OVERVIEW: This funder makes grants for health, education, human services, arts and culture, and community development in Florida. It is based in Jacksonville and has different deadlines for the various grant programs.
FUNDING AREAS: Education, literacy, health and human services, arts and culture, and community development, advances in the health care system, improved patient care, improved consumer health
IP TAKE: Here is a health insurance funder whose support goes far beyond health. Nonprofits outside health should look into their “Build Healthy, Strong Communities” focus.
PROFILE: The Florida Blue Foundation is a health insurance funder affiliated with Florida Blue, Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield company. It seeks “to help people and communities achieve better health.” It is a separate entity from the insurance company and also the trade name of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation. This funder was formed in 2001 to address critical health issues in the region.
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, the foundation has four focus areas. Local grants support education, literacy, health and human services, arts, and culture, and community development. It also funds new health solutions for underserved populations. Florida Blue prioritizes workforce shortages and caregiver education to improve patient care. Family wellness in multicultural populations is a priority of its consumer health giving area.
For its “Advance Innovation and Promote Solutions in the Health Care System” program, the foundation set aside around $1.9 million recently to pay for two-year and three-year grants of $80,000 to $10,000 each. For its “Improve Consumer Health” program, it has set aside about $2.4 million for similarly sized and timed grants. In the past, these grant programs have had different application deadlines. It has supported nursing fellowship research to address the nursing shortage in the state of Florida.
Non-health funding has gone out to local nonprofits that serve the birth-to-five demographic through education and literacy efforts. It works with United Way of Northeast Florida for health and human services causes, and it has partnered with Miami HEAT Academy to help at-risk youth.
Florida Blue supports boosting the capacity of programs believed to have a lasting impact, rather than approaches that simply serve a high number of people. It funds programs that address the health needs of minority and low-income groups. This often involves funding for local health clinics, programs for the uninsured, and public health outreach efforts. In addition to traditional grants, Florida Blue also gives out Sapphire Awards to recognize community health leaders.
General questions for the foundation can be directed to the staff at floridabluefoundation@floridablue.com or communityrelations@floridablue.com. Grant seekers can keep up with current foundation news here.
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