Health Program Grants
We promote healthy communities
Blue Cross collaborates with organizations across the state to address racial and other health disparities and help families and communities thrive. Through these alliances, we promote healthy communities, increase access to affordable health care and enhance the quality of care patients receive.
Building Healthy Communities
Since 2009, our Building Healthy Communities program has helped more than a half-million students in over 1,379 schools. The program aims to create healthier school environments and, in turn, reduce childhood obesity, prevent chronic disease, improve academic achievement and address mental health and well-being.
Strengthening the Safety Net
The Strengthening the Safety Net program funds clinics throughout the state of Michigan that provide free or low-cost medical, dental and behavioral health services. Grantees also help patients obtain medication, insurance coverage, food and other necessities. Every year since 2005, Blue Cross has supported up to 50 clinics providing care for more than 250,000 patients.
Addressing food and nutrition insecurity
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is partnering with Blue Cross Complete of Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan to address food access. The 2025 Food Pantry Grant is no longer accepting applications. By increasing the capacity of local food pantries to provide nutrient-rich, fresh food options that require refrigeration, we hope to improve statewide access.
The goal is for community members to have improved access to healthy food options like milk, cheese, fruit, vegetables, yogurt and cottage cheese. To date, 179 food pantries, located in 54 counties, serving 64,000 Michigan residents monthly, benefited from this grant opportunity. Take a look at our list of local food pantries awarded in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Advancing Disability Health Care Access and Quality
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness awarded grant funding to seven Michigan safety net health care organizations working to advance health care access and quality for people with disabilities.
Grantees include:
- Corktown Health, Detroit
- Covenant Community Care, Detroit
- Mott Children's Health Center, Child & Adolescent Dentistry, Flint
- Taylor Street Primary Care Clinic, Detroit
- Thumb Community Health Partnership, Sandusky
- VINA Community Dental Center, Brighton
- The Corner Health Center, Ypsilanti
Disability Health Care Access and Quality grants help medical and dental clinics purchase equipment and supplies, enhance website accessibility and digital materials, and train their teams to improve care for people with disabilities.
Advancing Maternal Health Equity
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the BCBSM Foundation are partnering to improve maternal health outcomes through the Advancing Maternal Health Equity grant initiative.
Through this initiative, we remain committed to addressing maternal health disparities across Michigan communities. We support innovative projects that expand and ease access to maternal health care, address gaps within the social determinants of health and access to support services, and reduce the risk of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity.
Health through Giving
Other funding opportunities
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation funds research and programs to improve health care in Michigan. And through our community contributions program, we consider requests from Michigan-based 501(c)(3) organizations working to improve health care.