Cares Foundation

The CARES Foundation operates as a grantmaker with a singular, deeply focused mission: ending HIV in the Sacramento region. Established in 2011 with an endowment spun out from the CARES clinic (Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services, founded 1989), the foundation distributes roughly $1.5–2.0M annually to between 9 and 11 organizations — a deliberately small portfolio built to sustain long-term relationships with proven partners rather than scatter resources broadly.

The foundation strongly favors organizations with a demonstrated track record in HIV services. Every documented grantee is a Sacramento-area nonprofit or public health entity with established HIV programming, including Sacramento County Public Health ($200,000 in 2022), Sacramento LGBT Community Center ($199,353), and One Community Health — a federally qualified health center operating since 1989 that was named 2025 Grantee Spotlight. Government agencies are eligible, a meaningful distinction many similar foundations exclude. Repeat funding is common: Harm Reduction Services ($325,000 for PROJECT REACH) and One Community Health appear across multiple cycles, signaling that strong performers are rewarded with continued investment.

First-time applicants must understand the relationship-based culture. The grant cycle opens in May each year with an LOI deadline of June 1 at 5pm. Only organizations invited by the Grant Review and Fund Development (GRFD) Committee may submit a full proposal — an uninvited cold application yields nothing. Prospective grantees are explicitly encouraged to review the foundation's strategic priorities and attend foundation events before submitting an LOI.

The leadership roster reveals what resonates. President Dr. Frederick Meyers is a Distinguished Professor at UC Davis School of Medicine. Vice President Dr. Olivia Kasirye is Sacramento County's Public Health Officer. Secretary Alice Kessler is a healthcare attorney at Greenberg Traurig. These are public health professionals who evaluate proposals through a clinical and policy lens — applications that speak the language of population health outcomes, evidence-based interventions, and structural health equity will land more effectively than generalist nonprofit impact language.

From LOI submission to grant start is approximately 7 months. Organizations should plan for a January 1 funding launch and align internal program and finance timelines accordingly.

The CARES Foundation's median grant size is $102,500, with grants ranging from $10,000 (a NorCal AIDS Challenge sponsorship in 2022) to $325,000 (Harm Reduction Services, PROJECT REACH, 2022). The foundation's own aggregate typical-grant data shows an average of $110,208 and a documented maximum of $370,000, consistent with occasional large awards to anchor partners.

Annual grantmaking has been consistent at $1.5–2.0M per cycle. FY2022 saw $1,385,490 in grants paid across 11 awards. FY2023 rose to $1,571,828 in grants paid (total giving including administration: $1,963,288). FY2019 was the high-water mark with $1,640,389. The anomalous FY2020 figure of only $42,000 in grants paid reflects COVID-19 disruption. Cumulative impact is substantial: over $17 million distributed through 124 grants to 19 agencies since 2012, averaging roughly $137,000 per grant across the foundation's history. In 2025, 9 agencies received over $1.4M — a slight decline in grantee count from prior cycles, with average grant size rising.

Geographic concentration is absolute. All documented grantees serve the Sacramento region; the foundation covers seven counties — Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, Yuba, Sutter, and Nevada — with the preponderance of activity in Sacramento proper.

Program area breakdown from the 2022 grant cycle illustrates the funding hierarchy: - PrEP/HIV Testing and Navigation (Sacramento County Public Health, CommuniCare Health, One Community Health, Sunburst Projects): ~$619,831 (45% of cycle) - HIV Prevention and Harm Reduction (Harm Reduction Services, SANE, Wind Youth Services): ~$408,500 (29%) - LGBTQ+ Health and Wellness (Sacramento LGBT Community Center): $199,353 (14%) - Case Management and Supportive Services (Golden Rule Services): $80,000 (6%) - Education and Outreach (Community Against Sexual Harm): $52,500 (4%) - Sponsorship (NorCal AIDS Challenge): $10,000 (1%)

With ~$34.4M in assets (FY2024) against $1.5–2.0M in annual grants, the payout rate runs approximately 4–6% of assets. Net investment income of $3.0M in FY2023 significantly exceeded grants paid, allowing asset growth while sustaining distributions — a sign of strong endowment health.

The peers below are asset-size comparables within the Philanthropy and Grantmaking NTEE category (~$34.3–34.4M in assets). The CARES Foundation's specialized HIV mission is uncommon at this asset level, where most similarly sized foundations operate as general or family philanthropies.

The CARES Foundation stands apart from its asset-size peers in two critical ways. First, it is among a rare subset of foundations this size with a completely specialized programmatic focus — every grant dollar targets HIV/AIDS services in a defined seven-county geography, creating unusual predictability for aligned applicants. Second, it publicly accepts LOI submissions from qualifying organizations rather than operating exclusively by invitation, making it more accessible than most peer grantmakers of comparable size. For organizations working at the intersection of HIV prevention, harm reduction, or PrEP navigation in the Sacramento region, the absence of direct mission-matched private foundation competition at this asset level makes the CARES Foundation a uniquely positioned and relatively approachable funder.

The most significant recent development is the 2025 grant cycle, in which the CARES Foundation awarded over $1.4 million to 9 agencies providing HIV prevention, treatment, and support services across the Sacramento region. This continues a consistent pattern of $1.4–1.6M in annual grants paid, with cumulative giving surpassing $17 million through 124 grants to 19 agencies since 2012 — a milestone highlighted in the foundation's April 30, 2026 annual summary.

One Community Health was named 2025 Grantee Spotlight (announced May 1, 2026), recognizing this federally qualified health center's long tenure as a Sacramento HIV care provider since 1989. The recognition reflects the foundation's documented preference for sustained, relationship-based grantmaking with established partners.

On the recognition front, President Dr. Frederick Meyers accepted the Partner of the Year Award from the Community Against Sexual Harm on behalf of the CARES Foundation (announced December 16, 2024; updated March 12, 2025). Community Against Sexual Harm also received a $52,500 grant from the CARES Foundation in 2022, illustrating the reciprocal, community-embedded nature of the foundation's partnerships.

The 2027 grant cycle is currently active. The LOI deadline was June 1, 2026 at 5pm. The Grant Review and Fund Development Committee was scheduled to meet June 18, 2026, with invitations to submit full proposals going out by June 30, 2026. Funded grants are projected to begin January 1, 2027. No leadership transitions or structural board changes were noted in the most recent period, indicating organizational continuity under Dr. Meyers' continued presidency.

The most important tactical insight for CARES Foundation applicants is that the LOI is the actual competitive threshold — not the full proposal. The Grant Review and Fund Development Committee makes its inclusion or exclusion decision at the LOI stage. Organizations should invest full-proposal-level care in drafting a compelling, specific, and well-budgeted LOI.

Timing is critical. The grant cycle opens May 1 annually, with the LOI deadline at 5pm on June 1. Begin drafting in March or April. The 2027 cycle LOI closed June 1, 2026; for the 2028 cycle, mark May 1, 2027 as your earliest start date. The window between LOI submission and grant start (January 1) is approximately 7 months — plan internal programming and financial timelines accordingly.

Align explicitly to one of the four strategic priorities: - HIV Prevention (PrEP/PEP education, risk reduction, syringe exchange) - HIV Testing and Linkage to Care (mobile testing, confirmatory follow-up, care referral) - Supportive Services (transportation, housing assistance, case management, substance use treatment for PLWH) - Innovative Projects (pilot programs, provider collaboration models)

Vague HIV awareness proposals will not score. Concrete service delivery metrics — number of PrEP navigations completed, testing events held, case management units provided — resonate with a board of clinicians and public health officials.

Hard budget rules to satisfy before submitting: - Indirect/overhead costs must not exceed 15% of total project costs - Fringe benefits must not exceed 30% of personnel costs - Do not include services reimbursable by Medi-Cal, Medicare, or third-party payors (the foundation fills gaps, not duplicates)

Language alignment matters. Use clinical HIV framework terminology directly: Treatment as Prevention (TasP), PrEP and PEP navigation, linkage to care, People Living with HIV (PLWH), evidence-based interventions. Proposals that demonstrate fluency with current HIV clinical and public health frameworks read as more credible to this board.

Relationship-building is a prerequisite, not optional. Grantees are required to attend foundation events — attend as a prospective grantee before applying. Dr. Meyers and board members are active in Sacramento County public health circles. Visibility at HIV service provider coalitions and CARES-sponsored forums builds credibility before your LOI arrives.