Alliance Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program is a grant from the Central California Alliance for Health that funds health care providers and community-based organizations in the Alliance's service area to expand Medi-Cal capacity and improve access to care for members. The program makes investments in organizations that strengthen the health care delivery system for Medi-Cal enrollees in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Merced counties.

Funded activities may include provider capacity expansion, care coordination, member outreach and retention, and community health programs. Eligible applicants are health care providers and community-based organizations in the Central California Alliance for Health service area. The most recent application deadline was March 27, 2026.

Award amounts are unspecified; organizations should contact the Alliance for current opportunities.

Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program - Central California Alliance for Health Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program (MCGP) Learn more about the new Medi-Cal Member Outreach and Retention Program . The application deadline is March 27, 2026 .

The Alliance makes investments to health care and community organizations in Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties through the Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program to realize the Alliance’s vision of heathy people, healthy communities. These investments focus on: Increasing the availability, quality and access of health care and supportive resources for Medi-Cal members.

Addressing social drivers that influence health and wellness in our communities. Update: What's Ahead for 2026 Grants In January 2026, the Alliance Board approved the Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program (MCGP) 2026 Investment Plan, allocating $20 million in grant funding to strengthen access and stability across our five-county service area.

The 2026 plan focuses on four priorities: Workforce and infrastructure to improve access to high-quality, culturally competent care. Support for safety net providers to maintain or expand essential services. Community education and engagement to support Medi-Cal retention.

Community Health Worker (CHW) capacity building for community-based organizations. With this strategic shift, Round 1 2026 was the final application round for the Doula Recruitment, Medical Assistant Recruitment, Parent Education and Support, and Community Health Champions programs, which are now retired. Tailor to local needs and prioritizes resources to populations that experience inequities.

Engage the community to understand health-related needs and opportunities to advance the Alliance’s vision of Healthy People. Healthy Communities. Create opportunities for members to play a central role in crafting solutions to improve health for themselves, their families and their communities.

2. Trusting relationships with community Build relationships based on mutual respect, collaborative learning and aligned priorities. 3.

Transparent, accessible and responsive grantmaking. Minimize administrative burden on grantees and ensure the level of effort is commensurate with the grantee organization’s scale and administrative ability. Ensure accountability for grant funds and transparency about funding decisions and requirements.

Measure and communicate the scale and impact of investments on the Medi-Cal system, infrastructure and members. 4. Grantmaking informed by Medi-Cal delivery system expertise and experience.

Responsive to funding gaps and infrastructure needs for Medi-Cal transformation. Support innovations in the safety net health care delivery system to address root issues that impact health. Closely coordinated with Alliance staff, Board and community stakeholders.

5. Holistic view of health. Supports Medi-Cal members to achieve and maintain optimum physical, mental and social well-being.

Addresses disease prevention/management upstream from the medical model. Allocated by county and funding opportunity. Consider equity in impact of programs, not just equity in allocation.

Ensures transparency about the funding that will be available in the community for activities within the focus areas. Make strategic use of Alliance reserves to strengthen the delivery system to meet Medi-Cal member needs. Ensure strategic use of reserves to enable local innovation rather than supplanting state resources for ongoing program administration.

Covered Service benefit expansions, provider payment augmentation and other services managed by the health plan are addressed via the health plan’s operating budget, not through the MCGP. 5. Funding Decisions Free from Conflicts of Interest .

Rely on an administrative decision-making structure to avoid conflicts of interest in approval of programs and grants. All grants must benefit Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Create lasting change that is sustainable past the grant funding period.

Grants are generally one-time investments to build capacity or ensure adequate local infrastructure to meet Alliance member needs. Grantees must maintain ongoing operations, including staffing and programs, in the Alliance service area. 4.

Alignment with Vision, Mission and Priorities The Alliance invests in organizations and efforts that advance the Alliance’s vision, mission and strategic priorities . Funding awards must be associated with at least one of the MCGP focus areas. MCGP funding should not be used to supplant or duplicate other funding.

The Alliance focuses investments on areas where limited funding is available or where other funding sources can be leveraged to have a greater impact. Parent Education and Support Community Health Champions Learn the steps to apply for a funding opportunity on our How to Apply page .

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