For American Stroke Month, Dallas-based American Heart Association is introducing an urban health accelerator geared toward funding concrete business solutions that inspire the community to improve its health.

The EmPOWERED To Serve Urban Health Accelerator will target businesses tackling problems detrimental to health, including affordable housing, childhood obesity, health care and insurance, public health, access to healthy food, and more.

Applications are open through June 30.

EmPOWERED To Serve grew out of the work of American Heart Association and American Stroke Association volunteers. It’s a multicultural movement that utilizes ambassadors focused on creating change in health justice, such as inspiring communities to adopt healthy habits, increasing the number of CPR trained people, or eliminating food deserts.

“The American Heart Association knows that to empower change within multicultural communities and help reduce the gap in health disparities among minorities, we need to engage and support community leaders and innovators,” said Christa Chambers-Price, EmPOWERED To Serve Urban Health Accelerator spokesperson, in a release. 

Applicants for the accelerator must complete an application on the EmPOWERED To Serve website in addition to submitting a 60-90-second video uploaded to YouTube that explains their health-related project.

Those selected will go through a six- to eight-week program, which will include instruction on customer discovery, marketing strategies, and brand storytelling, according to the American Heart Association. 

Finalists will present their businesses during the EmPOWERED To Serve Summit on Oct. 16, in Baltimore, Maryland for a chance at up to $30,000 in grants. Candidates also will have opportunities to network with the American Heart Association’s local affiliates, corporations, and others in the community. 

Applications are open through June 30. To find more information and apply, go here.