Foundation Gives $11.8 Million to Support California’s Healthcare Safety Net & Domestic Violence Providers

San Francisco, CA (June 16, 2015) — Today, Blue Shield of California Foundation announced $11.8 million in second-quarter grantmaking. These charitable dollars will help support organizations working to advance healthcare and domestic violence services for the Californians most in need. Funds include more than $4.4 million in core operating support for community health centers and domestic violence agencies. These flexible grants help to ensure that safety net providers have the resources to adapt and respond to challenges as they arise.

“Every quarter we have an opportunity to generate impact and facilitate positive change through our grantmaking,” said Peter Long, PhD, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation. “This quarter, we have the privilege of supporting California’s safety net and domestic violence providers through flexible core operating grants and other strategic investments that move us closer to a future in which health and safety are possible for all Californians.”

These grants are complemented by $1.2 million in funding to support federally qualified health centers that have volunteered to participate in a pilot program that will test new payment models. The pilot aims to demonstrate how restructuring Medi-Cal reimbursements can help promote higher-value care in California’s safety net. Second-quarter giving also includes a grant to Kaiser Health News to support local and national media coverage of California’s healthcare system and policy issues affecting providers and patients across the state. This quarter’s giving brings the Foundation’s 2015 grantmaking to $17.7 million. A full list of Q2 awards can be found here.

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About Blue Shield of California Foundation

Blue Shield of California Foundation is one of the state's largest and most trusted grantmaking organizations. Our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians, particularly the underserved, by making health care accessible, effective, and affordable, and by ending domestic violence. For more information visit: www.blueshieldcafoundation.org Press contact: Christine Maulhardt 415-229-6145 christine.maulhardt [at] blueshieldcafoundation.org