Blue & You Mini Grants

The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas offers a targeted mini grant program designed to support health-focused initiatives across the state of Arkansas. As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the Foundation is deeply invested in addressing health disparities and improving overall community wellness. Its mini grant initiative is one of several funding streams available to local organizations aiming to make a tangible difference in public health outcomes. Through this program, the Foundation offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to eligible applicants implementing clearly defined, impactful health-related programs. The mini grants are highly structured and categorized to ensure funds are directed to specific and urgent community health needs. Applicants may submit proposals under one of several discrete categories, such as Emergency Medical Equipment (including AEDs, Narcan, and Stop the Bleed kits), Maternal and Child Health (such as safe sleep equipment, diapers, and formula), Food Pantry Assistance (including support for nutritious food types and equipment), and Economic Stability or Health Classes. An additional grant category supports health initiatives in public schools, colleges, or universities, including calming rooms, food pantry supplies, hygiene products, school supplies, and preventative programs. Requests must be submitted under only one category per application, with detailed guidance clarifying which programs should be routed to which category to avoid overlap or misclassification. Eligible applicants for this mini grant program include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government entities at the city, county, and state levels, and public educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities. To be considered, organizations must provide direct services to residents of Arkansas. Ineligible activities include religious or political events, capital campaigns, athletic teams, beauty pageants, and conferences. Additionally, general operational costs, out-of-state trainings, and unrelated marketing or fundraising costs are also excluded from consideration. Awards are provided as lump sums with no partial funding granted, and selected projects must be implemented within six months of receipt of funds. The application process is conducted online through the Foundation’s SmartSimple portal. Interested organizations must first complete an eligibility quiz before gaining access to the full application. Required components of the application include a project overview, detailed budget, estimates (if applicable), demographics served, and narrative responses addressing project need, methodology, and expected impact. Specific demographic questions target age, race/ethnicity, gender, and geographic focus, including an option to apply for projects that have statewide impact. Mini grants follow a quarterly cycle, with applications accepted during January–February, April–May, July–August, and October–November. All applications are reviewed during the final month of each respective quarter, and award notifications are distributed in March, June, September, and December. Applications are judged on the basis of need and overall quality, with detailed evaluation rubrics available to applicants. If an application is declined, applicants are encouraged to request feedback and reapply in subsequent quarters. This mini grant program reflects the Foundation’s strategic goal of fostering healthier communities by addressing local and statewide health needs through targeted, flexible funding. By structuring the program to operate in recurring quarterly cycles, the Foundation ensures consistent access to resources for community health organizations throughout the year. The program’s guidelines provide clarity for applicants and promote fair competition based on project quality and alignment with public health priorities in Arkansas.