Applications open for Healthy Communities Grant Program (US)

The Healthy Communities Grant provides $20,000 to $75,000 in one-year funding to support nonprofit collaboratives, coalitions, and networks working to improve health outcomes across California’s Inland Empire. The program focuses on addressing Social Drivers of Health (SDOH), strengthening workforce development, advancing health policy, supporting systems change, and improving long-term community health in underserved areas.

Healthy Communities Grant Overview

The Healthy Communities Grant is designed to support collaborative initiatives that create sustainable improvements in population health across the Inland Empire. Rather than funding individual organizations, the program invests in established partnerships that bring multiple organizations together to address complex regional health challenges.

The grant encourages collaboration between nonprofit organizations, community networks, coalitions, and systems that can collectively improve health equity, strengthen workforce capacity, influence policy, and address the underlying factors affecting community health.

Healthy Communities Grants are awarded twice each year, with each funded project lasting one year.

Grant Objectives

The Healthy Communities Grant aims to:

Improve regional population health outcomes.
Address Social Drivers of Health (SDOH).
Support systems-level change across organizations and communities.
Strengthen nonprofit collaborations and regional partnerships.
Advance health-related public policy and advocacy efforts.
Build workforce development pipelines in health and social services.
Support Medi-Cal workforce recruitment and retention.
Improve health equity in underserved communities.
Address at least one IEHP Foundation (IEHPF) Priority Vital Condition.
Promote sustainable community improvements beyond the grant period.

Funding Amount

Eligible collaboratives may receive:

Minimum grant: $20,000
Maximum grant: $75,000
Higher funding may be considered under exceptional circumstances.

Grant Duration

Key funding details include:

One-year grant lifecycle.
Funding opportunities available twice each year.
Only one application may be submitted per organization during a calendar year.

What Are Social Drivers of Health (SDOH)?

Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) are the social, economic, and environmental conditions that influence an individual’s health and quality of life.

Examples include:

Access to healthcare
Education opportunities
Employment and income
Housing stability
Food security
Transportation
Safe neighborhoods
Social inclusion
Community resources

Projects that improve these conditions can contribute to better long-term health outcomes.

What Are IEHPF Priority Vital Conditions?

The IEHP Foundation (IEHPF) identifies Priority Vital Conditions as the essential community conditions that help people live healthier lives.

Applicants should clearly demonstrate how their collaborative project contributes to at least one of these priority conditions through regional partnerships, policy improvements, or systems change.

Who Can Benefit from the Grant?

The grant prioritizes initiatives serving Inland Empire residents experiencing the greatest health disparities, including communities that are:

Low-income
Rural or geographically isolated
Medically underserved
Located in areas with a Healthy Places Index (HPI) score below 25

These communities often experience higher rates of chronic disease, reduced healthcare access, and greater social and economic challenges.

Eligible Applicants

The Healthy Communities Grant is specifically designed for collaborative partnerships rather than individual organizations.

Eligible applicants include:

Established nonprofit collaboratives
Formal nonprofit coalitions
Community networks
Regional partnerships serving Inland Empire communities

Applicants must also:

Have an annual organizational budget of $200,000 or more
Demonstrate an established collaborative structure
Serve Inland Empire communities
Address at least one IEHPF Priority Vital Condition

Who Is Not Eligible?

The following applicants are not eligible:

Individual nonprofit organizations applying independently
Organizations submitting more than one application during the same calendar year
Organizations planning to apply for the 2026–2027 Healthy Organizations Grant during the same funding cycle

Eligible Activities

Funding may support collaborative initiatives such as:

Regional health improvement projects
Cross-sector partnerships
Systems change initiatives
Community health policy advocacy
Workforce development programs
Health and social services capacity building
Medi-Cal workforce recruitment and retention initiatives
Community collaboration and network development
Health equity initiatives
Regional planning and implementation activities

What the Grant Does Not Fund

Grant funding cannot be used for:

Academic scholarships
Endowments
Individual applicants
Major capital construction projects
Private foundations
Retroactive funding
Sabbaticals
Vehicle purchases

Why This Grant Matters

Many health challenges cannot be solved by a single organization working alone.

This grant encourages organizations to collaborate in order to:

Address regional health disparities.
Strengthen health systems.
Build sustainable partnerships.
Improve access to healthcare and community services.
Influence public policy.
Develop a stronger workforce.
Create lasting improvements in population health.

By supporting collaborative action, the program helps communities address the root causes of poor health rather than only treating individual health problems.

How to Apply

Applicants should follow these steps before submitting an application:

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Ensure that:

The applicant is an established collaborative, coalition, or network.
The organization has an annual operating budget of at least $200,000.
The collaborative serves Inland Empire communities.
The project aligns with IEHPF funding priorities.

Step 2: Build a Collaborative Project

Develop a proposal that:

Addresses regional health challenges.
Improves Social Drivers of Health.
Demonstrates collaboration between multiple organizations.
Creates measurable systems-level improvements.
Supports long-term sustainability.

Step 3: Define Project Outcomes

Clearly describe:

Community needs being addressed.
Expected health improvements.
Policy or systems changes.
Workforce development goals.
Long-term community benefits.

Step 4: Prepare Required Documentation

Compile all required organizational and project documents, including budgets, collaborative information, and supporting materials required by the grant guidelines.

Step 5: Submit the Application

Complete the application during an open funding cycle and ensure all eligibility and documentation requirements are met.

Application Tips

Strong applications typically:

Demonstrate genuine collaboration among multiple organizations.
Present clear regional health priorities.
Include measurable outcomes.
Show sustainable long-term impact.
Explain how systems change will occur.
Address underserved populations.
Connect project activities to IEHPF Priority Vital Conditions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common application errors:

Applying as an individual organization instead of a collaborative.
Failing to demonstrate meaningful partnerships.
Requesting funding for ineligible expenses.
Submitting more than one application during the same calendar year.
Applying simultaneously for both Healthy Communities and Healthy Organizations grants when prohibited.
Not explaining how the project improves Social Drivers of Health.
Providing weak sustainability plans after the grant period ends.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Healthy Communities Grant?

It is a one-year funding program supporting nonprofit collaboratives, coalitions, and networks that work together to improve regional health outcomes in Inland Empire communities.

How much funding is available?

Eligible projects may receive grants ranging from $20,000 to $75,000, with exceptions possible in special circumstances.

Who can apply?

Only established nonprofit collaboratives, coalitions, and networks with an annual organizational budget of at least $200,000 are eligible. Individual organizations cannot apply independently.

What communities are prioritized?

The program prioritizes low-income communities, rural or remote areas, medically underserved populations, and communities with a Healthy Places Index (HPI) score below 25.

How often is the grant offered?

Healthy Communities Grants are awarded twice each year, with each grant supporting activities for one year.

Can organizations apply for both Healthy Communities and Healthy Organizations grants?

No. Organizations planning to submit a 2026–2027 Healthy Organizations Grant application are not eligible to apply for the 2026–2027 Healthy Communities Grant during the same funding cycle.

What makes a strong application?

Strong applications demonstrate effective collaboration, measurable systems change, sustainable community impact, alignment with Social Drivers of Health, and a clear strategy for improving regional health outcomes.

Conclusion

The Healthy Communities Grant provides significant funding to nonprofit collaboratives, coalitions, and networks working to improve health equity and population health across California’s Inland Empire. By supporting systems change, workforce development, policy improvements, and cross-sector collaboration, the program helps build healthier, more resilient communities while creating lasting improvements that extend well beyond the one-year grant period.