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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation

Annual Giving
$22.0M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.5M
Decision Time
1mo

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $22,049,750 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $209.1 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by grant opportunity (typically notification within 30 days of approval)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $500,000+ (multi-year partnerships available)
  • Geographic Focus: Statewide (North Carolina)
  • Total Investment Since 2000: Over $269 million through nearly 1,300 grants

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 2291, Durham, NC 27702
Phone: 919-765-1361
Email: foundation@bcbsncfoundation.org
Website: https://www.bcbsncfoundation.org

Organizations may contact the foundation to clarify processes or guidelines for specific funding opportunities after reviewing all available materials.

Overview

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is an independent, charitable foundation established in 2000 by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. With total assets of $209.1 million, the foundation awarded $22,049,750 in grants in 2023. Its mission is to improve the health and well-being of everyone in North Carolina, with a vision to help make North Carolina one of the healthiest states in the nation within a generation. The foundation operates strategically rather than through regular grant cycles, inviting applications based on specific strategic objectives and announcing broader opportunities periodically. Under the leadership of President Colleen Briggs (appointed in 2024), the foundation has refined its organizational strategy following a multi-year statewide tour and strategic planning process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation offers grants ranging from small targeted amounts to large multi-year partnerships. Recent grant programs have included:

  • Youth Mental and Behavioral Health Grants: $75,000 - $500,000 per year for up to three years
  • Equipment and Training Grants: $1,000 - $10,000 for improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations and increasing capacity of safety net providers
  • Physical Activity Equipment Grants: Up to $5,000 for programs that increase physical activity
  • Community-Centered Health Initiative: $10 million over 10 years supporting nine grantees in cross-sector partnerships
  • SHAPE NC: Multi-million dollar grants supporting healthy eating and active play in early childhood settings (more than $10 million since 2010 to 200+ child care sites)

Application Method: Invitation-based and periodic announcement opportunities (no regular cycles)

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three main strategic areas:

  1. Access to Care: Connecting everyone in North Carolina to quality care that allows them to live healthy lives
  2. Health Through Food: Supporting everyone's health through access to nutritious food
  3. Youth Mental Health, Connectedness, and Resilience: Ensuring young children and youth grow up in strong, supportive environments for mental health and thriving

The foundation values and strives to support initiatives that reflect the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of people and communities in North Carolina faced with significant barriers to good health. Programs designed to attain measurable results and sustained community impact receive special emphasis.

What They Fund

  • Personnel expenses related to grant outcomes
  • Equipment related to specific programs
  • Operational expenses for organizations working within priority areas
  • Existing, new, and expanding programs
  • Multi-year partnerships and large-scale initiatives
  • Collaborations and partnerships, including re-granting to partner organizations
  • Faith-based organizations with 501(c)(3) status that operate programs benefiting the larger community

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Type III supporting organizations
  • Private foundations (except in very limited circumstances)
  • University overhead costs
  • Construction/bricks and mortar (typically)
  • Lobbying activities
  • Programs that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

Colleen Briggs, President (appointed 2024): Briggs previously served as Blue Cross NC's Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, directing the company's holistic integration of purpose-driven and business initiatives. Before joining Blue Cross NC in 2023, she spent a decade with JPMorgan Chase leading Corporate Responsibility and Foundation's Inclusive Banking and Community Development. Dr. Tunde Sotunde, Blue Cross NC CEO, stated: "The perspectives and experience she brings from throughout her career and in her current role at Blue Cross NC will be instrumental in building upon the Foundation's rich history and commitment to the people and places of our home state."

Kelly Calabria, Foundation Board Member and Chief Communications, Marketing, and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer at Blue Cross NC

Sarah Smith, Vice President, Learning and Foundation Operations

Jenna Barnes, Director, Early Childhood

Strategic Direction

The foundation underwent a year-long strategic planning process and multi-year statewide tour to set a roadmap for improving health for all. While the mission remains consistent, the foundation's strategies and priorities evolve based on organizational learning, grantee work, and changing community needs.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation does not operate regular grant cycles. Instead, they:

  1. Invite applications based on specific strategic objectives
  2. Announce broader funding opportunities periodically on their website
  3. Recommend interested organizations sign up for notifications about upcoming opportunities at https://www.bcbsncfoundation.org/grants-programs/current-opportunities/

Application Submission: When opportunities are available, applications are submitted through an online portal. Applicants should only submit attachments requested with the grant application. The portal requires cookies enabled for "Save and Finish Later" functionality.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations
  • Public instrumentalities (government entities)
  • Organizations that help and benefit individuals living in North Carolina

Financial Documentation Requirements

Documentation varies by grant amount:

  • Under $25,000: No financial information required
  • $25,000 - $999,999: Complete and submit Organizational Budget Narrative Form
  • $1,000,000 or greater: Submit most recent audited financials plus Organizational Budget Narrative Form
  • Government entities and universities: No financial documentation required (though university overhead costs are not covered)

Decision Timeline

Each specific grant opportunity has its own review process and timeline. Applicants are notified via email once a determination has been made. If a notification deadline is delayed, the foundation contacts applicants directly. Once approved, a grant agreement is prepared, and payment is usually processed within 30 days after receiving the signed agreement.

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose success rates. Recent financial data shows a shift toward fewer, larger grants: 135 awards in 2021, compared to 1 award in 2023 and 1 award in 2022, suggesting a strategic move toward large-scale, multi-year partnerships rather than numerous smaller grants.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation's reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not explicitly stated in public materials. Organizations are encouraged to contact the foundation directly or the team member most closely associated with their area of work to clarify processes for reapplication.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

The foundation has explicitly stated they value initiatives that:

  • Reflect community voices: "The Foundation values and strives to support initiatives that reflect the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of people and communities in North Carolina faced with significant barriers to good health"
  • Deliver measurable results: "Special emphasis directed toward programs designed to attain measurable results and sustained community impact"
  • Build organizational capacity: Support programs that strengthen nonprofit organizational capacity
  • Advance health equity: Recent grants focus on addressing maternal and infant health disparities and narrowing racial health gaps

Recent Successful Grant Examples

  • Hunger and Health Coalition (Watauga County): Leveraged Community-Centered Health work to receive national BUILD Health Challenge grant
  • North Carolina Partnership for Children: $3 million for SHAPE NC expansion
  • Community Food Strategies at NC State University: $2 million over two years
  • Legal Aid of NC: Support for Medicaid transformation work
  • 17 organizations: $4 million total for addressing maternal and infant health disparities through "Strengthen NC" program
  • Nine community coalitions: $10 million over 10 years for Community-Centered Health initiative in Buncombe, Caswell, Edgecombe, Gaston, Guilford, McDowell, Montgomery, Nash, and Watauga Counties

Strategic Considerations

  • The foundation encourages collaborations and partnerships and supports re-granting to partner organizations
  • They recognize the importance of personnel expenses and will cover them as they relate to achieving grant outcomes
  • The foundation has developed grantmaking practices to support organizations across all regions of North Carolina, from large to small scale initiatives
  • They prefer existing programs with proven track records but also support new and expanding programs aligned with priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No open cycles: The foundation operates by invitation and periodic announcements, so signing up for notifications is essential
  • Strategic alignment is critical: Grants must closely align with one of three priority areas (Access to Care, Health Through Food, or Youth Mental Health)
  • Community voice matters: Demonstrate how your initiative reflects the perspectives and lived experiences of communities facing health barriers
  • Scale appropriately: Recent grantmaking shows a preference for fewer, larger, multi-year partnerships over numerous small grants
  • Measurable impact required: Be prepared to demonstrate measurable results and sustained community impact
  • North Carolina focus only: The foundation exclusively invests in organizations benefiting North Carolina residents
  • Financial documentation thresholds: Understand requirements based on your request amount (especially the $25,000 and $1 million thresholds)
  • Partnership-friendly: The foundation actively encourages collaborations and may support re-granting arrangements

References

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