Quit & Thrive Challenge: Community-Derived Solutions to Reduce Menthol Cigarette Smoking

Seeking community-derived solutions to reduce menthol cigarette smoking

Overview

ODP is sponsoring the Quit & Thrive Challenge: Community-Derived Solutions to Reduce Menthol Cigarette Smoking  to enhance the evidence base of interventions for populations with high levels of menthol cigarette smoking. This Challenge encourages submissions from local and state organizations and agencies to highlight successful community-led solutions that address menthol cigarette smoking.

Up to nine prizes of $100,000 each will be awarded to organizations with the most successful or innovative community-led strategies. Information about the winning submissions will be prominently featured on the ODP website and publicly disseminated via social media.

ODP strongly encourages all organizations interested in the Challenge to watch the  and review the list of , which may be updated periodically. 

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About the Quit & Thrive Challenge

Combustible tobacco product use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Every year, nearly half a million Americans die prematurely due to smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Additionally, over 16 million individuals have smoking-related illnesses. The addition of menthol to cigarettes reduces the harshness of smoking and makes smoking more appealing. Menthol can also enhance the addictive effects of nicotine and make it more difficult for people to quit smoking. Some populations, including youth; people with lower incomes; and racial and ethnic minority populations; and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations have higher rates of menthol cigarette use compared to other population groups. . Despite this, there are few targeted cessation programs for menthol cigarette users.

In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a  to reduce the likelihood that individuals who do not smoke will start and increase the likelihood that people who currently smoke menthol cigarettes will quit. The proposed menthol product standard, whether ultimately enacted or not, has brought attention to existing structural and systemic access barriers to smoking cessation resources, and highlights the time-sensitive need to quickly enhance the evidence base of interventions for populations experiencing health disparities. Although some cities, states, and communities have enacted laws or developed initiatives to reduce the use of menthol cigarettes, evaluation of such efforts is needed to enhance the evidence base.
 

Goal and Overview of the Challenge

The goal of this Challenge is to showcase innovative community-derived solutions to reduce menthol cigarette smoking among groups with disproportionately high rates of menthol cigarette use, including youth, racial and ethnic minorities, LGB populations, and people with lower incomes. These solutions can then be used to inform future federally funded research initiatives or demonstration projects to enhance the evidence base, as well as to encourage broader adoption of best practices to reduce menthol cigarette smoking.  

What are community-derived solutions?

Community-derived solutions refer to programs, policies, and other strategies that have already been implemented by local or state governmental agencies, community-based organizations, or service providers, and have been shown to be effective in reducing menthol cigarette use at the organizational, neighborhood, city, county, and/or state level in the United States. Community-derived solutions may include novel strategies or adaptations of evidence-based strategies tailored to the needs and preferences of populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use. Community-derived solutions do not need to have an exclusive focus on menthol cigarette use, but they must have demonstrated specific effectiveness in reducing menthol cigarette use. 

This Challenge is geared toward agencies or organizations that implemented or delivered the community-derived solution(s). Projects that are supported by an NIH grant do not meet the definition of community-derived solutions. Solutions that developed new smoking cessation products or provided non-FDA approved alternatives to combustible tobacco products (e.g., electronic cigarettes) will not be considered for this Challenge.  

Community-derived solutions with a specific focus or impact on populations with disproportionately high levels of menthol cigarette use may take a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following:

Local or state governmental laws or policies to limit the sale of menthol cigarettes, increase cigarette taxes, or restrict the number or density of neighborhood tobacco retailers
Implementation of existing evidence-based practices tailored to groups with disproportionately high rates of menthol cigarette use, including youth, LGB populations, people with lower incomes, and/or racial and ethnic minority populations
Programs to enhance compliance of tobacco sale outlets with laws prohibiting tobacco sales to minors OR strategies to enhance enforcement of these laws
Workplace, housing, or school-based cigarette smoking cessation services or programs
Employer or health care-based financial or other incentives to encourage smoking cessation
Public awareness campaigns about the risks of menthol cigarette smoking and/or the availability of local, state, or national smoking cessation resources
Programs that address social needs, such as housing instability or food insecurity, that make quitting cigarettes challenging
Programs that provide stress management strategies to help people quit smoking cigarettes (e.g., mindfulness training)
Programs that offer peer or social support to help people quit smoking cigarettes and remain abstinent

How can you demonstrate effectiveness of a community-derived solution?

Effectiveness of community-derived solutions can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, but effectiveness metrics should reflect measurable changes in behavior of people who smoke menthol cigarettes (e.g., cigarette purchasing or consumption, quit attempts). Metrics of effectiveness may include changes in individual knowledge or attitudes (e.g., greater awareness of risks of menthol cigarette smoking, intention to quit), but these changes alone are not sufficient for this Challenge if they are not accompanied by measurable changes in behavior.

Some examples of effectiveness metrics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Self-reported reduction in cigarette smoking and/or increase in quit attempts among those who smoke menthol cigarettes
Increased use of local, state, or national smoking quitline or helpline services by individuals who smoke menthol cigarettes
Increased use of evidence-based cessation treatments (behavioral cessation counseling, FDA-approved cessation medication) by individuals who smoke menthol cigarettes
Decreased sales of cigarettes and other tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, at the neighborhood, county, city, or state levels, as applicable
Measured improvements in air quality in indoor communal spaces (e.g., public housing) where individuals who smoke menthol cigarettes live, work, or congregate

Metrics of effectiveness should include data from before and after the implementation of community-derived solutions (e.g., a survey administered before and after a local smoking-related law is implemented). Metrics must include data for one or more populations with high rates of menthol cigarette smoking, including youth , racial and ethnic minorities, LGB populations, or people with low incomes. 

Who is eligible to participate in the Challenge?

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Definitions

Participant Organization. The organization that submits the community-derived solution to the Challenge. This organization must have been responsible for developing, implementing, delivering, or enforcing the solution.
Primary Point of Contact. The individual who submits the solution on behalf of the Participant Organization and is responsible for all communications with NIH.
Collaborating Organization/Agency. Agencies or organizations that worked with the Participant Organization to develop, implement, deliver, enforce, or evaluate the solution.

Eligibility

Participation in ODP's Quit & Thrive Challenge is open to Participant Organizations that maintain a primary place of business in the United States, are not institutions of higher learning, and (at the time of submission) are not listed as the primary awardee on an active NIH grant, cooperative agreement, Other Transaction, or contract award. Grassroots and unincorporated organizations are eligible to apply if they meet all other Eligibility and Participation Requirements, including that their work is not supported by an active grant, cooperative agreement, Other Transaction, or contract award issued by NIH or other federal agency.

For the purposes of this Challenge, an “institution of higher learning” means a “college, university, or similar institution, including a technical or business school, offering postsecondary level academic instruction that leads to an associate or higher degree if the school is empowered by the appropriate State education authority under State law to grant an associate or higher degree. When there is no State law to authorize the granting of a degree, the school may be recognized as an institution of higher learning if it is accredited for degree programs by a recognized accrediting agency. Such term shall also include an educational institution which is not located in a State, which offers a course leading to a standard college degree, or the equivalent, and which is recognized as such by the secretary of education (or comparable official) of the country or other jurisdiction in which the institution is located.” [38 U.S.C. § 3452(f)].

Examples of eligible Participant Organizations include but are not limited to the following:

State and local tobacco control agencies
Other state or local governmental agencies such as departments of public health, housing, parks and recreation, transportation, or social services
School systems
Health clinics or hospitals
Patient or consumer advocacy groups
Community-based organizations
Faith-based organizations
Grassroots and unincorporated organizations

Eligible Participant Organizations may submit an entry with collaboration Organizations/Agencies, but only the lead Participant Organization submitting to this Challenge must meet the criteria stated above.

ODP is conducting this Challenge under the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Reauthorization Act of 2010, as amended [15 U.S.C. § 3719]. ODP, through its NIH-wide , supports the development of new prevention interventions and of strategies to deliver existing evidence-based interventions and preventive services in populations that experience health disparities.

In accordance with 42 U.S.C. § 282(f) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, the mission of ODP is to improve public health by increasing the scope, quality, dissemination, and impact of prevention research supported by NIH. As a coordinating office in the NIH Office of the Director, ODP fulfills this mission by providing leadership for the development, coordination, and implementation of prevention research in collaboration with NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices, and other partners.

This Challenge directly aligns with the . Ultimately, this Challenge will inform NIH efforts to reduce health disparities and increase national focus on supporting and accelerating smoking cessation. 

Statutory authority to conduct the Challenge

Timeline

Challenge announcement: September 1, 2024
Submission period opens: November 1, 2024
Submission period closes: September 2, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET
Judging period: October 2025- January 2026
Awardees announced: April 2026

Prizes

The total prize purse is $900,000, with up to nine awards of $100,000 each.

Additionally, information about the winning submissions (taken from the summary provided in the ) will be prominently featured on the ODP website and publicly disseminated via social media; additional opportunities to be profiled by ODP may be developed in the future.

Award Approving Official

The Award Approving Official will be David M. Murray, Ph.D., NIH Associate Director for Prevention, and Director, Office of Disease Prevention.  

Payment of the Prize

Prizes awarded under this Challenge will be paid by electronic funds transfer and may be subject to federal income taxes. HHS/NIH will comply with the Internal Revenue Service withholding and reporting requirements, where applicable.

Winners must be able to provide bank account and routing information to receive the cash prize funds and must be prepared to obtain additional documentation or funds transfer information from their financial institution as needed. Participant Organizations are encouraged, but not required, to request and obtain a free Unique Entity ID, if they have not already done so, via SAM.gov as this will expedite prize payment. Additional information can be found at . In the event of winning a cash prize, the prize will be paid directly to the Participant Organization, not to the Primary Point of Contact.

ODP reserves the right, in their sole discretion, to (a) cancel, suspend, or modify the Challenge, and/or (b) not award any prizes if no entries are deemed worthy.

Rules

Eligibility Rules

The Challenge is open to any eligible Participant Organization.

To be eligible to win a cash prize under this Challenge, a Participant Organization:

Shall have registered to participate in the Challenge under the rules promulgated by the NIH as published in this announcement;
Shall maintain a primary place of business in the United States;
Shall not be an institution of higher learning as defined at 38 U.S.C. § 3452(f);
Shall not, at the time of submission, be listed as the primary awardee on an active grant, cooperative agreement, Other Transaction, or contract award issued by the NIH;
Shall have complied with all the requirements set forth in this announcement;
Shall not be a federal entity or federal employee acting within the scope of their employment;
Shall not be an employee of the HHS, or any other component of HHS, acting in their personal capacity;
Who is employed by a federal agency or entity other than HHS, or any other component of HHS, should consult with an agency ethics official to determine whether the federal ethics rules will limit or prohibit the acceptance of a cash prize under this Challenge;
Shall not be a judge of the Challenge, or any other party involved with the design, production, execution, or distribution of the Challenge or the immediate family of such a party (i.e., spouse, parent, stepparent, child, or stepchild).
In the case of any individuals participating on behalf of a Participant Organization, shall be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission.

Participation Rules

A Participant Organization may not use federal funds from a grant award or cooperative agreement to develop their Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of their Challenge submissions.
Federal contractors may not use federal funds from a contract to develop their Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of their Challenge submissions.
By participating in this Challenge, each Participant Organization agrees to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the federal government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from participation in this Challenge, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise.
Based on the subject matter of the Challenge, the type of work that it will possibly require, as well as an analysis of the likelihood of any claims for death, bodily injury, property damage, or loss potentially resulting from Challenge participation, no Participant Organization participating in the Challenge is required to obtain liability insurance, demonstrate financial responsibility or agree to indemnify the federal government against third-party claims for damages arising from or related to Challenge activities in order to participate in this Challenge.
A Participant Organization shall not be deemed ineligible because the Participant Organization used federal facilities or consulted with federal employees during the Challenge if the facilities and employees are made available to all Participant Organizations participating in the Challenge on an equitable basis.
By participating in this Challenge, each Participant Organization warrants that they are the sole author or owner of, or has the right to use, any copyrightable works that the submission comprises, that the works are wholly original with the Participant Organization (or is an improved version of an existing work that the Participant Organization has sufficient rights to use and improve), and that the submission does not infringe any copyright or any other rights of any third party of which the Participant Organization is aware.
By participating in this Challenge, each Participant Organization grants to the NIH an irrevocable, paid-up, royalty-free nonexclusive worldwide license to reproduce, publish, post, link to, share, and display publicly the submission on the web or elsewhere, and a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice, or have practiced for or on its behalf, the solution throughout the world. Each Participant Organization will retain all other intellectual property rights in their submissions, as applicable. To participate in the Challenge, each Participant Organization must warrant that there are no legal obstacles to providing the above-referenced nonexclusive licenses of the Participant Organization’s rights to the federal government. To receive an award, Participant Organizations will not be required to transfer their intellectual property rights to NIH, but Participant Organizations must grant to the federal government the nonexclusive licenses recited herein.
Each Participant Organization agrees to follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.
Each Participant Organization participating in this Challenge must comply with all terms and conditions of these rules, and participation in this Challenge constitutes each such Participant Organization’s full and unconditional agreement to abide by these rules. Winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements herein.
As a condition for winning a cash prize in this Challenge, each Participant Organization that has been selected as a winner must complete and submit all requested winner verification and payment documents to NIH within 10 business days of formal notification. Failure to return all required verification documents by the date specified in the notification may be a basis for disqualification of a cash prize winning submission.

Terms and conditions

Disqualification

Submissions may be disqualified for plagiarism, falsification of any information submitted, use of copyrighted material without permission, and use of profanity, violent images, or nudity. ODP is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, or misdirected entries, which will be disqualified.

Judging

All submissions that are responsive and meet the ��Ի� rules will be evaluated and scored by qualified expert employee(s) of the federal government using the criteria and scoring rubric described below. The results of the evaluation will be provided to a Judging Panel composed of federal staff. The Judging Panel will select Winners based on the individual and overall evaluation scores. The selected Winners will be submitted to the Award Approving Official (David M. Murray, Ph.D., NIH Associate Director for Prevention, and Director, Office of Disease Prevention) for a final decision. NIH will not make Participants’ evaluation or judging results available to Participants or the public.

The scoring rubric consists of four criteria (Relevance to populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use, Innovation, Evidence of effectiveness, and Potential for sustainability or broader implementation).

Relevance to populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use (10 points). To what extent does the community-derived solution address menthol cigarette smoking in populations with high rates of use, including youth, LGB populations, people with lower incomes, and racial and ethnic minority populations? To what extent were members from the populations or communities of focus included in the development, implementation, or evaluation of the community-derived solution?

Innovation (5 points). To what extent does the community-derived solution include new or novel programs, policies, or other strategies?

Evidence of effectiveness (20 points). Are appropriate and convincing measures or metrics of effectiveness provided that indicate changes in smoking-related behavior? Are data provided that are specific to menthol cigarettes? Are data provided that are specific to individuals or populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use?

Potential for sustainability or broader implementation (5 points). How sustainable is the community-derived solution? To what extent can the community-derived solution be implemented in other locations or settings?

How to Enter

Read the full ��ٲ� ��Ի� �ʲ��پ��貹�پ��ǲ� rules above.

Only one entry may be submitted per Participant Organization. Submissions must not include the HHS logo or official seal or the logo of NIH or any of its components and must not claim federal government endorsement.

Each Participant Organization that enters the Challenge is required to identify a Primary Point of Contact who submits a solution on behalf of the Participant Organization. The Primary Point of Contact is responsible for all communications with ODP. In the event of winning a cash prize, the prize will be paid directly to the Participant Organization, not to the Point of Contact.

Completed Submission Packages must be emailed to ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov between November 1, 2024, and September 2, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Each submission for the ODP Quit & Thrive Challenge requires a complete Submission Package emailed to ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov consisting of the following documents saved as PDF files: (1) Entry Form (PDF), (2) Description of the Community-Derived Solution, (3) References, ��Ի� (4) Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies (if applicable).

Entry Form (PDF) (Available in Resources section)

Contact information for the Participant Organization
Contact information for the Primary Point of Contact
Names and contact information for any collaborating institutions or agencies
Title and brief summary (no more than 500 characters, including spaces) of the community-derived solution
Signature of the Primary Point of Contact and date, indicating agreement to the rules of the Challenge

Description of the Community-Derived Solution: The Description of the Community-Derived Solution document is limited to 10 single-spaced pages, using 11- or 12-point font, including any figures, images, graphs, or tables. This document should be submitted as a PDF and include the following sections:

Overview of the community-derived solution (Reminder: the solution should reflect an activity that has already been done, not a proposal for future activities)
The type of solution (e.g., is it a program, policy, or other strategy?)
When and where the solution was implemented
What populations were the focus of the solution  
Who developed and/or delivered the solution
How the implementation, delivery, or enforcement of the solution was funded
The role of the Participant Organization in developing, implementing, delivering, or enforcing the solution
The role of any collaborating agencies or organizations in developing, implementing, delivering, or enforcing the solution, if applicable
Relevance to populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use
How the solution reached or impacted populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use
How the community-derived solution specifically addressed menthol cigarette smoking
How members from the population were included in the development, implementation, or evaluation of the community-derived solution

Innovation

How the community-derived solution is different from previous or other current efforts to reduce menthol cigarette smoking or cigarette smoking in general
Any novel or creative strategies used to develop, implement, deliver, sustain, or evaluate the solution
Evidence of effectiveness
The evidence that the community-derived solution was effective and how that evidence was generated, including:
The metrics, tools, or measures used (Reminder: Measures of smoking-related knowledge or attitudes of individuals can be included, but they are not sufficient to show effectiveness of the solution.)
How and when the data were collected or obtained before and after implementation of the community-derived solution
How the data were compiled or analyzed
How the collected data show the community-derived solution produced changes in smoking-related behavior, including:
How the changes can be attributed to the community-derived solution versus other factors
How the changes are specific to or inclusive of populations with high levels of menthol cigarette smoking
How changes are specific to or inclusive of menthol cigarette smoking
Potential for sustainability or broader implementation
How the community-derived solution can be maintained or sustained in the future.
How the community-derived solution can be delivered in other locations or settings.

References: List citations using �ǰ� format for any sources referenced in the Description of the Community-Derived Solution document, including journal articles, reports, webpages, or data resources. This document should be submitted as a PDF.

Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies (if applicable): If a submission involves more than three Collaborating Organizations/Agencies, please list the additional organizations/agencies and their respective POCs in a separate document and include it in the final Submission Package. This document should be submitted as a PDF.

Submission Instructions

The Primary Point of Contact should email the Completed Submission Packages (consisting of the following documents saved as PDF files: Entry Form, Description of the Community-Derived Solution, References, and Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies [if applicable]) to ODP at ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov between November 1, 2024, and September 2, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET, following the steps below:

Download, complete, and sign the Entry Form (PDF). You can print and complete the form or open and complete it electronically using software like Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

Save the completed and signed Entry Form as a PDF. Use the file name: “Organization Name [acronym is acceptable]_Entry”

Example file name for entry form submitted by Acme, Inc.: Acme, Inc_Entry

Save the Description of the Community-Derived Solution document as a PDF. Use the file name: “Organization Name [acronym is acceptable]_Description”

Example file name for Community-Derived Solution document submitted by Acme, Inc.: Acme, Inc_Description

Save the References document as a PDF. Use the file name: “Organization Name [acronym is acceptable]_References”

Example file name for References document submitted by Acme, Inc.: Acme, Inc_References.

Save the Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies document as a PDF. Use the file name: “Organization Name [acronym is acceptable]_Collaborators”

Example file name for Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies document submitted by Acme, Inc.: Acme, Inc_Collaborators.

Attach the completed and signed Entry Form, Description of the Community-Derived Solution, and References PDFs to an email and send it to ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 2, 2025. Use the subject line “ODP Quit and Thrive Challenge: Organization Name [acronym is acceptable]”

Example email subject line for Challenge submission package from Acme, Inc.: ODP Quit & Thrive Challenge: Acme, Inc.

Resources

Entry Form

Frequently Asked Questions

��  is also available for organizations that want to know more about participating.

All organizations interested in the Challenge are strongly encouraged to consult ODP about whether their solution fits with the Challenge announcement before submitting an entry or with any questions not answered below. All emails should be sent to ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov.

Questions and examples provided below are for illustrative purposes only and should not be viewed as definitive or comprehensive.

General

What is a Challenge?

A Challenge (also referred to as "prize challenge," "competition," "prize competition," or "incentive prize") allows the public to solve problems presented by federal agencies and receive awards for the best solutions. See the  for more information.

How is this Challenge different from an NIH research grant?

With NIH grants, contracts, or Other Transactions, NIH selects applications to do proposed work and then pays the monetary award incrementally as the work is done. In this Challenge, NIH will select winners after assessing work that has been completed.

Community-Derived Solutions

What is a community-derived solution?

What does it mean for a solution to be community-derived?

For this Challenge, community-derived means that the solution was developed or implemented by non-academic organizations or agencies at the local or state level. Solutions that are led by academic researchers, supported by NIH grants, or are nation-wide solutions led by federal agencies do not fit the definition of community-led solutions.

Can our solution be focused on a population different from those mentioned in the Challenge announcement?

Yes, the Challenge is focused on solutions to address menthol cigarette smoking in “populations with high rates of use,” including youth; racial and ethnic minorities; lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations; and people with lower incomes. A solution can focus on other populations with high rates of use, provided that the submission includes supporting data or research findings to justify the focus on that population.

Can we evaluate a law or policy my local government enacted?

It depends. The answer is yes only if your organization was involved in crafting, implementing, or enforcing the law or policy. 

Can we submit plans for a future community-derived solution?

No, this Challenge seeks community-led solutions that have already been implemented or delivered. Although organizations may discuss additional plans for their existing solution, submissions that only describe plans for future activities will not be considered.

Can the solution be focused primarily on vaping?

No, the primary focus must be on menthol cigarette smoking. Solutions that successfully reduced both cigarette smoking and vaping are acceptable if evidence is available specifically on menthol cigarette smoking outcomes.

Can the focus of the solution be on harm reduction rather than quitting or abstinence?

It depends on how ‘harm reduction’ is defined. Evidence of effectiveness is not limited to successful quit attempts or smoking abstinence. Reduction in menthol cigarette smoking, more quit attempts, or use of FDA approved cessation products are examples of acceptable outcomes. However, solutions that developed new smoking cessation products or provided non-FDA approved alternatives to combustible tobacco products (e.g., electronic cigarettes) will not be considered for this Challenge.

Evidence of Effectiveness

What kinds of measures or data are acceptable to show effectiveness?

A variety of data sources may be used to show the effectiveness of your solution (surveys or self-report data, service utilization data, smoking surveillance data, etc.). The most appropriate metrics, tools, or measures will vary by the nature of the solution. Data showing an increase in knowledge or attitudes about menthol cigarette smoking is not sufficient and should be accompanied by data about changes in smoking behavior.

Do we just describe how we collected the data and the types of measures or metrics we used, or do we also have to provide data?

You should provide data showing that your solution is effective in changing menthol-smoking behavior. As described in the “” section of the Challenge description, you should also describe the process for collecting, compiling, or analyzing the data.

We’re using a survey to measure smoking behavior, but our participants only filled it out after we delivered our program. Is that acceptable?

The Challenge description specifies that “metrics of effectiveness should include data from before and after the implementation of community-derived solutions.” This means that providing pre and post data is preferred but not required. If you only have data from after the implementation of your solution, you should still describe how the collected data show that the community-derived solution produced changes in menthol smoking-related behavior. This could be done using self-reported reductions in smoking behavior, using data from a comparison group not receiving the program, or using some other data relevant to your solution.

Can we cite published studies to show the effectiveness of our solution?

No, unless the published studies are authored by personnel from the Participant Organization or Collaborating Organization(s) and describe outcomes of the community-led solution that your organization is submitting. In other words, your submission should include effectiveness data regarding your solution, not just data from a similar activity that was implemented by others.

Does an increase in use of smoking cessation services or counseling among people who smoke menthol cigarettes count as “smoking behavior”?

Yes, for this Challenge, showing an increase in use of smoking cessation services would count as changing smoking-related behavior.

Eligibility

What is the difference between a Participant Organization and a Collaborating Organization/Agency?

�ճ�� Participant Organization submits the community-derived solution to the Challenge. This organization must meet the eligibility requirements and have been responsible for developing, implementing, delivering, or enforcing the solution. Collaborating Organizations/Agencies, if any, are organizations that worked with the Participant Organization to develop, implement, deliver, enforce, or evaluate the solution. Collaborating Organizations/Agencies do not need to meet the eligibility requirements of the Participant Organization.

Can individuals enter?

No, the Challenge is for organizations only. Eligible organizations of any size are invited to enter.

Can for-profit organizations apply? Does the organization need to be a 501(c)(3)?

Yes, for-profit organizations can apply. Participant or Collaborating Organizations/Agencies do not need to be a 501(c)(3) organization.

Can foreign organizations enter?

No, Participant Organizations must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States. Foreign organizations may serve as Collaborating Organizations/Agencies, though the community-led solutions need to have taken place in the United States.     

Our organization has an NIH grant that is unrelated to our submission. Would that make us ineligible?

Yes. Only organizations that do not have an active NIH grant, cooperative agreement, Other Transaction, or contract at the time of submission are eligible. Your organization could still be involved as a Collaborating Organization/Agency.

We have an Other Transaction from NIH. Would that make us ineligible?

Yes. Holding an active NIH award would make an organization ineligible. Organizations with NIH awards can still be involved as Collaborating Organizations/Agencies.

Can our collaborators have NIH awards?

Yes. However, please keep in mind that Participant Organizations may not use federal funds from a grant award or cooperative agreement to develop their Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of their Challenge submissions.

Can a university/academic institution be a Collaborating Organization/Agency?

Yes. However, please keep in mind that the focus of the Challenge is community-led solutions rather than researcher-led projects. 

Submissions

When are submissions due?

Submissions are due Tuesday, September 2, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. 

How do we submit our entry? Is there an online submission system?

Submissions must be emailed to ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov. There is no online submission system.

Can we contact NIH to see if our solution fits with the Challenge announcement before we submit an entry?

Yes! We encourage you to submit any questions about your solution, eligibility, or the submission process to ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov. We are happy to address your questions via email, phone, or a virtual meeting.

Can our organization submit more than one entry?

No, organizations can submit only one entry as the Participant Organization.

Can our organization submit an entry as the Participant Organization and be a Collaborating Organization/Agency on another submission?

Yes.

Our fiscal sponsor handles financial and administrative functions for our non-profit organization. Can the fiscal sponsor submit the entry on our behalf?

We encourage organizations to submit their own entries directly rather than working through a fiscal sponsor to avoid any confusion regarding organization eligibility and conforming to Participation Rules. Organizations that receive a prize can arrange to have the fiscal sponsor receive and manage the prize money, if appropriate. 

Where can I find the application? Is there an application template?

Unlike an NIH grant application, there is no application package for electronic submission.  The “” section of the Challenge Announcement provides instructions about the required components (Entry Form, Description of the Community Derived Solution, References, and Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies [if applicable]). 

The instructions also specify that the Description of the Community-Derived Solution should include the following sections: 

Overview of the community-derived solution
Relevance to populations with high levels of menthol cigarette use
Innovation
Evidence of effectiveness
Potential for sustainability or broader implementation

Do we need to provide a budget?

No, prizes are awarded for successful community-led solutions that have already been implemented, so plans for spending the prize money are not part of the judging criteria.

Should we provide letters of support from our collaborators?

No. Only the required submission components (Entry Form, Description of the Community-Derived Solution, References, and Additional Collaborating Organizations/Agencies [if applicable]) will be considered in the judging.

Should the Description of the Community-Derived Solution document be single- or double-spaced?

The page limit is 10 single-spaced pages. You can use double spacing if you wish, but the page limit is still 10 pages, so you won’t be able to provide as much text as in a single-spaced document.

Can we submit pictures or videos or just text?

You can include tables, charts/graphs, photos, or other images within the 10-page Description of the Community-Derived Solution document. Additional attachments such as videos or appendices will not be considered.

Can figures be submitted separately, or does that count toward the 10-page limit?

If figures or other images or graphics are included in your submission, they must be included as part of the 10-page Description of the Community-Derived Solution document. Separate attachments or appendices will not be considered.

Is the Entry Form included in the 10-page limit?

No. The Entry Form (PDF) should be submitted as a separate document and does not count toward the 10-page limit for the Description of the Community-Derived Solution.

Can we submit all the submission components as a single, merged PDF file?

We prefer that the required components be submitted as separate files, because only the Description of the Community-Derived Solution and References documents will be considered in the judging. However, it is also acceptable to submit a single, merged PDF file (with the components clearly labeled).

Do we need to have an eRA commons account or System of Award Management (SAM) registration to enter?

No. However, Participant Organizations are encouraged to request and obtain a free Unique Entity ID, if they have not already done so, via , as this will expedite prize payment.  

Can we make revisions or corrections to our entry after we submit it?

Yes, but only if you submit your revised entry prior to the submission deadline of 11:59 p.m. ET, on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

Selection and Awarding of Prizes

Who will be reviewing the entries?

All submissions that are responsive and meet the ��Ի� rules will be evaluated and scored by qualified expert employees of the federal government using the criteria specified in the Challenge Announcement. The results of the evaluation will be provided to a Judging Panel composed of NIH and other federal staff.

How many awards will be made?

Up to nine awards may be made.

Are there different categories for selecting prizes (for example, youth vs. adult focused)?

No, there are no separate categories for submission or judging.

Is there a preference for certain types of Participant Organizations in the judging?

No, the type of Participant Organization is not a factor in judging.

Are there requirements regarding how the prize money will be used?

No. We hope that the prize money will be used to sustain, expand, or further evaluate the solution, but awardees are free to use the prize money as they wish.

How should the prize money be allocated to the Collaborating Organizations/Agencies?

This is left to the discretion of the Participant and Collaborating Organizations/Agencies. NIH will not be involved in how the prize money is distributed to collaborators.

Do the prize winners have to report progress to NIH?

No. Prizes will be awarded for successful efforts to reduce menthol cigarette smoking, not planned future efforts.

How does the copyright and licensing work?

For federal Challenges, each Participant Organization grants to the NIH an irrevocable, paid-up, royalty-free nonexclusive worldwide license to reproduce, publish, post, link to, share, and display publicly the submission on the web or elsewhere, and a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice, or have practiced for or on its behalf, the solution throughout the world. 

For this Challenge, this means that NIH has permission to feature descriptions of the winning solutions on NIH websites, newsletters, social media platforms, or other public outlets. NIH will not otherwise be implementing or marketing the solutions. Participant Organizations retain the right to use or transfer their solutions, as applicable. 

Contact

Email ODP at ODP-QuitThriveChallenge@nih.gov with any questions about the Challenge, rules and requirements, or help submitting your materials.

Winners

Winners are listed in alphabetical order, along with their project titles and brief descriptions of their community-derived solutions.

Entry: Passing ordinances to remove menthol and flavored tobacco products from the marketplace

This solution focused principally on organizing African Americans and other communities with high smoking rates to pass local and state ordinances that would end the sale of menthol and all flavored tobacco products. This solution has proven very successful. To date, over 120 localities have outlawed the sale of menthol cigarettes. The AATCLC led the initial fights in Chicago, Minneapolis, Berkeley, and San Francisco, which led the way for the nation-wide push.

Entry: Quit Menthol Now: Peer-Led Action for Smoke-Free Communities

Quit Menthol Now is a peer-led, community-driven initiative that combines digital geofencing, youth mentorship, mobile quit pop-ups, and public art to reduce menthol cigarette use in populations with high rates of use, including racial and ethnic minority populations, LGB individuals, and low-income communities in Southern California. Trained peer navigators deliver culturally tailored education and cessation support, while toolkits and media activations engage retailers, schools, and the public to shift norms and promote long-term behavior change.

Entry: Communities of Trust, Communities of Health: Youth-Derived Solutions to Menthol & Tobacco Use in Prince George's County, Maryland

In an age of influencers, Community Builders has mobilized youth, provided them with education, personal development, technical skills, and communication resources to become Health Ambassadors (HAs), who teach their peers and community about the ills of tobacco use and resources to quit. The model is integrated into two communities of trust: 1. African American churches, and 2. Middle Schools, where the HAs have support systems needed to be confident and effective in helping their communities.

Entry: Think Twice: Empowering Responsible Tobacco Retail Practices Across Pennsylvania

Think Twice is fully digital, 100% video-driven public health campaign developed by Health Promotion Council (HPC) and Perry Media Group and funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH).  Designed to reduce underage tobacco sales and promote compliance with tobacco sale laws, the campaign leverages innovative digital tools to engage tobacco retailers and at-risk communities.

Entry: Trauma-Informed Ministry-Based Menthol Cessation Outreach

KPCooper Ministries Inc. implemented a trauma-informed, faith-based outreach initiative to reduce menthol cigarette use among underserved populations in rural Georgia. The program integrated cessation education into ministry services, reaching individuals impacted by addiction, incarceration, and targeted tobacco marketing.

Entry: Pennsylvania Menthol Tobacco Capacity Building Project

The Pennsylvania Menthol Tobacco Capacity Building Project includes three complimentary approaches: 1) health education and awareness raising for the general public, 2) training and capacity building for organizations and professionals, and 3) the addition of a menthol tobacco-specific treatment program offered through the PA free quit line via 1-800 QUIT NOW.

Entry: TIGHT4Life; a Transformational Intervention 4 Grassroots Help and Training: How barbers, beauticians, dance instructors, and physical trainers are improving wellness in the Black Community.

TIGHT4Life is a grassroots program that empowers trusted community members as Community Wellness Ambassadors (CWAs). Using SERT (Screen, Educate, Refer, Track) and the Transtheoretical Model of Change, CWAs deliver culturally tailored menthol tobacco education, cessation support, and referrals while engaging in policy advocacy to reduce menthol cigarette smoking in African American communities.

Entry: NYC Smoke-Free: Menthol Awareness Through Art and Community Action

NYC Smoke-Free, a program of Public Health Solutions, works to protect and promote the health of all New Yorkers by addressing the harms of commercial tobacco and nicotine products through policy, advocacy, and education.  The program partners with community members, organizations, elected officials, faith-based organizations, and public health advocates to advance efforts that will reduce the impact of commercial tobacco and nicotine use throughout New York City. In NYC, 47.1% of adults smoke menthol cigarettes; of these, 89% are African American and 68% are Latino. Through our Reality Check youth program, media campaigns, and community engagement, we address the issue, reduce menthol tobacco use, and encourage tobacco free norms.

Entry: The North Carolina Youth Council’s Quit and Thrive Challenge

The Raleigh Youth Council’s Quit and Thrive Challenge is a social media campaign designed to reduce menthol cigarette and e-cigarette use among youth and racial and ethnic minorities by using community-derived solutions. Led by a youth participant herself, the project partnered with the North Carolina Youth Council to ultimately develop and distribute three short-form videos tailored for social media platforms.

Entry: Addictive by Design – Public Awareness Campaign

The Addictive by Design campaign educated Rhode Islanders about menthol and flavored tobacco’s dangers, focusing on populations exposed to extensive tobacco marketing. Using research-driven messaging, digital ads, Spanish radio, and community partnerships, the campaign generated 33,000+ new users to QuitNowRI.com during its initial launch in 2024. With adaptable assets, strong partnerships, and data-driven strategies, the campaign provides a sustainable, scalable model for future efforts.

Entry: Banning Flavors, Saving Lives: Empowering Sacramento Communities Against Menthol

The SOL Project empowered Sacramento communities against menthol to adopt local flavored tobacco sales restriction policies with City of Sacramento (2019) and two more areas (2022). Focused on two groups with high levels of menthol cigarette use, African Americans and youth, SOL engaged the community and led coalition partners in educational outreach and innovative advocacy. Comparisons before and after the policy period show a reduction in flavored tobacco use, decreased menthol cigarettes in stores, and increased quitline calls.

Entry: Closing Gaps in Care: A System-Based Approach to Tobacco Cessation

WellSpace Health implemented a community-driven tobacco cessation initiative across three cohorts, embedding workflows in primary, immediate, and women’s healthcare settings to reach underserved patients. Scaling rapidly from a small pilot to reaching 16+ sites, WSH integrates EHR tools, provider training, outreach, and Kick It California referrals (KIC)--accounting for 10.3% of statewide KIC referrals in the first cohort alone.

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