Grow Grants

Grow Grants is sponsored by University of California Health. Funds innovative medical education initiatives to expand California's physician workforce.

The Grow Grants | University of California Health Stand with us to protect UC What can we help you find? Health Professional Schools The Grow Grants program was established in 2025 through voter-approved Proposition 35 (2024). The $3.

5 million fund distributes grants to invest in medical education initiatives and projects that improve California's future health care workforce. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that aim to transform how California recruits, trains and retains its physician workforce.

This new grant opportunity not only addresses the immediate medical needs of Californians but may also lead to the expansion of successful models that increase access to health care and improve the health of all Californians. July 31 – September 15, 2026 Awardees will receive up to approximately $500,000 in funding over the two-year grant period.

Apply now for The Grow Grants: 2026 Implement new and creative strategies that promote the training of more residents and fellows who pursue careers in high-need specialties. Identify and support initiatives that effectively recruit, train, and retain physicians who are committed to providing care to populations that are under-resourced and/or located in geographic shortage areas to address health care workforce gaps.

Build career pathways and learning experiences that prepare and encourage medical students, residents and fellows to pursue careers focused on delivering exceptional care to uninsured and Medi-Cal patient populations.

Undergraduate medical education leaders employed by or with faculty appointments at medical schools in California that are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).

Graduate medical education leaders with residency or fellowship programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and with a sponsoring institution in California. Graduate medical education leaders from a sponsoring institution in California (e.g., GME Office leadership team). Applicants must have written support of leadership at their organization.

Not all proposals that meet eligibility will be awarded. Examples of potential initiatives and projects To learn more about the types of programs funded by The Grow Grants, visit 2025 Grow Grants: Making an impact Novel projects and activities that lead to the recruitment and training of more residents and fellows in specialties that are in high demand in California or will be greatly needed in the future.

Initiatives or projects designed to accelerate or reimagine pathways into medical school and residency to expand the physician pipeline, especially physicians who will train in high-need specialties and are interested in working with under-resourced communities and/or in physician shortage areas.

Projects, including those with specialized curricula, designed to increase residency and fellowship graduates who are dedicated to working with populations that face barriers to care and developing strategies to improve health outcomes in California. Initiatives with a strong focus on recruiting, training, and retaining medical residents and fellows who provide care to uninsured and/or Medi-Cal patients.

Application resources: 2026 Downloadable resources on Box (as of July 2026) 2025 awardees: Visit prior application resources. For questions that remain after reviewing the guidelines, or if you need additional assistance with completing the application, please join The Grow Grants virtual office hours. This will be an opportunity to ask questions in a casual environment.

Please review the guidelines and application in advance. Wednesday, August 12, from 12:10 – 1:00 PM PT Register for the August 12 office hours Monday, August 31, from 5:10 – 6:00 PM PT Register for the August 31 office hours For inquiries, please contact GrowGrants@ucop. edu .

All information and materials are subject to change, and any updates will be posted on this webpage. Learn how The Grow Grants: 2025 are making an impact December 2025 – UC announces $3.

5 million in awards to support medical education opportunities October 2025 – Grant opportunity launched through Proposition 35 funding to support medical education innovation The Grow Grant is already building a real bridge between academic medicine and public health here in the Fresno-Merced region.

This collaboration is exactly what we need to better protect our vital agricultural workforce and the families who sustain our region's economy. By integrating UCSF residents directly into our local health department operations, we can strengthen our hands-on work in disease surveillance, emergency response, and environmental health assessments.

I'm genuinely excited to mentor these residents on the ground in Merced County and build a healthier future together. This grant opportunity is funded by Proposition 35 (2024) and administered by University of California Health.