The Paso del Norte Health Foundation seeks letters of intent (LOI) from eligible organizations to support the Health Foundation’s goals under the Smoke Free Initiative through nonpartisan, policy-relevant THC research that supports policy discussion, planning, preparedness, and decision-making in the Paso del Norte region. Grants will fund policy research related to the Paso del Norte region in one or more of the following interest areas:

• Policy Analysis and Comparative Review may examine international, national, or other states’ THC-related public policies, regulatory approaches, and emerging topics that could affect or inform the Paso del Norte region. For example, researchers may analyze the legal consequences of New Mexico’s TCH policy on Texas youth. The emphasis of this area is twofold: 1) cross-border policy implications within the region, and 2) learning policy lessons from outside the region for the identifiable benefit of the Paso del Norte region. The emphasis of this area is to inform potential policy adoption or implementation within the region.

• THC Policy and Community Impacts includes research that examines a policy link to regional THC-related environments. For example, researchers may examine a policy related to THC-related arrests on high school campuses and disposition of cases, patterns of sale and use of THC products, or THC’s burden on mental health systems. The emphasis in this area is to describe current conditions in the region while linking them to policy.

• Public Attitudes and Stakeholder Perspectives concerning THC use, policy, regulation, or policy implementation in the Paso del Norte region are of interest. The funded work must inform policy discussion, planning, preparedness, or communication. For example, a researcher may use validated instruments to examine public perception regarding penalties for youth who use THC. The emphasis in this area is on describing public and stakeholder attitudes toward current or potential THC policy.

Across all interest areas, proposed work must remain nonpartisan and must have identifiable utility for stakeholders in the Paso del Norte region. Advocacy by the researcher for policy is not expected, and lobbying will not be funded.

Research that addresses only current use levels is discouraged.

Note: a separate LOI was simultaneously released seeking nonpartisan policy research and decision support related to tobacco, nicotine, and vaping in the Paso del Norte region.

The Health Foundation uses the LOI process to welcome ideas from interested applicants. After review, the Health Foundation will invite selected applicants to submit a full proposal.

Regional THC Policy Context The THC policy landscape continues to change. In addition, policy conditions related to THC differ across Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico, creating a regional environment in which residents, institutions, and local systems operate under different legal and regulatory conditions. Likewise, policy implementation varies among school districts, campuses, and across law enforcement agencies.

For technical questions about online submission, please contact Juanita Galaviz at jgalaviz@pdnhf.org. Please consult the Grantmaking Guidelines under the Grant Center.

Key Dates

• May 26, 2026 - Letters of intent are due via the Health Foundation’s online application system.
• June 16, 2026 - Invitations for full proposals will be announced. Invited applicants may be required to meet with the Program Officer before submitting a full proposal.
• July 21, 2026 - Full proposals due.
• October 1, 2026 - The projected funding cycle start date. Other dates may be proposed.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, consulting firms, and other qualified agencies with demonstrated expertise relevant to this LOI and the capacity to produce clear, useful products for regional stakeholders.

Service Region

The Health Foundation operates in a unique binational environment, which stretches across two countries and three states. This region is home to 2.4 million people living in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties in far west Texas; Doña Ana, Luna, and Otero Counties in southern New Mexico; and the municipality of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico.