CDA Foundation Dental Materials and Supplies Grant Program

The California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation Dental Materials and Supplies Grant is designed to support nonprofit organizations in providing essential dental services. This grant offers in-kind donations of dental materials and supplies to eligible organizations rather than monetary awards. The materials and supplies are provided through a partnership with Henry Schein Cares, which donates the goods directly to selected recipients. The goal of the program is to enhance the oral health services available to underserved communities in California by ensuring that nonprofit dental providers have access to the necessary resources. Award recipients will receive between $5,000 and $25,000 worth of dental materials and supplies annually for two years. The only cost to the recipient organization is the shipping expense for the donated supplies. This funding structure ensures that organizations can focus on service delivery without the burden of purchasing supplies. The grant is specifically designed to aid organizations that are actively working to provide charitable dental care to underserved populations in California. To qualify for the grant, applicants must be classified as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and must provide dental services to underserved individuals in California. The selection process prioritizes organizations that align with the CDA Foundation’s mission of improving oral health statewide. Priority is also given to community-driven organizations operating in areas designated as Dental and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Additional selection criteria include the ability to serve a diverse and underserved population, evidence of strong partnerships and collaborations, and the capacity to effectively utilize a high volume of materials and supplies. Applicants must submit an online application along with several required attachments in PDF format. These include the organization’s operating budget, a dental project-specific operating budget, an IRS determination letter, the most recent IRS Form 990 (or an equivalent document for government entities), a list of board members, and a recommendation letter from a health professional. Failure to submit these required documents may result in disqualification. Additionally, any person or entity classified as a “disqualified person” under Internal Revenue Code section 4958, including key personnel affiliated with the CDA Foundation, their family members, or entities in which they hold significant interest, is ineligible to receive donated materials. The application process opens annually from January 1 to March 31. Selected applicants are notified of the grant decision by October 30. For successful applicants, the two-year grant period begins on January 1 of the following year. Once awarded, recipients will be contacted by the Henry Schein Cares Foundation to finalize a donation agreement and arrange for deliveries of the materials and supplies. For more information, interested applicants can contact the California Dental Association at their headquarters in Sacramento, California. Their general contact number is 800-232-7645. More details about the program can be found on the CDA Foundation website.