California Wellness Foundation’s System Transformation Grant

The System Transformation grant program seeks to redesign and improve the health care system to prioritize whole-person care that addresses both clinical and social needs. The initiative specifically aims to correct systemic injustices by ensuring that resources and interventions are intentionally directed toward Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. Efforts to improve the accessibility of Medi-Cal and Covered California, and reimagining partnerships between service providers, government agencies, community organizations, and health care institutions, are central to this transformation. The overall goal is to create a system that better serves vulnerable populations and advances health and racial equity. Funding under the system transformation area is available exclusively for organizations engaged in policy, advocacy, communications, research, technical assistance, and capacity-building efforts that drive system-level change. Supported work includes the creation and scaling of innovative models that improve services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and other low-income populations by addressing social determinants of health. Specific examples of fundable efforts include policy improvements related to CalAIM implementation such as community care hubs, multi-stakeholder collaborations like the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative, development of community referral networks and technology solutions to integrate health and social services, and sustainable models employing community health workers and promotores. The program does not support direct clinical service delivery or projects without a clear system-level change component. It is designed to support projects and models that can be scaled and replicated for broad impact. Funding examples include Community Partners in Los Angeles, which received $1,500,000 over three years to support the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative; Transitions Clinic Network in San Francisco, awarded $275,000 over two years to transform health care for justice-involved populations; and the Center for Strategic Partnerships in Los Angeles, which received $250,000 over two years to launch a community health worker consortium to improve resident well-being. Specific information regarding application deadlines, eligibility requirements, and detailed submission procedures were not provided in the source material. Interested applicants should contact the funder directly for detailed instructions and application timelines.