Centene Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 20-1298192 · since 2004centene.com/who-we-are/centene-foundation.html·United States·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$39.4M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $600k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

155 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

Centene Foundation funds healthcare, social services and education, giving preference to initiatives in these areas, so check your work fits one of these themes before approaching.
It operates by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so the best route in is to contact your local Centene health plan, as the Foundation encourages prospective applicants to do.
Grant sizes range from $2,500 to $600,000, but about 8 in 10 of its 467 grants fall in this range, with a median grant of $25,000, so a modest request is realistic for most.
The Foundation says it seeks partners with deep community expertise and history, and almost half of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, which suggests a relationship-led approach built up over time.
Applicants must be U.S.-based public charities tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 170(b); organisations that discriminate based on age, race, colour, religion, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status or receipt of public assistance, military and veteran status or any other legally protected status, or those appearing in OFAC, OIG or SAM exclusion checks, should not apply.

Overview

Centene Foundation is a US private foundation based in ST Louis, MO.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Centene Foundation works with local partners and organisations with deep community expertise and history, and seeks partnerships that can grow over time and position communities to thrive. Its stated focus is healthcare, social services and education, with preference given to initiatives in those areas. The Foundation describes its approach as local, centred on inclusion, the whole person and community development, and based on holistic approaches to dismantling barriers to health. Its partners are U.S.-based charitable organisations tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 170(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Centene’s local presence is part of its approach: its health-plan employees live and work in the communities it serves.

Themes

Healthcare
Social services
Education

Geographic Focus

U.S.

What They Don't Fund

Organizations that discriminate based on age, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status or receipt of public assistance, military and veteran status or any other legally protected status under applicable law
Those organizations appearing in exclusion checks through OFAC , OIG and SAM
Organisations that are not U.S.-based public charities tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 170(b) of the Internal Revenue Code

How to apply

Applicants must be U.S.-based public charities tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 170(b), meet the Foundation’s giving requirements and criteria, and receive an invitation to apply.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 49% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 467 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Foundation gives preference to initiatives in its stated focus areas.
It seeks partners with deep community expertise and history.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to reach out to their local Centene health plan.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Missouri25%

California14%

Minnesota13%

Georgia6%

Texas6%

District of Columbia4%

6 other states: 16%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 17%

The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 49% of grant dollars went to organisations Centene Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
11% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

155 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 155 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k3%

$2.5k–$5k8%

$5k–$10k12%

$10k–$25k19%

$25k–$50k10%

$50k–$100k3%

$100k–$250k11%

$250k–$500k18%

$500k–$1M5%

$1M and over10%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

JWCH Institute · Residential care facility for persons experiencing homelessness
$2,912,7782024 tax year
Community Health Development · Support new construction and associated site
$2,300,0002024 tax year
Physicians for a Healthy California · Support latino physician representation coalition vision
$2,250,0002024 tax year
Safer Foundation · Provide $2 million over three years
$1,631,9612024 tax year
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science · Securing the workforce pathway for physician diversit
$1,500,0002024 tax year
Central Iowa Shelter & Services · Simplify and educate community members
$1,150,0002024 tax year
Kaweah Delta Hospital Foundation · Using geocoding methodologies - to enhance health care quality, access, and health outcomes
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Missouri Coalition for Primary Health Care · Create a center of excellence and conference cente
$1,000,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Kenneth J Fasola — Director / Vice Chairman
Christopher A Koster — Director / Secretary
Sarah M London — Director / Chairman
Keith H Williamson — Director / President
Andrew L Asher — Director / Treasurer

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$35,232,457	$34,725,994	$222,247,318	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$30,340,305	$29,773,155	$220,456,718	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$41,204,572	$39,445,230	$197,672,425	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.