California Wellness Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The California Wellness Foundation works in the area of health and limits its giving to the state of California. 

IP TAKE: The California Wellness Foundation, a GUTC signatory, awards almost all its annual funds to California health organizations. This funder accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry, but its application process is competitive.

PROFILE: Established in 1992, the California Wellness Foundation is a health-focused foundation with office locations in Los Angeles and Oakland. It was created when HealthNet converted from a nonprofit to a for-profit corporation. A merger with parent company QualMed helped to boost the foundation's assets a few years later. Today, the foundation, a GUTC signatory, aims to “protect and improve the health and wellness of the people of California by increasing access to health care, quality education, good jobs, healthy environments, and safe neighborhoods.” Its funding areas are healthcare, healthy and safe neighborhoods, health-related education and employment and health policy.

Grants for California

This funder’s grants prioritize the health and well-being of Californians. Many of the California Wellness Foundation’s health grants intersect with supporting areas of giving that have a direct impact on health — such as violence prevention, community development, and employment.

Grants for Health, Violence Prevention, Economic Development

  • CWF’s healthcare program targets California’s “most vulnerable communities” and supports programs that “make health care […] stronger, more equitable and more effective.” Grants have supported the advancement of the Affordable Care Act, safety net clinics, oral health for adults and seniors.

  • The healthy and safe neighborhoods initiative aims to develop healthy neighborhoods and prevent violence through local planning, civic involvement and the equitable distribution of resources.

  • The healthy and safe neighborhoods initiative overlaps with health-related education and employment, which acknowledges education and economic security as strong predictors of health and funds programs that support high school and college completion and financial security among youth and adults in low-income areas.

  • Finally, the foundation’s health policy program works to “advance equitable systems” in the healthcare industry.

Past grantees include the National Immigration Law Center, California’s Health Access Foundation, the Anti Recidivism Coalition of Los Angeles, UCLA and the California Primary Care Association.

Important Grant Details:

Foundation grants often range from $100,000 to $900,000. The foundation provides a searchable database of past grantees on its website.

  • This foundation accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry via online portal following a required eligibility quiz.

  • The foundation will respond via email to applicants to advise that a LOI is under review.

Direct grant inquiries to the grants management team by phone at 818-702-1900 and general questions to the Oakland-based staff at 415-908-3000.

PEOPLE:

Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).

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