About Us

Overall, we seek to change society’s
norms regarding tobacco consumption &
to continue to educate Arkansans about the
dangers of tobacco.

Our Mission

The mission of the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISRGO) is specifically to prevent and reduce tobacco use in minority communities, including vaping.

Who We Are

In November 2000, Arkansans passed Initiated Act One, which directed a portion of Arkansas’ Master Tobacco Settlement revenue to the Arkansas Department of Health for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

This included funding specifically for tobacco prevention and cessation programs in minority communities and hence the inception of the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office, also known as the 15% Set-A-Side.

Since its inception in 2002, the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISRGO) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and its sub-recipient agencies have been at the forefront in the fight to eliminate the negative effects of tobacco in Arkansas’ minority communities.

MISRGO is unique in that not only do we seek to educate on the ills of tobacco consumption, but also provide grant funding opportunities to organizations that wish to advocate tobacco-free lives/lifestyle within their communities. To date, 100+ organizations (new and continuing) for an estimated total of $12+ million have received funding.

MISRGO has placed tobacco settlement funding back into 80% of Arkansas counties for tobacco prevention and education in minority communities through community workshops and health communication initiatives. The results of these tobacco prevention and cessation interventions can be seen through the works of grassroots organizations, in the areas of policy change, youth engagement, community engagement and mass health communications. MISRGO is determined and dedicated to continuing to work with organizations that take the health effects of tobacco seriously and show a passion for achieving results as well as making a difference in their communities.

Our office is responsible for addressing the devastating effects of tobacco consumption within Arkansas’ minority communities by preventing the initiation of tobacco use among youth, promoting cessation among youth and adults, eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke, and identifying and eliminating disparities from tobacco use among different population groups.

We represent a collaboration of organizations at the state and university level committed to ending tobacco’s impact on the state’s minority populations.

Organizational Chart University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Divison of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development 15% Set-A-Side Programs

CHANCELLOR*

University of arkansas at pine bluff

Arkansas

department of health*

15% Set-a-side

advisory committee*

vice chancellor for research,

Innovation and economic development and project officer

VCRIED OFFICE STAFF

VCRIED grant writer

VICE CHANCELLOR FOR RESEARCH UAMS & UA

Faculty / postdoc UAMS - TBA

Director misrgo

Program coordinator misrgo (60%)

project program specialist (3)

administrative specialist

associate for administration

Interim project Director mrc (40%)

Project program manager MRC

Interim project Director graduate addiction studies program

GASP FACULTY (2)

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

*Within thirty (30) days of receipt of moneys into the Prevention and Cessation Program Account, fifteen percent (15%) of those moneys shall be deposited into a special account within the prevention and cessation account at the Department of Health to be expended for tobacco prevention and cessation in minority communities as directed by the Director of the Department of Health in consultation with the Chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the President of the Arkansas Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Association, and the League of United Latin American Citizens. Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000

Set-Aside-Committee Structure

External Advisory Board

Dr. Calvin Johnson

Director MISRGO

Dr. Cesar Compadre

Voting Member

Dr. Billy Thomas

Voting Member

Rep. Vivian Flowers

Voting Member

UAPB Program Leaders

Dr. Calvin Johnson

Director MISRGO

Dr. Laurence B. Alexander

Chancellor,

University of Arkansas at
Pine Bluff

Dr. Trina Fletcher

Interim Vice Chancellor,

Division of Research, Innovation & Economic Development, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Dr. Marian S. Evans

Program Coordinator,

MISRGO/Interim Director MRC

Dr. Cynthia Troutman

Interim Program Director,

Graduate Addiction Studies Program, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Staff

Ms. Connie Robinson

Administrative Specialist III

870-575-8923

Ms. Patricia Edwards

Program Monitor /

Project Specialist / Outreach

870-575-8258

edwardsp@uapb.edu

Ms. Carmelo Abraham

Accountant

870-575-7223

abrahamc@uapb.edu

Ms. Ruthie Johnson

Program Monitor / Project Specialist

870-575-8933

johnsonrd@uapb.edu

Our Grantees

In addition to the development of minority-focused advertisements and public relations activities targeting communities of color, MISRGO utilizes grassroots organizations–our Grantees–to educate our publics about the dangers of tobacco use and providing them with the tools they need to quit.

These grantees:

Have broad-based support across the State for their tobacco prevention and cessation work.

Have a strong track record of success based on past performance. For example, in the last eight years, the majority of MISRGO grantees met or exceeded their annual performance goals.