Blue Shield of California Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $17-30 million (varies by year)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: $21,000 - $640,000 (based on recent awards)
Geographic Focus: California-wide
Application Method: Invitation only (no unsolicited proposals)

Contact Details

Official Name: California Physicians Service Foundation (DBA Blue Shield of California Foundation)
Website: https://blueshieldcafoundation.org
Address: 315 Montgomery St Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104-1864
EIN: 94-2822302
Grantee Portal: https://bscf.fluxx.io
Newsletter: Subscribe to Intersections for funding opportunity updates

Overview

Founded in 1982 and celebrating over 20 years of grantmaking in 2024, Blue Shield of California Foundation is funded entirely by its parent company, Blue Shield of California. The Foundation operates as a private foundation with annual grantmaking ranging from $18 million to $33 million. In 2024, the Foundation awarded 99 grants totaling over $17 million. The Foundation's mission is to build lasting and equitable solutions that make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. The Foundation believes that domestic violence and inequities in health are caused by deep-rooted systemic issues—namely gender and economic inequity, and racism—and uses policy and systems change to address those root causes. Over the past three years, the Foundation has invested more than $60 million toward this mission. Blue Shield of California has been recognized as one of the most community-minded companies in the nation, receiving The Civic 50 Award in 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation organizes its grantmaking around three strategic approaches:

1. Strengthen Economic Security and Mobility

Grant range: $75,000 - $640,000+ (based on recent awards)
Focus: Expanding access to benefits that support economic security and health, supporting free legal services for people with low incomes who may need disability and paid leave programs
Recent example: FreeFrom (addressing financial abuse), Hand in Hand (organizing domestic worker employers around fair wages and benefits)

2. Break the Cycle of Domestic Violence

Grant range: $21,000 - $640,000+ (based on recent awards)
Focus: Programs designed to end domestic violence and improve systems of safety for all Californians
Recent examples: East Los Angeles Women's Center ($210,000), Jenesse Center ($210,000), California Partnership to End Domestic Violence ($640,000)

3. Align Systems with Community Priorities

Grant range: $100,000 - $3.2 million+ (based on recent awards)
Focus: Bringing safety-net providers closer to "no wrong door" models for complex, underserved, low-income patients and survivors of domestic violence
Recent example: Tides Center in support of its Center for Care Innovations (over $3.2 million)

Act Now Fund

Rapid-response grants with special emphasis on organizations aligned with the Foundation's mission
Supports health and safety of vulnerable Californians

Priority Areas

Economic Security: Programs supporting access to benefits, fair wages, paid leave, and economic mobility for low-income Californians
Domestic Violence Prevention: Systemic approaches to preventing domestic violence, not just individual services
Health Equity: Addressing root causes of health inequity, particularly for Californians of color with low incomes
Community-Centered Solutions: Policy and systems change initiatives aligned with community priorities
Safety Net Integration: Programs creating seamless access to services for vulnerable populations

The Foundation focuses exclusively on California issues and prioritizes organizations serving Californians of color with low incomes, who are most affected by violence and inequity.

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation explicitly excludes:

Fundraising event sponsorships (with very limited exceptions for active grantees or funding partners)
Direct patient or client services
Disease-specific research
Capital construction projects
Equipment purchases
Insurance coverage
Religious organizations for religious purposes
Political causes
Individual grants
Organizations primarily serving residents outside California
Most for-profit organizations (limited exceptions for charitable projects)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Debbie I. Chang, MPH - President and CEO
Chang oversees approximately $30 million in annual grantmaking. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes listening and learning: "My first and most important goal is to listen and learn," she says. "There's already been a lot of great work accomplished, and we want to really build on and learn from that." Chang brings a community-centered approach to the Foundation's work, believing that "you can't solve problems in a top-down model. You've got to focus on the local people and their culture, and solve problems with the community, not for the community."

Peter Barth - Chief of Staff and Director of Strategy Integration
Lucia Corral Peña - Chief Program Director
Richard Thomason - Director of Policy
Rachael Kagan - Director of Communications and Public Affairs
Annie Wong - Director of Finance and Operations

Board of Trustees

The Foundation is governed by an independent Board of Trustees composed of at least two members of Blue Shield of California's Board of Directors, two executive-level employees of the company, and at least four public trustees.

Incoming Board Chair (January 2026): Helen DuPlessis, MD, MPH

Recent Trustee Appointments (2025):

Charles Fields - Executive Vice President of Programs at The James Irvine Foundation
Dr. Ravi Kavasery - Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Blue Shield of California
Mónica Morales

Other Trustees:

Sandra Clarke - Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Blue Shield of California
Luis Granados (appointed 2023)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Most Blue Shield of California Foundation funding is by invitation only and made through Foundation-led initiatives. The Foundation proactively partners with organizations throughout California rather than responding to open applications.

When funding opportunities with an open call for applications become available, they are:

Posted on the Foundation's website at blueshieldcafoundation.org/grants/funding-opportunities
Announced to subscribers of the Intersections newsletter

To stay informed: Organizations interested in future funding opportunities should subscribe to the Foundation's Intersections newsletter through their website.

For current grantees: Access the grantee portal at bscf.fluxx.io

Decision Timeline

The Foundation makes grant decisions quarterly through board meetings. In 2024-2025, quarterly grant dockets ranged from $5.2 million to $7.4 million. Specific decision timeframes from initial contact to award are not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation awards approximately 70-99 grants annually from invitation-only processes.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that currently hold Foundation grants may apply for multiple grants. The Foundation does not explicitly state restrictions on reapplication for declined proposals, but since most funding is invitation-only, reapplication would depend on being invited to participate in future funding opportunities.

Common reasons proposals are declined include:

Not matching the current set of funding opportunities available
Not meeting standards of operational or programmatic effectiveness
Not falling within geographic boundaries (must serve California residents)

Application Success Factors

Since the Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, success depends on demonstrating alignment with their mission and approach:

Mission Alignment is Critical: The Foundation emphasizes they are "a catalyst for large-scale impact through policy and systems change to positively address the root causes of health inequity and domestic violence in California." Organizations must demonstrate they're working on systemic change, not just providing direct services.

Focus on Root Causes: The Foundation explicitly targets "deep-rooted, systemic issues—namely gender and economic inequity, and racism." Applications should clearly articulate how programs address these root causes rather than symptoms.

Community-Centered Approach: President Debbie Chang's philosophy reflects the Foundation's values: solve problems "with the community, not for the community." Demonstrate authentic community engagement and leadership.

Policy and Systems Change: The Foundation prioritizes "advancing systems and policy change" over service delivery. Strong proposals likely emphasize advocacy, systems reform, coalition-building, and policy development.

Serve Priority Populations: Focus on "Californians of color with low incomes, who are most affected by violence and inequity." Demonstrate how programs center these communities.

Evidence of Effectiveness: The Foundation seeks organizations with a "reputation for credibility and integrity" and meeting "standards of operational or programmatic effectiveness."

Recent Funding Patterns: In recent grant announcements, the Foundation has supported:

Policy and advocacy organizations (California Budget & Policy Center, Alliance for Justice)
Statewide coalitions (California Partnership to End Domestic Violence - $640,000)
Innovation centers (Center for Care Innovations - over $3.2 million)
Community-based organizations serving specific populations
Media organizations advancing health equity narratives
Public-private partnerships promoting systems alignment

Scale Matters: The Foundation supports "the full spectrum of solutions—from tried and true methods to new and innovative thinking," indicating openness to both established approaches and innovation.

Note on Confidentiality: The Foundation does not share successful proposals as they are considered confidential documents, limiting applicants' ability to review winning submissions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-only model: You cannot submit an unsolicited proposal. Focus on building visibility and relationships that might lead to an invitation to participate in Foundation-led initiatives.
Subscribe to updates: Sign up for the Intersections newsletter to be notified of any open funding opportunities.
Systems change focus: Direct service programs are not funded; demonstrate how your work creates policy or systems change that addresses root causes.
Root cause alignment: Explicitly connect your work to gender inequity, economic inequity, and/or racism as root causes of health inequity and domestic violence.
California-specific impact: All work must primarily serve California residents and address California issues.
Wide grant range: Recent awards range from $21,000 to over $3.2 million, indicating the Foundation supports both grassroots organizations and larger systems change initiatives.
Community leadership matters: Demonstrate authentic community engagement where affected communities lead solutions, not just receive services.
Multi-grant possibility: Organizations can hold multiple Foundation grants simultaneously, indicating the Foundation builds deep partnerships with aligned organizations.

References

All sources accessed December 2025