Universal Coverage and Access to Care Grant

The California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness) is a private foundation committed to advancing health and wellness for the people of California. With a specific focus on promoting racial justice and equity, Cal Wellness supports initiatives that ensure all Californians—particularly people of color—can access the health care and services they need to live healthy lives. Cal Wellness acknowledges the progress made in expanding affordable health care in California but emphasizes the need to address ongoing disparities caused by systemic racism. Through its Equity in Access portfolio, the foundation promotes universal health care, immigrant rights, and reproductive health access. The Equity in Access portfolio has three primary goal areas: Universal Coverage and Access to Care, System Transformation, and Priority Populations. For the Universal Coverage and Access to Care goal, Cal Wellness funds organizations engaged in public policy, advocacy, research, and communication efforts that support programs such as Medi-Cal and Covered California. Funding is also available for community health centers and clinics, especially those in rural and underserved regions, with grant types ranging from core operating support for smaller and mid-sized clinics to project-based support for larger ones. Additionally, nonprofit organizations offering technical assistance and support to these clinics may be eligible for funding. The System Transformation goal area seeks to redesign the health care system to be more inclusive, holistic, and collaborative. Funding is available for efforts that integrate health and social services, particularly for Medi-Cal beneficiaries and low-income populations. Cal Wellness supports innovative models, cross-sector collaborations, and policy initiatives aimed at transforming service delivery. However, the foundation does not fund standalone projects that aim only to improve a single organization’s operations. Instead, it prioritizes broader initiatives with scalable, systemic impact, such as referral platforms or statewide networks. The Priority Populations goal focuses on immigrant communities and reproductive health. Grants support organizations defending immigrant rights, countering anti-immigrant narratives, and assisting LGBTQ+ migrants, especially at the California-Mexico border. Reproductive health grants aim to ensure access to comprehensive services including abortion, particularly for women and birthing people of color. However, Cal Wellness is not accepting unsolicited letters of interest for this goal area at this time. For the 2025 cycle, Cal Wellness will accept Letters of Interest (LOIs) for the Equity in Access portfolio only during the July 1–31 submission window. After that, no additional LOIs will be accepted for the remainder of the year. Applications must align with at least one of the eligible goal areas to be considered. The foundation encourages applicants from rural parts of California and emphasizes collaborative efforts over individual initiatives. The program is not currently offered on a rolling basis but may recur in future cycles, with an update on grantmaking strategies expected in 2026. Contact information for the Equity in Access portfolio includes Program Officers Monica Gomez, Jessica Martinez Pulido, and Gail Yen, and Program Coordinator Brad Henry. The foundation’s main offices are located in Los Angeles and Oakland. For additional details, applicants can call the Los Angeles office at (818) 702–1900 or the Oakland office at (415) 908–3000. More guidance will be shared in 2026 regarding future funding opportunities and strategy updates.