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The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

Grant Range
$10K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo

The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Not publicly disclosed (784 grants awarded in 2024)
  • Assets: Approximately $90.8 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $100,000+ (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Alabama (all 67 counties)
  • Application Method: Rolling basis via online portal
  • EIN: 63-1035261

Contact Details

Main Contact:

Be Healthy School Grant Program:

Overview

The Caring Foundation (TCF) was established in 1990 by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama to serve as their corporate charitable foundation. For over three decades, the foundation has focused on improving the health, wellness, and education of Alabamians by investing in charitable organizations across the state. With assets of approximately $90.8 million as of 2023, TCF supports initiatives ranging from school health programs to innovative healthcare access solutions in rural communities. In 2024, the foundation awarded 784 grants to organizations across all 67 counties in Alabama, demonstrating its statewide reach and commitment to community health. The foundation recently launched the Diamond Impact Award program in 2024, recognizing its evolution toward supporting larger-scale, transformative healthcare initiatives alongside traditional community grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. General Grant Program (Rolling Basis)

  • Amount: Varies (evidence of grants ranging from thousands to tens of thousands)
  • Focus: Program initiatives and general operating support for health, wellness, and education
  • Application: Online portal, rolling review throughout the year
  • Frequency: Organizations limited to one request per year

2. Be Healthy School Grant Program (Annual)

  • Amount: Up to $20,000 per school (2025-2026 school year)
  • Eligibility: Any public or private K-12 school in Alabama
  • Focus: School-based health and wellness programs emphasizing physical and nutritional education
  • Timeline: Applications accepted May-July, awards announced by September
  • Recent Impact: 36 schools awarded grants totaling $318,000 benefiting 17,000 students (2024)
  • Application Portal: AlabamaBlue.com/schoolgrant

3. Diamond Impact Award (Annual)

  • Amount: Three tiers - Tier 1: $100,000; Tier 2: $50,000; Tier 3: $25,000
  • Focus: Innovative projects with lasting impact on healthcare access
  • Process: Letter of interest stage, then invitation to apply
  • Competition: In inaugural year, ~100 letters of interest received, 22 invited to apply, 7 winners selected
  • 2025 Winners:
    • Tier 1: Hale County Health Care Authority ($100,000)
    • Tier 2: Auburn University Foundation, Cahaba Valley Health Care ($50,000 each)
    • Tier 3: Fathers of St. Edmund, Infirmary Foundation, Life on Wheels, Wellstone ($25,000 each)

4. Healthcare Scholarships and Major Initiatives

  • The foundation began funding scholarships for medical students in 2016
  • Major ongoing commitment to Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences (ASHS) launching fall 2026

Priority Areas

The foundation prioritizes programs designed to:

  • Promote health, wellness, and education
  • Assist children and address childhood obesity
  • Improve healthcare access, particularly in rural and underserved areas
  • Expand nutritional literacy and healthy activities
  • Support healthcare workforce development
  • Benefit Alabama citizens across all 67 counties

What They Don't Fund

The Caring Foundation does not support:

  • Individual applicants
  • Political organizations or candidates
  • Private foundations or charities
  • Sports leagues or teams
  • Activities deemed inappropriate by the Foundation
  • Organizations without 501(c)(3) status with 509(a)(1) or (2) designation
  • Organizations not based in Alabama or serving Alabama communities

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership:

  • Tim Vines - President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

According to Tim Vines regarding the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences funding: "This program aligns with improving access to healthcare in rural areas of Alabama and reducing the rural healthcare workforce shortage."

The foundation operates as the charitable arm of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, with leadership closely connected to the parent organization's mission of improving health outcomes across the state.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

General Grant Program:

  • All funding requests must be submitted online through the Grant Interface portal
  • Organizations should apply at least 60 days before the start of their event, program, or project
  • Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year
  • Organizations are limited to one Caring Foundation request per year (though can also apply for Corporate Giving & Sponsorship separately)

Be Healthy School Grant Program:

  • Applications accepted annually from May-July
  • Apply online at AlabamaBlue.com/schoolgrant
  • Schools limited to one grant per year

Diamond Impact Award:

  • Two-stage process: Letter of interest followed by invitation to full application
  • Highly competitive (only 22% of initial inquiries invited to apply in inaugural year)
  • Annual cycle with winners announced in September

Decision Timeline

  • General Grants: Rolling review - organizations should apply at least 60 days in advance
  • Be Healthy School Grants: Applications May-July, decisions and awards by September
  • Diamond Impact Award: Letter of interest period, followed by invitation-only applications, winners announced September

Specific decision timeframes for general grants are not publicly disclosed, but the 60-day advance application guidance suggests review times of several weeks to two months.

Success Rates

Specific overall success rates are not publicly available. However, for the Diamond Impact Award inaugural year:

  • Approximately 100 letters of interest received
  • 22 organizations invited to apply (22% invitation rate)
  • 7 winners selected from 22 finalists (32% success rate among finalists)
  • Overall success rate from initial interest to award: approximately 7%

In 2024, the foundation awarded 784 grants across Alabama, demonstrating significant grant-making activity.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations are limited to submitting one grant request per year to The Caring Foundation. However, organizations may submit both a Caring Foundation application and a Corporate Giving & Sponsorship application if submitted simultaneously.

Unsuccessful Diamond Impact Award applicants would need to reapply through the new letter of interest process in subsequent years.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's funded projects and stated priorities, successful applications typically demonstrate:

1. Clear Health, Wellness, or Education Focus The foundation consistently funds projects with direct health impact. Examples include:

  • Cahaba Valley Health Care's emergency dental clinic partnership with UAB School of Dentistry ($50,000)
  • Life on Wheels' second mobile unit to reach women in Montgomery, Troy, Selma, and surrounding areas ($25,000)
  • Mobile Infirmary's OB clinic in underserved rural areas ($25,000)
  • Edmundite Missions' nutritional literacy programs in the Black Belt

2. Special Interest in Children The foundation has "special interest in assisting children." Successful applicants should emphasize:

  • Impact on K-12 students and childhood health outcomes
  • Programs addressing childhood obesity
  • Educational benefits for young Alabamians

3. Geographic Reach Across Alabama The foundation takes pride in serving all 67 Alabama counties. Competitive applications:

  • Serve Alabama communities (required for eligibility)
  • Address health disparities in rural or underserved areas
  • Demonstrate impact beyond single metropolitan areas

4. Innovation and Lasting Impact For larger awards like the Diamond Impact Award, demonstrate:

  • Innovative approaches to healthcare access challenges
  • Programs with potential for lasting community impact
  • Solutions addressing rural healthcare workforce shortages
  • Scalable models that can expand reach over time

5. Alignment with Healthcare Workforce Development Recent major initiatives suggest strong interest in:

  • Healthcare education and training programs
  • Addressing rural healthcare workforce gaps
  • Creating pathways into healthcare careers

6. Technical Requirements Applications must demonstrate:

  • 501(c)(3) status with 509(a)(1) or (2) designation
  • Alabama-based or serving Alabama communities
  • Compliance with 60-day advance application timeline
  • Clear project plans with measurable outcomes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Submit early: Apply at least 60 days before your program/event start date; earlier applications may receive more favorable consideration
  • Focus on children: Projects benefiting children, particularly addressing childhood obesity or education, align strongly with foundation priorities
  • Emphasize health access: Rural healthcare access, underserved populations, and innovative solutions to healthcare gaps are increasingly central to the foundation's mission
  • Start small, think big: New applicants should consider the general grant program first; successful smaller grants may position organizations for Diamond Impact Award consideration
  • One chance per year: With only one application allowed annually, ensure your proposal is polished, complete, and represents your strongest alignment with foundation priorities
  • Demonstrate statewide thinking: Even if serving a specific community, show awareness of how your work addresses broader Alabama health challenges
  • Be specific about outcomes: The foundation values measurable impact—include concrete metrics for how grants will improve health, wellness, or education outcomes for Alabamians

References

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