Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation (Boston, MA)

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation announced nearly $1.8 million in grants as it expands investments in two key grant programs focused on racial justice in health and community-based mental health.

The foundation expanded its Racial Justice in Health program to a third funding year, enabling grant partners to continue building their capacity and expertise in health care advocacy as they aim to advance policies and practices that promote racial justice and equity in health care delivery. The following organizations led by people of color will receive $72,250 each for their respective initiatives:

  • Asian Women for Health—to work on implementation of the recently passed state Data Equity Law as well as work to improve language access and inclusion in health policies.
  • Brookview House—to work with young people and focus on the intersection of substance use disorders and oral health.
  • GreenRoots—to work on policies to improve air quality and other environmental health issues that impact the health and health outcomes in their communities.
  • La Colaborativa—to work on health care enrollment and efforts to expand access to health care for immigrants.
  • Somali Development Center—to work on efforts to improve oral health care and increase health care access for newly arrived refugees and immigrants.
  • The Welcome Project—to advance efforts for equitable, healthy, and safe working conditions for immigrant workers as a means to improve community health.

The foundation also awarded grants through its Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health program to five nonprofit organizations that are training nonclinical staff to offer support to clients experiencing mild to moderate mental health distress. The following organizations received $150,000 each to continue their projects to improve access to community-based mental health services and expand the behavioral health workforce:

  • Boston Senior Home Care—to improve access to community-based mental health services through a supportive housing program, Supporting Connections.
  • Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee—to support its Journey to Hope program which focuses on underserved individuals including low-wage earners, those with limited English-language proficiency, people with disabilities, seniors, and residents of subsidized housing.
  • Quincy Asian Resources Inc.—to train its family and community services coordinators to support the mental health challenges of clients who have an immigrant background, typically speak Chinese or Vietnamese, and have experienced acculturation stress.
  • Stavros Center for Independent Living—to implement the Project Management Plus model with a program called Take Charge to support people living with disabilities in western Massachusetts who have difficulty getting mental health services.
  • The Community Builders Inc.—to support its Village Connections program which focuses on individuals with low incomes and often in need of mental health care who live in family-designated affordable housing in Boston, Mashpee, and Worcester, Massachusetts.

In addition, the foundation is providing a total of $270,161 to two technical assistance partners, The Family Van and Partners In Health, for the development and implementation of the Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health grant program.

The foundation also provided one-time grants through its Special Initiatives program. It will provide a total of $300,000 to six nonprofit organizations that are working to improve health care access across Massachusetts.

  • Girls Inc. of the Valley—to advance health care access and health equity by creating new low-barrier, no-cost mental health services for BIPOC youth from low-income families, integrated within its programs.
  • Northeast Arc—to support a statewide telehealth service, StationMD, that will increase health care access and improve outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • Saheli Inc.—to create a cultural competency training program to increase the capacity of frontline hospital staff to recognize domestic and family violence occurring in the South Asian and Arab communities.
  • UMass Amherst—for a community collaboration between the university’s Elaine Marieb College of Nursing and the Bay Area Neighborhood Council that will address racial disparities in maternal health by bringing health education and resources to the majority Black and Hispanic Bay neighborhood in Springfield, Massachusetts.
  • Vital CxNs—to support a pilot project that will convene health providers, city government, and residents who will create a roadmap for diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention efforts, focused on communities of color in Boston, Massachusetts’ Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods.
  • Worcester RISE—for a project that will provide cross-cultural and trauma-informed training for behavioral health providers to better serve new migrant arrivals, including education on psychological first aid and mentorship programs for community health staff, resettlement case managers, and outreach workers.

Contact: Greg Turner at 617.243.9950 or greg@ballcg.com.

Dogwood Health Trust (Asheville, NC)

Dogwood Health Trust awarded more than $15 million to 47 organizations providing out-of-school-time (OST) programs in western North Carolina with priority to programs serving Black students, English-language learners, students with disabilities, and students experiencing poverty.

The grants will focus on providing funding over a three- to five-year timeframe and range from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on organizational capacity. Funding for the initiative is divided into four focus areas:

  • Providing culturally competent programming​.
  • Replicating or expanding a successful model​.
  • Addressing the social and emotional needs of students and OST providers​.
  • Developing new and innovative programs.​

To learn more and access the full list of grantees, click here.

The Foundation for a Healthy High Point (High Point, NC)

The Foundation for a Healthy High Point announced its Fall 2023 grant awards totaling $1,102,834. The local efforts will address access to care, behavioral health, food security, health promotion, immigrants and refugees, maternal and child health, violence prevention, workforce development, and youth-serving organizations.

The approved Fall 2023 grant recipients are:

  • Community Clinic of High Point—to implement an electronic medical records system which will help the clinic improve coordination of care with specialty/acute care providers and streamline external communications with medical partners and pharmacies. ($103,720)
  • Triad Health Project—to expand its prevention services, including increased PrEP Care Program enrollment, increased engagement of Black men and college-aged youth, and access to telehealth for HIV and Hepatitis C testing and treatment services. ($100,000)
  • Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation—to support the Healthy Minds initiative. ($30,000)
  • Guilford Adult Health, Inc.—to fund a Behavioral Health Clinician who is a licensed clinical social worker with medical specialization to provide integrated behavioral health services at High Point Medical Center and the Community Clinic of High Point. ($80,000)
  • A Simple Gesture—to deepen its RePurpose perishable food recovery program. ($50,000)
  • Greater High Point Food Alliance—to support administrative expenses and capacity building and position it for growth and potential expansion. ($40,000)
  • Growing High Point—to support capacity-building endeavors that will enable it to increase its urban farming footprint, boost crop production, and ultimately support small business entrepreneurship and increase access to healthy food in the core city. ($70,000)
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point—to support the start-up for the “Kids Cuisine 101” health promotion program, which focuses on promoting healthy eating and developing cooking skills. ($50,000)
  • Go Out For A Run (GO FAR)—to help build its capacity through new staff positions and developing new programs and curriculum. ($61,100)
  • FaithAction International—to advance the rights, resources, and well-being of individuals and families who are directly impacted by their immigrant and refugee experiences. ($30,000)
  • The University of North Carolina at Greensboro—to support the Center for New North Carolinians to help immigrants and refugees connect with and navigate health care and other existing resources through its Immigrant Health Access Project. ($32,340)
  • Guilford County DHHS, Division of Public Health—to support the Guilford Family Connects program to fund personnel costs for the full-time registered nurse assigned to High Point, North Carolina. ($207,199)
  • Randolph Partnership for Children—to expand an evidence-based program to support parents and early childhood development specifically in Archdale and Trinity. ($20,000)
  • Children’s Law Center—to expand its reach in High Point, North Carolina, and work to raise awareness about its services among newly appointed judges. ($40,000)
  • Children & Families First (Formerly Guilford Child Development)—to build upon the NFP program by creating a career development and training program specifically for NFP clients. ($75,000)
  • Community Housing Solutions of Guilford, Inc.—to help establish an internship program with the goals of expanding its capacity to meet growing demand, establish a pipeline for hiring new construction leaders, and create a workforce and leadership development program for individuals living in the communities that CHS serves. ($40,000)
  • Operation Xcel—to support health and behavioral health enrichment activities through afterschool and summer programming in High Point, North Carolina. ($38,475)
  • YMCA of High Point, Inc.—to establish one of its national YMCA programs in High Point, North Carolina. The Y Readers summer learning loss program mitigates learning loss and supports students to be reading at grade level by third grade. ($35,000)

In addition, the foundation also funded three small grants including:

  • A Simple Gesture—to provide refrigerators to High Point Schools as a part of the SHARE program. ($10,000)
  • Guilford Education Alliance—to fund the High Point Schools Partnership to explore the feasibility of a collective impact approach and measurement systems across youth-serving organizations. ($10,000)
  • United Way of Greater High Point—to support its strategic planning process. ($10,000)

Health Foundation for Western & Central New York (Buffalo and Syracuse, NY)

The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York announced a grant of $150,000 to the New York State Association for Rural Health (NYSARH) to enhance their efforts on behalf of rural communities across the state.

As the only statewide “voice for rural health,” NYSARH’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of rural New Yorkers. NYSARH has 105 organizational members, including 31 rural health networks across the state, and collaborates with public, private, and philanthropic partners such as the New York State Office for Rural Health and Community Health Care Association of New York State.

Recently, NYSARH embarked on a new strategic plan that will include the hiring of an Executive Director in 2024 and a fundraising campaign to continue strengthening their efforts and reach new communities.

Across New York State, rural health disparities are significant due to structural issues such as a lack of health care providers, workers, and facilities; high rates of poverty; food insecurity; poor transportation infrastructure; affordable housing shortages; and more.

NYSARH advocates for change on these issues and uplifts the value and positive attributes of New York’s rural areas, such as diverse but tight-knit communities, economic assets, and natural resources. NYSARH’s efforts include outreach to legislators and policymakers; raising awareness of rural health needs in the community through educational events or resources; and promoting collaboration and partnership among rural health providers, government agencies, and other partners.

The award to NYSARH is made possible by a gift the foundation received from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in 2022. In 2023, the first use of the Scott gift was grants to six rural health networks across western and central New York to kick off the Health Foundation’s Transform Rural Health campaign.

Contact: Kerry Jones Waring at 716.380.7319 or kjwaring@hfwcny.org.

Kansas Health Foundation (Wichita, KS)

Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) recently launched the Building Power and Equity Partnership with a 10-year investment of up to $30 million. The foundation will partner with 30 grassroots organizations working to address issues of racial equity statewide.

Below is a list of organizations agreeing to partner with KHF on this effort:

  • Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation
  • Alce su Voz at Wichita State University
  • Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills
  • Community Housing of Wyandotte County
  • Common Ground Producers and Growers
  • Create Campaign
  • Destination Innovation
  • Emporia Spanish Speakers
  • Empower Evergreen
  • Fort Hays State University: Diversity and Inclusion
  • Garden City Community College: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
  • Groundwork Northeast Revitalization Group
  • Hope Community Development Corporation
  • Kansas Birth Justice Society
  • Kansas Black Farmers Association
  • Kansas Family Advisory Network
  • Kansas Latino Community Network
  • Loud Light
  • Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE2)
  • Carmel Redevelopment Corporation
  • Omni Circle Group
  • Pittsburg State University: Office of Inclusion and Belonging
  • Rosedale Development Association
  • Salud + Bienestar
  • SENT Topeka
  • Suburban Balance
  • The Black MasterMind Group Charitable Foundation
  • The Hub Argentine
  • The Neighboring Movement
  • The Toolbox

To learn more, click here.

New York Community Trust (New York, NY)

The New York Community Trust announced $7.7 million in grants to 39 nonprofit organizations working to better health and well-being in New York. Grantees address community needs, such as helping asylum seekers, assisting people living with cancer, and empowering women of color to launch their own businesses.

This latest round of grant recipients includes:

  • Cancer Care—to provide financial aid to cancer patients in need. ($310,000)
  • God’s Love We Deliver—to feed cancer patients who are undergoing treatment. ($310,000)
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—to help immigrants with cancer find and obtain treatment. ($310,000)
  • New York Legal Assistance Group—for legal services to connect people with cancer with treatment. ($310,000)
  • Care Coordination Fund—to create a collaboration fund in The Trust that improves care for homeless New Yorkers with mental illness who live on the streets. ($450,000)
  • INCLUDEnyc—to assist families of young children with disabilities enrolling in early childhood services. ($125,000)
  • New York Lawyers for the Public Interest—to advocate for a more efficient and fair application and recertification process for Access-A-Ride, a New York City program that provides public transportation to people with disabilities. ($250,000)
  • VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired—to provide training and resources for parents of visually impaired children. ($200,000)
  • Grantmakers In Aging and Grantmakers In Health—to engage philanthropy in advocacy to increase federal funding for older adult services through the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. ($60,000 each)
  • LiveOn NY—to promote civic literacy and voting among older adults. ($125,000)
  • University Settlement Society of New York—to provide comprehensive case management and social engagement to homebound Chinese and Latinx older adults. ($115,000)
  • Hot Bread Kitchen—to help low-income women of color start and expand small businesses in the food industry. ($100,000)
  • New York University—to expand a proven mentoring program for girls involved in the juvenile justice system. ($160,000)
  • Catholic Charities Community Services Archdiocese of New York—to provide legal assistance to newly arrived asylum seekers. ($300,000)
  • Freedom Agenda—to advocate to repurpose Rikers Island and reform the city’s approach to incarceration. ($150,000)
  • Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative—to aid unrepresented asylum seekers navigating immigration court. ($300,000)
  • North Star Fund—to support grassroots campaigns to end police violence against Black people. ($200,000)
  • UnLocal—to help prepare migrants to represent themselves during immigration proceedings. ($750,000)
  • The New School—to continue to analyze New York City’s economy and labor market. ($75,000)
  • Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York—to expand a youth organizing program for aspiring activists in New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties. ($100,000)
  • NPower—to expand a free technology training program for young people from low-income backgrounds. ($130,000)
  • Phipps Neighborhoods—to expand health care and building maintenance training programs for unemployed young people in the Bronx. ($130,000)
  • Brooklyn Arts Council—to use technology to help Brooklyn artists, residents, and organizations exchange resources and share skills. ($50,000)
  • Cool Culture—to build a citywide network of cultural equity advocates, including families, caregivers, educators, and artists. ($150,000)
  • Gibney Dance—to provide subsidized, accessible studio space to dance artists. ($100,000)
  • Latino Theater Company—to strengthen Latinx theater groups in New York City. ($450,000)
  • Queens Theatre—to grow its audience base of people with disabilities. ($250,000)
  • City Limits—to expand news coverage of the city’s public housing system. ($125,000)
  • Citizens Housing and Planning Council of New York—to support safe affordable housing production through zoning and regulatory reform. ($150,000)
  • New York State Tenants and Neighbors Information Service—to protect the rights of tenants in rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem. ($120,000)
  • People-Oriented Cities—to support redesign of the city’s bus system. ($90,000)
  • Preserving City Neighborhoods Housing Development Fund Corporation—to preserve affordable housing and prevent tenant displacement resulting from the closure of Signature Bank, which shuttered in March 2023. ($200,000)
  • Riders Alliance—to improve bus lane service in the outer boroughs. ($95,000)
  • Tri-State Transportation Campaign—to support the implementation of congestion pricing and other mass transit reforms. ($200,000)
  • CALSTART—to encourage a global transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. ($150,000)
  • Ceres—to decarbonize medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in several U.S. states. ($125,000)
  • Cause Effective—to provide intensive support to nonprofit leaders working to improve organizational culture, sustain services, and fundraise. ($174,000)
  • Lawyers Alliance for New York—to help nonprofits with the legal implications of financial challenges and economic uncertainty. ($300,000)

To learn more, click here.

Nord Family Foundation (Amherst, Ohio)

The Nord Family Foundation announced over $3.3 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in Colorado, Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, and South Carolina—along with other areas of interest.

The Health and Social Services grantees in this round of grantmaking include:

  • Blessing House—for continued general operating support. ($160,000 over two years)
  • Common Ground-The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal—for continued general operating support. ($210,000 over two years)
  • Doctors Care—for access to quality, affordable health care and program services for marginalized communities. ($30,000)
  • Emerald Development & Economic Network, Inc.—for continued general operating support in Lorain County. ($200,000 over two years)
  • Emerge A Mens Counseling Service on Domestic Violence Inc.—for continued support of the Responsible Fatherhood Program. ($12,500)
  • Enterprise Community Partners Inc., dba Enterprise Community Partners Inc. Cleveland—for continued general operating support in Cuyahoga County. ($50,000)
  • Epworth Children’s Home—for continued support of the Therapeutic Foster Family Program. ($50,000)
  • Lexington Medical Center Foundation—for Mental and Emotional Health Programs Initiative. ($30,000 over two years)
  • Lorain County Health & Dentistry—for Sliding Fee Discount Program Expansion. ($99,000)
  • Lovin’ Spoonfuls, Inc.—for continued support of Lovin’ Spoonfuls Food Rescue Program. ($35,000)
  • Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry—for continued support for Lorain County Volunteer Guardianship Program and continued support of Prevention. ($30,000)
  • Pathways to Healing—for Education and Building Healthy Communities. ($20,000)
  • SafeHouse Denver, Inc.—for continued general operating support. ($25,000)
  • South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families—for continued general operating support in the Midlands. ($30,000)
  • The Gathering Place – Denver—for general operating support. ($40,000)
  • The Salvation Army of the Midlands—for continued support of the Feeding Program. ($75,000)
  • Turn90—for continued general operating support in Columbia. ($50,000)
  • Vocational Guidance Services—for continued general operating support for the Elyria Center. ($150,000 over two years)
  • Warren Village, Inc.—for continued general operating support. ($45,000)
  • Yates Cultural & Recreational Resources, Inc.—for continued general operating support. ($70,000)
  • Youth Advocacy Foundation, Inc.—for continued support of the EdLaw Project. ($30,000)

To learn more, click here.

Point32Health Foundation (Canton, MA)

Point32Health Foundation announced $40,000 in grants to eight nonprofit organizations working to address inequities, support veterans, and improve access to nutritious food across the region. Leaders of Point32Health’s eight Colleague Resource Groups (CRGs) worked with the foundation to identify and recommend community nonprofits aligned with the CRGs’ affinities; each received a $5,000 grant.

The one-year grants go to:

  • Dignity Matters—for addressing access to women’s health care.
  • Empowering People for Inclusive Communities—for addressing positive youth development, career readiness, financial planning, and mental well-being.
  • The Food Project—for promoting nutritional awareness and access to healthy options to foster wellness and sustainability.
  • Hartford Promise—for advancing education for youth of color.
  • Homes For Our Troops—for providing support to active duty and veteran service members.
  • OUT Maine—for addressing the social determinants of LGBTQ+ health for people living in rural areas.
  • Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts—for addressing health equity initiatives for diverse populations.
  • Team IMPACT—for addressing issues facing youth and young adults with disabilities.

Contact: Alrie McNiff Daniels at 781.612.2080 or Alrie.daniels@point32health.org.

Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation (Pottstown, PA)

In its Fall 2023 grants cycle, the Pottstown Health Foundation awarded $1,049,750 in grants to 36 projects and programs in the Pottstown, Pennsylvania area.

Health-related grants include:

  • Accion Comunal Latinoamericana de Montgomery County—to support its Pottstown Community Health Connections Program. ($50,000)
  • Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County—to support Mission Kids Core Direct Service. ($24,000)
  • Episcopal Legal Aid—to expand its Legal Aid Clinic. ($4,000)
  • Health Care Access—to support its health programs. ($10,000)
  • Limerick Township Linfield Sports Park—for playground installation and Limerick Community Park play feature replacement. ($30,000)
  • Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance—to support medical nutrition for critically ill Montgomery and Chester County, Pennsylvania residents. ($40,000)
  • Mosaic Community Land Trust—to support building capacity for equitable health through land trust housing opportunities. ($16,000)
  • Mosaic Community Land Trust—to support Growing Pottstown: Community Gardens, Community Agriculture, Healthy Outcomes. ($40,000)
  • New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church—to support the sustainability of Loaves & Fishes Food Ministry. ($15,000)
  • Orion Communities—to support bridge case management and financial assistance program. ($50,000)
  • Phoenixville Free Clinic—to support comprehensive health care for uninsured individuals in the Greater Pottstown, Pennsylvania area. ($25,000)
  • Pottstown Area Regional Recreation Committee—for the Memorial Park Pedestrian Bridge Construction project. ($48,000)
  • Pottstown Area Regional Recreation Committee—for the Old Timer’s Field improvement project. ($80,000)
  • Pottstown FARM—to support SNAP Incentives, Two Bite Club, Operation 143, Continued Operations for FARM. ($25,000)
  • Rahabs Hope—to support its rental assistance program. ($20,000)
  • Schuylkill River Greenway Association—for the 2024 Pottstown Outdoor Recreation Hub. ($36,000)
  • Second Wind Bicycles—to support “Repair a bike, change a life”. ($5,000)
  • Share Food Program—to support expanding healthy food access in the Pottstown, Pennsylvania area. ($20,000)
  • Steel River Playhouse—to support its Steel River Spark: Igniting Inclusive Storytelling. ($20,000)
  • TriCounty Active Adult Center—to support its Prime Time Health for Older Adults. ($56,000)
  • VNA Community Services—to support its Personal Navigator Program–Improved Health Outcomes Through Benefit Access ($28,000)
  • YWCA Tri-County Area—for the Pottstown Integrated Wellness Center south pool restoration. ($75,000)

Washington Square Health Foundation (Chicago, IL)

Washington Square Health Foundation (WSHF) approved over $800,000 in grants and program-related investment(s) this past fiscal year to promote and maintain access to adequate health care for all people in the Chicago, Illinois area regardless of race, sex, creed, or financial need.

In 2023, WSHF provided a program-related investment to fund a 3D Mammography Van at Roseland Community Hospital to provide access to breast cancer screening for women in underserved areas on the far south side of Chicago, Illinois, as well as for individuals who face difficulties in reaching health care facilities. This 3D mammography van houses specialized mammography machinery equipped with advanced 3D imaging technology for conducting mammograms outside of a traditional hospital setting.

Other grantmaking and recipient highlights include:

  • Chicago Hearing Society—to provide access to audiology testing to assess and treat needs for people of all ages.
  • Haymarket Center—to expand its ability to provide health care in a Federally Qualified Health Center Look Alike Clinic for those who cannot otherwise afford or access medical and mental health care.
  • Indian American Medical Association Charitable Foundation—to fulfill the critical need for diagnostic equipment for a free primary care and specialty clinic.
  • PrimeCare Health—to support a new Integrative Medicine Program Manager to provide direction, guidance, and daily operational support for vital integrative medicine programming which supports Chicagoans’ health lifestyle practices in order to avoid future health problems, particularly Diabetes and Heart Disease.
  • Polish American Association—to address the growing need for food assistance with the rising cost of living, and also support the communities who have been impacted by the war in Ukraine.

For more information, click here.

Contact: Catherine Kapella at 312.664.6488 or kapella@wshf.org.

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