OVERVIEW: The Blue & You Foundation supports health causes in Arkansas with an emphasis on regional and statewide efforts for healthcare delivery, policy, and economics.
IP TAKE: This Arkansas funder is one that IP has called “one of the most reliable funders for health nonprofits in the state.” It is both transparent about where its grants go and the types of organizations it supports and it is accessible to grantseekers looking for funding. It provides a searchable grants database and clear application guidelines for first time applicants. Two of its funding areas are rigidly defined; however, the Social Determinants of Health area takes a more expansive view and supports everything from housing to education, as long as you can make a case for it impacting residents’ health. Contact information is provided below.
PROFILE: The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas seeks to build a healthier Arkansas by providing health information and care to state residents. Established in 2001, this is the philanthropic arm of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and is wholly funded by Arkansas Blue Cross. Blue & You has recognized the poor state of health in Arkansas, which drives up medical costs and lessens quality of life of its residents. The foundation seeks to “nurture community health leadership, foster collaboration and innovation, and leverage financial, human and community resources to produce a measurable, positive impact.” Its focus areas are Social Determinants of Health, Maternal and Pediatric, and Behavioral Health.
Grants for Public Health and Access
Blue & You works to improve the health of Arkansas residents through a handful of grant programs centered on its priority focus areas.
- The Blue & You Grants program provides between $25,000 and $250,000 in funding to programs and organizations focused on Social Determinants of Health and Behavioral Health.
- Social Determinants of Health grants address “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, and work and the systems shaping the conditions of people’s daily lives.” Funding interests for these grants include economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhoods and safe housing, and social and community context.
- Behavioral Health grants support programs that improve behavioral and mental health in the state. Interest areas include access to quality mental healthcare, crisis care, early intervention, mental health innovation, substance use disorder, suicide prevention, preventative behavioral healthcare, and awareness, education, and outreach.
- Mini Grants award between $1,000 and $5,000 to organizations for health initiatives in one of the following areas: emergency medical equipment, maternal and pediatric health, food pantry support, and health initiatives at a public school, college or university.
- Special Grants are funding opportunities for behavioral health programs “to improve early intervention, access to behavioral health care, normalizing the conversation and stigma, suicide prevention, and substance use disorder in youth and adolescents.”
Grant seekers can view a grant recipient map on the foundation’s website and search for past grantees on its Historical Giving page.
Grants for Reproductive and Maternal Health
The foundation supports reproductive and pediatric health through its Maternal and Pediatric focus area, which works to reduce Arkansas’ maternal and infant mortality rates and support “impactful solutions driving meaningful and lasting change that will save lives and strengthen women, children and families around the state for generations to come.”
Grantees include Canopy Northwest Arkansas, Everyone Deserves a Doula, Jefferson Regional, Bernards Development Foundation, and Ujima Maternity Network.
Important Grant Details
Grant amounts typically range between $1,000 and $250,000. The foundation awarded over $6 million in grants in a recent year and held more than $78 million in assets.
- Grantees are based in cities and towns throughout the state of Arkansas.
- Grant cycles vary by focus area and giving program.
- Grantees are selected by the foundation’s board of directors.
- To keep up with what the foundation is doing, check out its news section, which includes press releases from all of its recent grant cycles for both regular and mini-grants.
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