Applications open for Healthy Lungs for Life Grants

The grants will go to organisations across the globe to help them improve lung health as part of Healthy Lungs for Life (HLfL) and World Lung Day.

The Healthy Lungs for Life campaign is run by the European Lung Foundation (ELF) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS). The campaign is aimed at everyone whether you have a lung condition or not. It focusses on five key themes to raise awareness of the best ways they can keep the lungs healthy and reduce the amount lung disease experienced by people worldwide.

ELF and European Respiratory Society (ERS) were presented with the Incredible Impact Award for the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign. This award celebrates initiatives that leave a lasting legacy.

ELF picked up the award virtually, and produced a short video to thank the organisers and talk about the HLFL event in Madrid.

The European Lung Foundation (ELF) offers grants to support organisers of lung health awareness events that meet one or more of the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign themes.

Not-for-profit organisations, patient groups and healthcare professionals can apply for a grant of up to €1,000 to support events and activities that meet one or more of the aims of the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign:

• Increase knowledge of the impact of poor air quality on lung health and the actions that everyone can take to reduce air pollution and avoid exposure
• Highlight the benefits of quitting smoking
• Increase knowledge of the importance of physical activity for lung health
• Raise awareness of vaccination to prevent lung infections
• Raise awareness of the impact of climate change on lung health

What they will fund?

• Events can be held on any day, but they encourage applications to focus on the key dates of the following International Awareness Days:
  • World Asthma Day
  • World No Tobacco Day
  • International Day of Clean Air
  • World Lung Day o World Environmental Health Day
  • World COPD Day
• They expect all applications to focus on supporting the objectives of the Healthy Lungs for Life topics:
  • Increase knowledge around the impact of air quality on lung health, and actions everyone can take to reduce air pollution and avoid exposure;
  • Highlight the benefits of quitting smoking; o Increase knowledge of the importance of physical activity for lung health;
  • Raise awareness of vaccination to prevent lung infections;
  • Raise awareness of the effects of climate change on lung health and what people can do to help prevent it
• Examples of events and activities could include, but are not limited to:
  • Public lung function (spirometry) testing
  • Information stalls
  • Public talks relating to one of more of the campaign themes
  • Spirometry training events for professionals Online event/campaign
• Grant funding could be used for costs including, but not limited to:
  • Materials, equipment and facilities required to deliver the project/event
  • Producing materials or PR support to help with promotion of the project/event
  • Travel reimbursements for volunteers
• Applications will be accepted from:
  • Not-for-profit organisations (e.g. national and international respiratory societies, patient organisations, hospital trusts and networks, clinics)
  • Healthcare professionals or institutions
  • Schools or other community groups
  • Gyms/sports centres
• Individuals must be affiliated to an organisation or institution.
• All applications will be assessed by a multi-stakeholder panel who will be looking for 4 key elements;
  • Value for money
  • Number of estimated beneficiaries
  • Geographical scope and location
  • Impact on beneficiaries and HLfL topics
• Priority will be given to:
  • Events covering areas where there is a greater need for awareness of the importance of lung health and to low-resource settings
  • Public spirometry testing events, but these must comply with local regulations and guidance around spirometry testing during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Face-to-face events over online events

What they will not fund?

• Projects that have not been approved by the judging panel. As outlined in the Terms and Conditions, they reserve the right to withdraw or request that funding is returned should any activities be carried out without approval.
• Projects that involve the promotion of tobacco products or companies, pharmaceutical companies or any, services or views that ELF deems undesirable.
• Projects or applicants funded by companies that contradict the moral, ethical or professional boundaries.

For more information, visit ELF.