Transformations & Innovations Grants Program

Transformations & Innovations Grants Program is sponsored by CARESTAR Foundation. Given the critical role of the emergency and prehospital care system to protect public health and safety, and provide healthcare in our homes and communities, with the Transformations & Innovations Grants Program, Carestar Foundation wants to catalyze new and better ways for Cal…

CARESTAR Foundation - Transformations & Innovations Grants Program Transformations & Innovations Grants Through this initiative, we seek to invest in community-based collaboratives reimagining and transforming local emergency and prehospital care.

Given the critical role of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to provide emergency and urgent healthcare in our homes and communities, with the Transformations & Innovations Grants Program, CARESTAR seeks to catalyze new and improved ways for Californians to request, receive, and experience EMS response and care.

This includes rethinking how and which EMS agencies are activated to respond, the type and location of care provided, as well as ensuring care is delivered by first responders and other healthcare providers who reflect and respect the rich diversity of our communities. Understanding and addressing racial disparities in response or care should be central to the vision for change.

We are specifically looking for collaboratives that are working together to create transformational EMS change.

At a minimum, collaboratives should include: ​ one or more local agencies responsible for providing emergency and prehospital care; involvement or support from one or more Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA); and community organizations or individuals representing the experiences, needs, and ideas of local residents who identify as Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, or another racialized group - as well as communities that have historically been under-resourced.

The CARESTAR Foundation is not currently accepting new grant applications for this program. The next open funding cycle will begin in 2026.

Organizations interested in future funding should note that eligible projects must meet the following criteria: Lead Agency: Must be a non-profit organization or public entity capable of receiving and dispersing grant funds in a timely manner Collaborative Structure: Must include one EMS provider agency, one Local EMS Agency (LEMSA), and one community-based organization Geographic Focus: Project must serve a population or community within California Local Partnership: At least one partner must be based in the city, county, or geography where the project will occur System Transformation: Project must aim to reimagine and/or transform the local EMS system Equity Focus: Project must address racial disparities within local emergency and prehospital care FUNDING AMOUNT: Grant award sizes may vary.

The maximum amount is $100k for a one-year grant, and a maximum of $300k for a multi-year grant. Please do not feel obligated to apply for the maximum amount, as we would like to fund as many collaboratives as possible with a limited budget. APPLICANTS: Collaboratives can be in any stage of development, from the introduction of partners, to fully functioning, multi-disciplinary groups.

Applications must include active participation (or demonstrate strong potential to involve) the following: emergency and prehospital care provider agency(ies); community organizations or representatives; and Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA).

hospital/trauma centers (optional) SCOPE OF WORK: The scope of work proposed can be narrow and deep focusing on innovations within specific components of EMS - or broad and wide across the response and care delivery landscape. The collaborative must consider local data and engage community members to understand what’s needed to improve racial equity within EMS.

The following are examples (not requirements) of activities a collaborative could pursue: assess the current system to identify any racial disparities or biases; create a shared vision, engaging a range of stakeholders to reflect on current realities and consider what communities want, need, the barriers, and opportunities; design, implement and/or evaluate EMS reforms (e.g., programs or policies) that address identified racial disparities; and/or share best practices with regional and state agencies to support the integration, spread, and sustainability of innovations achieved.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Progress report meetings with CARESTAR will be held approximately every six months, with larger grantee gatherings on occasion. Every year, in memory of Jeff Leighton, a former CARESTAR advisor, the Foundation designates a portion of its TII grantmaking funds to support collaboratives serving rural, frontier, or tribal areas in California.

The aim is to provide these regions, which encounter distinctive and challenging obstacles, with critical funds to rethink and coordinate emergency and prehospital care to better align with the needs of their local communities. With expertise in non-profit foundation development, operations, finance, and investment management, Jeff Leighton helped establish the CARESTAR Foundation in 2018.

His illness and subsequent passing during this period led the board of directors to wan t to honor and recognize Leighton’s outstanding contributions to CARESTAR and strengthen the rural areas of California Jeff loved so much.

Eligibility & Review Criteria ​ To apply for a Transformations & Innovations grant, the lead applicant/organization must be a California-based non-profit organization or public entity, with at least one collaborative member physically located in the geographic area where the project will occur. The lead agency must have the ability to receive and manage grant funds, as well as to distribute funds among partners as appropriate.

Overall, applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria: Strength and diversity of the collaborative Relationships and diversity of the lead agency/applicant Project & vision of success Understanding of the problem or issue to address Rural, frontier or tribal area Potential for systems change ​ Application Process & Deadlines ​ Complete the eligibility quiz to ensure you meet the requirements to apply.

If eligible, users are invited to access the full application through our online portal. Applications are not be accepted via email. Finalists are invited for an online or in-person interview within 6-8 weeks of application submission, with possible requests for additional information.

Award status is communicated within 2-3 weeks after the interview, with grant details provided in the award letter and agreement. CARESTAR is funding Project Lifeline, an initiative focused on creating systemic change in the Sonoma County 9-1-1 system to better serve all community members including immigrants, low-income residents, and people of color.

Project Lifeline collects and shares residents' opinions, experiences, and fears about calling 9-1-1 with local EMS responders, and works with responders to understand and address these barriers. Please contact us at grants@carestarfoundation. org with any questions.