe the organization's plan to collaborate with at least one other local community-based
organization on this project. Explain how the partnership will strengthen the project and help address the
factors that affect health and well-being. Limit 1 Page
8. Sustainability Plan
Describe how the organization plans to sustain the project, its partnerships, or its impact after the funding
period ends. If there are barriers to continuing the work without additional funding, describe those
barriers and which parts of the project may be affected. Limit 1 Page
9. Budget
Submit a budget for the base period of March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2028. The total proposed
budget must not exceed $250,000. The budget must provide sufficient details for BPHC to understand how the
requested funds will be used and must, at minimum, include the following applicable cost categories:
* Personnel - Identify each position, annual salary or hourly rate, level of effort/FTE or estimated hours,
and total amount charged to the project.
* Fringe Benefits - Identify the applicable fringe benefit rate and the amount charged to the project.
* Supplies - Identify and describe supplies necessary to carry out the proposed project.
* Equipment - Identify equipment purchases and provide a brief explanation of their need for the
project.

* Consultants/Subcontractors - Identify each proposed consultant or subcontractor, the services to be
provided, the rate or basis of cost, and the total estimated amount.
* Community Engagement/Stipends - Identify anticipated stipends, participant compensation,
incentives, or other community engagement costs, including the basis used to calculate the amount.
* Other Direct Costs - Identify and describe any additional direct project costs not captured above.
* Indirect Costs - Clearly identify the indirect cost rate, calculation base, and total indirect costs
requested. The maximum allowable indirect cost rate under this RFP is 10% of Modified Total Direct
Costs (MTDC).
In addition to the line-item budget, applicants must provide a budget narrative explaining and justifying each
proposed cost. The narrative should clearly demonstrate how each expense supports the proposed project and
how the amount was calculated.
All proposed costs must be reasonable, necessary, and directly related to the activities described in the
proposal. The proposed budget will represent the applicant's total not-to-exceed amount for the base period.
10. Resumes or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Submit resumes or CVs for all project managers and other key staff who will support the proposed
project.
Proposals are due via email no later than 5:00 PM ET on Friday, October 30, 2026.
Submit proposals to: RFR@bphc.org and TPOLK@BPHC.org
Email Subject line: "Organization Name" - Live Long and Well:
Reducing Life Expectancy Gaps for Black Men in Boston
Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered

Appendix A. Cross-Cutting Themes
Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed project aligns with at least one of the following
cross-cutting themes. Projects may address multiple themes.
1. Strengthening Systems, Equity, Access, and Economic Mobility
Goal: Ensure all Black men in Boston thrive within supportive, responsive, and sustainable systems
that advance health equity.
a. Focuses on transforming structures, policies, and practices that shape health and social
outcomes.
b. Emphasizes creating and strengthening equitable systems - healthcare, education,
employment, housing, and community infrastructure.
c. Aims to remove barriers to care, increase access to health resources and services, and
expand opportunities for economic mobility.
2. Advancing Prevention, Wellness, and Holistic Health
Goal: Empower Black men and their communities to access diverse pathways to health, strengthen self-
care, and create environments that support long-term wellness.
a. Promotes a proactive approach to health through prevention, early intervention, and
whole-person wellness.
b. Recognizes health as including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-
being-not just absence of disease.
c. Honors Western and non-Western systems of care, including traditional, Indigenous,
and culturally rooted practices.
3. Centering "Behavior & Health" in Behavioral Health
Goal: Integrate behavioral health into all health promotion and care, reduce stigma, and improve
outcomes through culturally responsive, person-centered approaches for Black men.
a. Reframes behavioral health to include the relationship between behavior and overall
health.
b. Highlights how choices, environments, stress, trauma, and social factors influence
mental and physical outcomes.
c. Recognizes deep interconnection between behavior and health-thoughts, feelings, and
actions impact illness prevention and care engagement.
4. Building Community, Strengthening Connection, and Mobilizing Collective Action
Goal: Through shared power and collective action, build resilience, advocate for equitable policies, and
co-create solutions for shared challenges and collective well-being for Black men.
a. Emphasizes community power in driving health and social change.
b. Highlights mobilizing Black men to build community, strengthen connection,
leadership, and collective voice.
c. Underscores institutions sharing power, resources, and decision-making with Black
men and their communities.