Editor's note: This article was revised and updated on 9/21/2021.
Lots of states have Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Foundations that were created by the massive insurance company to address health needs close to home. This list includes Massachusetts, Michigan, California, Mississippi, Rhode Island and others. But one BCBS funder we have yet to cover in great detail is the Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Foundation. Based in Columbia, this health-focused funder is very accessible for grantseekers.
Here are some things that local grantseekers in the Southeast should know about the BCBS South Carolina Foundation.
A Wide Reach Throughout the State
Like many of the BCBS foundations across the country, the South Carolina organization makes an effort to spread its resources to all corners of the state. Over the years, it has supported organizations in every county in South Carolina. Since the foundation was formed in 2001, it has provided funding for hundreds of grant projects. In each grant cycle, the funder typically awards between five and 20 grants.
Five Main Focus Areas
This well-established foundation has nicely-outlined priorities within the broad field of health, which takes some of the guesswork out of the funding equation for local organizations. Access to care is a longstanding priority of the BCBS of South Carolina Foundation, extending to supporting safety net providers and implementing models to increase access to services. Other top priorities are building a stronger workforce for health through health career professional development and improving the value of care through quality improvement projects.
In its regular grant cycles, the foundation invests in the health and wellbeing of children and awards school wellness grants to benefit K-12 public and private schools. School grants go to programs that address nutrition services, physical activity, physical education, smart snacks, policy and environment and employee wellness. Occasionally, the funder also supports research and special projects that relate to its areas of focus.
Making Innovation a Priority
But beyond these specific focus areas, BCBS South Carolina Foundation is making big moves towards innovation. It has developed a catalyst grant program to “foster a culture of innovation and challenge the status quo to improve health.” This commitment translates to funding for small-scale projects in their earliest stages of development.
Keep this foundation in mind if you’re an organization that aims to engage the community, work collaboratively and test and implement new solutions. These catalyst program grants are one-year awards of $25,000 each. However, free clinics, child advocacy centers and state and local government agencies are not eligible for these types of innovation grants.
It Has an Accessible Application Procedure
Fortunately for South Carolina grantseekers, this BCBC foundation welcomes grant inquiries and describes its grantmaking process in detail on its website. There are two grant cycles per year: a spring cycle that opens in November and a fall cycle that opens in May.
The first step is to submit a letter of intent and then wait for the foundation’s approval and invitation to submit a full application online. The funder has different and specific interests in each of its grant cycles, such as oral health, mental health for young children and multi-sector collaboration for the social determinants of health. But before submitting even a letter of intent via the online system, the funder recommends contacting foundation staff by phone to initially discuss the proposed project.
Learn more about this foundation and others that focus on the Southeast region right here at Inside Philanthropy.