The University of Iowa actively supports and promotes a culture of health and well-being for all campus community members. By providing grant funds directly to departments for activities that promote physical and emotional health and well-being, liveWELL aims to make practicing healthy habits in the workplace easier, which in turn supports a culture of health on campus.
How to Apply
- Complete the application through workflow.
- You will be contacted within 5-10 business days to discuss your application.
- You will be notified within 30 calendar days if your application will be funded.
- Applications are reviewed by a team of liveWELL and Human Resources staff.
- Suggestions or changes to the application may be recommended to comply with wellness grant guidelines (see below).
- Complete your wellness grant activity or purchase within 90 days of the date your application is approved.
How to Receive Reimbursement
- Complete the evaluation form within 90 days of your wellness grant approval date including uploading paid receipts and photos of the wellness grant activity or purchase.
- If the evaluation form is not completed within 90 days of the wellness grant approval date, please submit a new wellness grant application. Wellness grant funds are limited and awarded on a first come first serve basis throughout the fiscal year (July - June).
- After the evaluation form is completed, funds will be transferred to the appropriate MFK.
Packaged Wellness Grants
- See the approved list below under Wellness Grant Ideas
- If you are approved for a packaged wellness grant, liveWELL will complete the purchase on the department's behalf, so reimbursement is not needed.
- The requestor must still complete the evaluation form to provide feedback on the event and share photos.
Guidelines for Wellness Grant Funds
Applications for Wellness Grants must meet all of the following criteria in order to be approved.
- Requested funds may not exceed $10 per person.
- Maximum of $500 will be awarded one time annually for a request.
- First qualified are first served as funding is limited. Funding is based on fiscal year budgets—only one wellness grant per applicant (work unit) will be awarded each fiscal year.
- Applications should be environmentally conscious and must promote physical and/or emotional well-being.
- Wellness Grant funds should directly impact participants' mental or physical health in a measurable way. Staff appreciation or morale-boosting efforts may be more applicable for the Staff Appreciation Grant Program.
- All employees in your unit have access to participate in the activity, program, or event.
- All university regulations must be followed.
- The unit must commit to completing an outcome evaluation.
- Wellness grants cannot be used to cover speaker fees or food (these are considered departmental expenses.) To request a presentation from a liveWELL team member please visit the Department Well-Being Toolbox.
- For onsite, virtual, or hybrid exercise instruction, liveWELL exclusively utilizes Recreational Services to fulfill these requests.
- Wellness Grants cannot be used to purchase kitchen appliances for break rooms.
Approved Wellness Grants are funded via reimbursement with the required documentation noted below and completion of the evaluation form.
- Paid receipts for any purchases (required)
- Number of staff, faculty, and others benefiting from the Wellness Grant project (required)
- Photo documentation of activity (optional)
Ideas for Wellness Grants
Wellness Grants will be awarded to applicants who focus on top well-being areas for University of Iowa faculty and staff such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management/relaxation and sleep.
Previous Wellness Grants
- Art supplies for creative expression
- Onsite chair massages with a Licensed Massage Therapist
- Hand held massager
- Onsite outdoor picnic table
- Fitness equipment such as yoga mats, resistance bands, exercise balls, etc.
- Supplies to support packing a healthy lunch. Pair with a liveWELL workshop on Healthy Meal Planning.
- Supplies for a community garden. Work with your local facilities management team for approval.
Packaged Wellness Grants
Departments can apply for a package from the following options. These grants do not require reimbursement. liveWELL will purchase these items for the department. The Wellness Grant funding guideline of no more than $10 per person up to $500 max still applies.
- $250 or $500 Respite Room package. Includes items such as massagers, essential oils, noise machine, weighted eye pillows, light therapy lamp, and air plants.
- $250 or $500 Fitness Space package. Includes items such as yoga starter kit, exercise mat, resistance bands, walking pad, and dumbbells.
- Minimum persons required for the $250 package is 25, and minimum persons required for the $500 package is 50.
- You will receive a complete list of items once the grant is approved based on changes in item price and availability.
- Mindfulness Workshop with Brad Baldwin, 8-Week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher and CEO of Aperture. Minimum persons required for this wellness grant is 25. Must provide requested date, time, and location for the workshop in the application.
- Fit to Go group exercise classes with Recreational Services. Minimum persons required for this grant is 10 for a single virtual class or 12 for an onsite class. Must provide requested date, time, and location for the workshop in the application.
All shared equipment should be in accessible area where all employees are able to use it. A plan for maintenance and upkeep of this shared resource needs to be provided in the application.