Improving Youth Mental Health Grant

The Improving Youth Mental Health grant program is administered by The Cigna Group Foundation, a philanthropic arm of The Cigna Group. The foundation has committed $9 million over three years to support evidence-informed efforts aimed at improving mental health outcomes for children and adolescents aged five to eighteen. This initiative directly addresses the increased mental health needs of youth, particularly as they relate to post-pandemic stress and ongoing emotional challenges. The program also supports those who care for youth, including parents, caregivers, and youth service professionals such as educators and therapists. The primary goal of the grant program is to expand the reach and accessibility of mental health services for underserved youth populations in the United States. Eligible nonprofits must serve communities in one or more of the following ten states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, or Texas. National nonprofit organizations may also apply if they can demonstrate existing program delivery models in at least one of the eligible states. The grant awards a fixed amount of $150,000 per grantee with a 12-month grant term. The funding is restricted to direct program expenses, and grantees must clearly demonstrate in their budget narrative how the funds will be used for eligible costs. Allowable costs include staff salaries directly related to the proposed program. However, fringe benefits, payroll taxes, general operating expenses, administrative overhead, and indirect costs are explicitly excluded. A rigorous evaluation methodology must be included in the application, linking short-term program outputs to long-term, sustainable mental health outcomes for youth. Grantees are required to submit a progress report at six months and a final report at the end of the funding period. Applicants must align with one or more of the following program objectives: increasing the reach of programming that fosters social-emotional learning and well-being, increasing the preparedness of parents, caregivers, and youth service professionals to support youth mental health, and expanding access to care and intervention pathways. The initiative prioritizes solutions embedded in schools or after-school settings, trauma-focused services, and strong family-school partnerships. Successful proposals should articulate how their program components support measurable improvements in mental health and resilience. The application process begins with submission of a Request for Application (RFA), available through The Cigna Group Foundation’s website. The RFA opened on February 3, 2026, and will close on March 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants deemed eligible will be invited to submit a full application by April 15, 2026. Notification of award decisions will occur by late June, with the 12-month grant term beginning on August 1, 2026. For additional information, including access to the RFA, applicants may refer to the official grant page on The Cigna Group Foundation website. A downloadable PDF version of the RFA is also available for review. Grantees should be prepared to demonstrate impact using quantitative and qualitative measures and align their interventions with long-term community mental health improvements.

Proposals should articulate how outputs and short-term outcomes contribute to long-term mental health improvements for youth.