Name of Foundation: The California Endowment
Location: Headquartered in Los Angeles, with regional offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and San Diego
Contact info: http://www.calendow.org/ Phone: (213) 928-8800
Coverage Area: California
Subject Area: Health
Assets: $3.6 billion (2012)
Last Year Total Giving: $116 million (2012)
In a nutshell:
The California Endowment was established in 1996 as a result of Blue Cross of California’s creation of its for-profit subsidiary, WellPoint Health Networks. The foundation is a statewide organization with a mission to expand access to affordable, quality health care for under-served individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.
The Foundation invests in health broadly, from helping families who are coping with poverty to working with small businesses to implement the affordable care act. As a result of the lessons learned during the foundation’s early years, a new strategy emerged in 2010 that focuses on changing the health conditions of local communities. The Health Happens Here campaign and the 10-year, $1 billion Building Healthy Communities plan that came out of the campaign, are foundation initiatives that works to transform specific communities into places where prevention is emphasized and is reflected in the physical environment and conditions of those neighborhoods.
The Health Happens Here’s three areas of focus are neighborhoods, schools and prevention. Within the neighborhoods priority area, some of the topics the foundation invests in are crime prevention, examining health issues that affect recidivism rates in prisons, and promoting the creation of safe spaces that encourage children to get physical activity.
Prevention includes investments in accessibility and enrollment through the Affordable Care Act, specifically for hard to reach populations (lower-income, Latino families and youth). Additionally the foundation is making investments in health care for undocumented immigrants who do not qualify for state coverage. The Endowment also invests in education for California’s small businesses about the benefits available to them with the implementation of the ACA.
Within their Schools area, investments include linking health and academic achievement. That translates into quality school food and beverages, incorporating exercise in the school day, and promoting social-emotional health that leads to improved behavior and better decision-making.
The Foundation is led by Robert K. Ross, M.D., who prior to his appointment was the director of the Health and Human Services Agency for the County of San Diego. Dr. Ross has experience as a clinician and a public health administrator.
Major Programs:
Neighborhoods
Prevention
Schools
How to Apply:
From 2010 to 2020, most of The Endowment’s funding is committed to the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) plan. Organizations that meet the Foundation’s geographic and topical focus have been invited to apply for funding within the BHC plan.
The Foundation does not seek, nor often fund, unsolicited grant applications.
Currently, The Foundation’s approach to grant making focuses on 14 places across California- Boyle heights, Central Santa Ana, Central/SE/SW Fresno, City heights, Del Norte County and adjacent Tribal lands, East Oakland, East Salinas, Eastern Coachella Valley, Long Beach, Richmond, Sacramento, South Kern, South los Angeles, SW Merced/East Merced.
To learn more about the foundation’s grantmaking process, click here.
Recent News and Grantmaking:
The California Endowment Awards $23 Million for Outreach and Enrollment in Medi-Cal