Blue Shield of California Foundation Grants (Strengthen economic security and mobility, Break the cycle of domestic violence, Align systems with community priorities)

Blue Shield of California Foundation Grants (Strengthen economic security and mobility, Break the cycle of domestic violence, Align systems with community priorities) is sponsored by Blue Shield of California Foundation. Blue Shield of California Foundation focuses on making California the healthiest state and ending domestic violence.

Their grantmaking is organized around three strategic approaches: Strengthen Economic Security and Mobility, Break the Cycle of Domestic Violence, and Align Systems with Community Priorities. They seek to address root causes like gender and economic inequity, and racism, through policy and systems change.

With $5. 45 million, Foundation invests in the health of California communities | Blue Shield of California Foundation With $5. 45 million, Foundation invests in the health of California communities In the second quarter of 2026, Blue Shield of California Foundation dedicated $5.

45 million toward its mission to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. These 27 grants, approved by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees or by the CEO exercising Board-delegated authority, address the root causes of health inequities and domestic violence in a variety of ways.

Nearly half of the grants this quarter provide general operating support to long-term partners of the Foundation, such as PICO California and the California Work & Family Coalition . “Our grantee organizations show extraordinary leadership, resilience, and vision as we navigate serious challenges for our sector and the Californians we serve,” said Debbie I. Chang, MPH, president and CEO.

“Through it all and thanks to our Board and staff, the Foundation has been able to remain a steady partner. ” The Foundation’s grantmaking deepens strategic investments in economic security and mobility for Californians, breaking the multigenerational cycle of domestic violence, and aligning systems such as public health with the communities they serve.

Align systems with community priorities: total grants of $775,000 “With the support of the Blue Shield of California Foundation, PICO California is building a statewide movement rooted in the belief that every family is sacred and deserves the opportunity to thrive,” said Joseph Tomás McKellar, executive director of PICO California.

“This investment helps us develop community leadership, strengthen civic infrastructure, and bring people together across differences to advance solutions that improve health, housing, economic security, and belonging. At a moment of deep division and uncertainty, we are creating pathways for Californians to turn their faith and values into collective action and lasting change.

” Along with the grant to PICO California, support for ChangeLab Solutions , Build Healthy Places Network , and California Pan-Ethnic Health Network will help Californians collaborate on and advocate for equitable solutions to improve the health and well-being of their communities. Break the cycle of domestic violence: total grants of nearly $1.

77 million Building on three years of investment in a cohort of organizations applying restorative justice practices to domestic violence prevention, this quarter the Foundation is supporting three partners — Homeboy Industries , Success Stories Program , and The Collective Healing and Transformation (CHAT) Project — to continue implementing and evaluating those community-based programs.

Another grant, to the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, will support the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) in promoting policy and system change. “Right now, many people living in violent and abusive situations fear leaving that harm because of what they might encounter when they seek help.

That should never be the case,” said Archi Pyati, CEO of the Tahirih Justice Center, one of the four co-chair organizations of the alliance. “AIS shares information with service providers in California and nationally to ensure every survivor — no matter where they were born or the color of their skin — finds the support they need to get to safety. ” Strengthen economic security and mobility: total grants of $1.

34 million Because economic security is so closely tied to Californians’ health and well-being, the Foundation invests in organizations that advance it through research, advocacy, and education. One of these is Maven Collaborative . Coalitions are also an important part of the economic security and mobility strategy.

Grants this quarter support the San Francisco Women’s Housing Coalition , California Work & Family Coalition, and the establishment of a new domestic violence and homelessness coalition in Orange County. Other grantmaking to advance our mission The Healthy Places Index , a free online resource depicting social drivers of health in California, is a valuable tool for directing investment and crafting policies to improve health outcomes.

Given recent instability in federal datasets and public health funding, more people are relying on the index offered by the Public Health Alliance of Southern California. A grant from the Evaluation and Data Strategy team at the Foundation will support the index for the next year.

The Foundation’s communications team welcomes Santa Cruz Local and its subsidiary Noticias Watsonville into a portfolio of journalism grants that support community-driven, multilingual coverage of health equity and domestic violence issues. The Foundation also supports philanthropy-serving organizations around the state, benefiting from and contributing to the knowledge sharing and opportunities for collaboration that they provide.

Grants this quarter extend our longstanding memberships in such organizations as Southern California Grantmakers, Northern California Grantmakers, Grantmakers in Health, and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. “Even in difficult times, our partners in the health equity and domestic violence prevention fields continue to see possibilities and that gives all of us many reasons for hope, as well,” Chang said.

“Together, we are investing in a healthier future for California. ” Center for Community Change ($200,000) Supporting the Maven Collaborative To advance research, advocacy, and narrative change strategies that center the experiences of women of color in California and re-imagine how systems and policies can be designed to lead to greater economic security and equity for all.

Community Forward SF ($265,000) Supporting the San Francisco Women’s Housing Coalition To support the San Francisco Women’s Housing Coalition in building relationships and advancing policies and practices that expand access to a range of housing solutions for survivors of domestic violence in San Francisco and across California through advocacy and cross-sector collaboration.

The Regents of the University of California at Berkeley ($200,000) Supporting the Center for Child Care Employment To conduct the California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Study and related research on the economic security, health, well-being, and career pathways of the ECE workforce to inform policy and funding decisions that can improve wages and working conditions.

General Operating Support for the California Work & Family Coalition To provide general operating support for the California Work & Family Coalition to advance paid and job protected leave through education, outreach, and advocacy.

Advancing a homelessness and domestic violence coalition in Orange County To establish a domestic violence and homelessness coalition in Orange County to prevent and address homelessness among survivors of domestic violence.

Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence ($315,0000) Alliance for Immigrant Survivors To support the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors in executing communications and advocacy strategies to promote policy and systems change for survivors from immigrant communities in California.

Contra Costa Family Justice Center Alliance ($400,000) Collective Healing and Transformation Project To support implementation and evaluation of restorative justice processes for survivors and their families in Contra Costa County that builds capacity to spread and scale community restorative justice solutions, promotes healing and safety, and prevents domestic violence.

Homeboy Industries ($350,000) Building support and capacity for restorative practices that are community alternatives to systems involvement and prevent domestic violence To support and evaluate community-based programs that offer alternatives for survivors affected by systems involvement and their loved ones, helping to strengthen capacity and expand access to healing, safety, and prevent domestic violence prevention in California.

Jenesse Center, Inc. ($400,000) Leadership Council for Domestic Violence and Health Care of Los Angeles To support the Leadership Council for Domestic Violence and Health Care of Los Angeles to broaden strategic partnerships and systems change efforts that improve prevention and health care services for domestic violence survivors in Los Angeles County.

Success Stories Program ($300,000) Building support and capacity for restorative practices that are community alternatives to systems involvement and prevent domestic violence To support and evaluate community-based programs that offer alternatives for survivors affected by systems involvement and their loved ones, helping to strengthen capacity and expand access to healing, safety, and prevent domestic violence prevention in California.

Public Health Institute ($150,000) Piloting community-driven data strategies To support the Build Healthy Places Network to pilot community-driven data strategies with community organizations to address health inequities.

Santa Cruz Local Inc. ($125,000) Multilingual reporting on health equity and Latino immigrant issues To support the Build Healthy Places Network to pilot community-driven data strategies with community organizations to address health inequities.

Public Health Institute ($200,000) Sustaining the California Healthy Places Index Support the Public Health Alliance of Southern California to sustain the California Healthy Places Index – the state’s most comprehensive social determinants of health data tool.

Catalyst California ($150,000) Preparing California for a Successful 2030 Census To develop the research and advocacy necessary for organizations representing California’s communities of color to plan for and implement strategies to achieve a complete count of hard-to-count populations in the 2030 Census.

National Academy of Sciences ($50,000) Roundtable on Population Health Improvement To support the Roundtable on Population Health Improvement that focuses on science and evidence for improving population health and what is needed for action: dissemination, translation, and infrastructure, including public health as a system.

Southern California Grantmakers ($50,000) Preparing California for a Successful 2030 Census To support Philanthropy California in creating the philanthropic infrastructure necessary to plan for and implement strategies to achieve a complete count of hard-to-count populations in the 2030 Census.

Black Freedom Fund ($200,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, whose mission is to bring together and mobilize communities of color to advocate for public policies that advance health equity and improve health outcomes in California.

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network ($150,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, whose mission is to bring together and mobilize communities of color to advocate for public policies that advance health equity and improve health outcomes in California.

Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties ($100,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties, whose mission is to connect and activate funders to learn, lead, and invest in our communities.

ChangeLab Solutions ($250,000) General Operating Support To provide a general operating support grant to ChangeLab Solutions, whose mission is to build local and state public health departments’ capacity to implement and institutionalize equitable, community-driven law, policy, and systems change in California.

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees ($100,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, whose mission is to mobilize philanthropy to advance immigrant justice and belonging.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations ($100,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, whose mission is to transform philanthropic culture and practice by connecting members to the resources and relationships needed to support thriving nonprofits and communities Grantmakers In Health ($100,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Grantmakers In Health, whose mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community’s knowledge, skills, and effectiveness.

Latino Community Foundation ($200,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Latino Community Foundation, whose mission is to unleash the civic and economic power of Latinos in California.

Northern California Grantmakers ($100,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Northern California Grantmakers, whose mission is to mobilize philanthropy to build healthy, thriving, and just communities in Northern California.

PICO California ($225,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to PICO California, whose mission is to catalyze faith-based and spiritually centered people power in California to create systemic changes so that all families can thrive.

Southern California Grantmakers ($100,000) General Operating Support To provide general operating support to Southern California Grantmakers, whose mission is to mobilize philanthropy to learn and take bold actions by fostering an inclusive community of members and partners.

Growth Philanthropy Network ($25,000) General Operating Support San Francisco Foundation ($50,000) General Operating Support Southeast Asia Resource Action Center ($20,000) Leadership and Advocacy Training Program