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Appendix A: 

Funding Recommendation Formulations 

The funding recommendations in this publication are based on the funding formulas presented 

in Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs—2007. However, Best Practices for 

Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs—2014

updates the guidance provided in 2007, reflecting additional state experiences in implementing 

comprehensive tobacco control programs, new 

scientific literature, and changes in state populations, inflation, and the national tobacco control 

landscape since its previous release. The recommended levels of investment (per capita 

and total) are presented in 2013 dollars using 

2012 population estimates. To account for inflation and changes in the U.S. population over 

time, these estimates can be updated using 

data from the U.S. Department of Labor Consumer Price Index and U.S. Census Bureau.

Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco 

Control Programs—2014 provides a streamlined 

two-tier funding-level framework for each state: 

minimum and recommended. These minimum 

and recommended funding levels reflect the 

annual investment that each state should make 

in order to fund and sustain a comprehensive 

tobacco control program. However, it is 

important to note that additional investments 

are also required at the societal level in order 

to most effectively reduce tobacco use. 

State and Community 

Interventions

The budget formula and state-by-state calculations 

for the state and community interventions component of the report were generally based on the 

Best Practices—2007 funding formulas, adjusted 

for population changes and inflation. However, 

for the 2014 update of Best Practices, the state and 

community interventions formula includes only 

two major components: state interventions and 

community interventions. The 2014 formula does 

not specifically include chronic disease programs 

to reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases, school programs, and enforcement as major 

components. However, activities in these three 

areas may still be undertaken within the framework of state and community interventions. 

Minimum and recommended funding 

levels were established for each state on the 

basis of the following budget items, which 

in turn are based on the experiences of 

comprehensive tobacco control programs with 

robust state and community programs, as 

previously outlined in Best Practices—2007.

Minimum level: The minimum funding level was 

equal to the sum of minimum statewide and 

community intervention costs. The minimum 

statewide intervention cost was equal to the total 

population in each state, multiplied by a variable statewide cost per person (state range: $0.58 

to $1.46) that was adjusted for six state-specific 

factors and inflation. The minimum community intervention cost was equal to the total 

population in each state, multiplied by a variable community cost per person (state range: 

$1.02 to $1.61), adjusted for six state-specific factors and inflation, and added to a community 

base (state range in millions: $1.24 to $1.75).

Recommended level: The recommended funding level was equal to the sum of recommended 

statewide and community intervention costs. The 

recommended statewide intervention cost was 

equal to the minimum statewide intervention cost 

(which was adjusted for six state-specific factors 

and inflation) multiplied by a ratio of 1.25. The recommended community intervention cost was equal 

to the minimum community intervention cost 

(which was adjusted for six state-specific factors 

and inflation) multiplied by a ratio of 1.25. 

The six state-specific factors that were used for 

adjustment included:

 Prevalence of smoking among adults

 Average wage rates for implementing 

public health programs

 The proportion of individuals within the state 

living at or below 200% of the poverty level
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Appendix A: Funding Recommendation Formulations

 The proportion of the population that 

is a racial/ethnic minority (i.e., race/

ethnicity other than non-Hispanic White)

 The state’s geographic size

 The state’s infrastructure as reflected by the 

number of local governmental health units

Mass-Reach Health 

Communication Interventions

The budget formula and state-by-state calculations 

for the mass-reach health communication interventions component of the report were obtained using 

SQAD® 2014 cost projections for three campaign 

types: 1) motivating smokers to quit; 2) protecting people from the harms of secondhand smoke 

exposure; and 3) transforming social norms to 

prevent tobacco use initiation. Television media 

exposure was chosen because television is the primary mass-reach health communication vehicle 

used by most states.

Minimum level: The minimum level comprises 

delivery of an average of 1,200 GRPs per quarter for four quarters for an introductory campaign 

addressing either motivating smokers to quit 

(media buying target: adults 25–54 years of age) 

or protecting people from the harms of secondhand smoke exposure (media buying target: adults 

25–54 years of age); and delivery of an average of 800 GRPs per quarter for four quarters for 

each of two ongoing campaigns: one to address 

transforming social norms to prevent tobacco use 

initiation (media buying target: youth and young 

adults 12–24 years of age) and one to address the 

campaign type not addressed in the introductory 

campaign (i.e. motivating smokers to quit or protecting people from the harms of secondhand 

smoke exposure). 

Also, a 20% discount in each state’s costs was 

made on the basis of assumed efficiencies gained 

from media negotiation and message synergies 

when three campaigns are run simultaneously. 

Some states receive the majority of their television 

exposure from stations in out-of-state markets. In 

these cases, a statistical approach was used to cap 

per capita funding at $2.16 with the assumption 

that media plans would be developed on the 

basis of cost-efficient media, such as digital.

Recommended level: The recommended level comprises delivery of an average of 1,600 GRPs per 

quarter for four quarters for an introductory campaign addressing either motivating smokers to 

quit (media buying target: adults 25–54 years of 

age) or protecting people from the harms of secondhand smoke exposure (media buying target: 

adults 25–54 years of age); and delivery of an average of 1,200 GRPs per quarter for four quarters for 

each of two ongoing campaigns: one to address 

transforming social norms to prevent tobacco use 

initiation (media buying target: youth and young 

adults 12–24 years of age) and one to address the 

campaign type not addressed in the introductory 

campaign (i.e. motivating smokers to quit or protecting people from the harms of secondhand 

smoke exposure).

Also, a 20% discount in each state’s costs was 

made on the basis of assumed efficiencies gained 

from media negotiation and message synergies 

when three campaigns are run simultaneously. 

Some states receive the majority of their television 

exposure from stations in out-of-state markets. In 

these cases, a statistical approach was used to cap 

per capita funding at $3.10 with the assumption 

that media plans would be developed on the 

basis of cost-efficient media, such as digital.

Cessation Interventions

The budget formula and state-by-state calculations 

for the cessations interventions component of the 

report were based on four primary components: 

(1) promoting health systems changes; (2) providing quitline counseling; (3) providing nicotine 

replacement therapy through quitlines; and (4) providing cessation services via other technologies.

Minimum level: The minimum funding level was 

equal to the sum of costs associated with promoting health systems changes, providing quitline 

counseling, providing nicotine replacement therapy 

through quitlines, and providing cessation services 

via other technologies. 

The costs of promoting health systems changes 

were determined using a fixed cost per state 

($150,000) added to a variable cost allocated in 

proportion to a state’s total population ($17,850,000 

total). The costs of providing quitline counseling 

were determined using the number of quitline 

counseling sessions received by adult smokers per 

state (assumed percent of adult smokers calling 
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Appendix A: Funding Recommendation Formulations

quitline for assistance = 8% and percent who 

receive quitline counseling = 90%) multiplied 

by cost per call ($45.60). The costs of providing 

nicotine replacement therapy through quitlines were 

determined using the number of quitline nicotine 

replacement therapy treatments received by adult 

smokers per state (assumed percent of adult smokers 

calling quitline for assistance = 8%) multiplied by 

the estimated cost of providing 2 weeks of quitline 

nicotine replacement therapy ($38.00). The costs of 

providing cessation services via other technologies 

were set at a fixed value of $135,000 per state. 

Recommended level: The recommended funding 

level was equal to the sum of costs associated with 

promoting health systems changes, providing quitline counseling, providing nicotine replacement 

therapy through quitlines, and providing cessation 

services via other technologies. 

The costs of promoting health systems changes 

were determined using a fixed cost per state 

($150,000) added to a variable cost allocated in 

proportion to a state’s total population ($17,850,000 

total). The costs of providing quitline counseling 

were determined using the number of quitline 

counseling sessions received by adult smokers per 

state (assumed percent of adult smokers calling 

quitline for assistance = 13% and percent who 

receive quitline counseling = 90%) multiplied 

by cost per call ($45.60). The costs of providing 

nicotine replacement therapy through quitlines were 

determined using the number of quitline nicotine 

replacement therapy treatments received by adult 

smokers per state (assumed percent of adult smokers 

calling quitline for assistance = 13%) multiplied by 

the estimated cost of providing 2 weeks of quitline 

nicotine replacement therapy ($38.00). The costs of 

providing cessation services via other technologies 

were set at a fixed value of $135,000 per state. 

Surveillance and Evaluation

The budget formula and state-by-state calculations 

for the surveillance and evaluation component of 

the report were obtained by calculating 10% of 

the combined funding recommendation for state 

and community interventions, mass-reach health 

communication interventions, and cessation interventions in each state. 

Infrastructure, Administration, 

and Management

The budget formula and state-by-state calculations 

for the infrastructure, administration and management component of the report were obtained by 

calculating 5% of the combined funding recommendation for state and community interventions, 

mass-reach health communication interventions, 

and cessation interventions in each state.