Blue Shield of California Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Blue Shield of California Foundation funds health equity, domestic violence prevention, economic security and mobility, and aligning systems with community priorities, with a geographic priority of California.
- Most of its 193 grants to organisations fall between $50,000 and $600,000, with a median of $200,000 and half at $200,000 or less; the largest, $2,000,000, went to Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which regrants to others.
- Most funding is by invitation through Foundation-led initiatives, though open calls are sometimes announced on its website and to Intersections newsletter subscribers, so watch for these rather than sending unsolicited proposals; 53% of its grant dollars to organisations in its most recent filing went to organisations it had also funded the year before, suggesting relationships matter alongside open calls.
- It declines proposals that do not match its available funding opportunities or do not meet its standards of operational or programmatic effectiveness, so check your proposal matches a live opportunity and can show credibility and integrity before applying.
- It does not fund sponsorships for special events, competitions, athletic events or conferences; direct services to patients or clients; research on specific diseases or conditions; capital construction or endowment campaigns; equipment purchase, implementation or maintenance; individual outreach and enrollment for public health insurance programmes; individuals' insurance coverage or medical expenses; religious organisations for religious purposes; political causes, candidates, organisations or campaigns; individuals; 509(a)(3) type III supporting organisations that are not functionally integrated; or grants to support fundraising events, so do not apply for any of these.
Overview
Blue Shield of California Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Francisco, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Blue Shield of California Foundation supports lasting and equitable solutions to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. Its strategy uses policy and systems change to address the root causes of domestic violence and health inequities, including gender and economic inequity and racism. It focuses on strengthening economic security and mobility, breaking the cycle of domestic violence, and aligning systems with community priorities. The Foundation seeks to improve the lives of Californians most affected by domestic violence and health inequities: people of colour in communities with low incomes. It supports people and programmes building solutions that advance health equity and prevent domestic violence, partnering with organisations around the state.
Themes
- Economic security and mobility
- Domestic violence prevention
- Health equity
- Community priorities
Geographic Focus
Priority: California.
What They Don't Fund
- Sponsorships for special events, competitions, athletic events, or conferences
- Direct services to patients or clients, including medical, dental, counseling, specialty, or social services
- Research on specific diseases or conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes)
- Capital construction or endowment campaigns
- Equipment purchase, implementation, or maintenance (e.g., electronic health record systems, mobile health vans)
- Individual outreach and enrollment activities for public health insurance programs
- Individuals’ insurance coverage or medical expenses
- Religious organizations for religious purposes
- Political causes, candidates, organizations, or campaigns
- Individuals
- 509 (a) 3, type III supporting organizations that are not "functionally integrated"
- Grants to support fundraising events
How to apply
Most funding is by invitation through Foundation-led initiatives. When open calls are available, the Foundation shares them on its website and announces them to Intersections newsletter subscribers.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 53% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 193 grants to organisations were $200,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Applicants should have a mission consistent with the Foundation’s mission and goals.
- The organisation should have a reputation for credibility and integrity.
- The organisation should primarily serve Californians.
- Preference is given to charitable organisations and public agencies.
- Proposals that do not match the available funding opportunities are among those most commonly declined.
- Proposals that do not meet the Foundation’s standards of operational or programmatic effectiveness are among those most commonly declined.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 53% of grant dollars went to organisations Blue Shield of California Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 17% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 73 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $200k (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth · Restorative practices to end domestic violence: investing in community capacity and evidence for restorative practices that promote healing and prevention$700,0002023 tax year
- DeafHope · Restorative practices to end domestic violence: investing in community capacity and evidence for restorative practices that promote healing and prevention$700,0002023 tax year
- East Los Angeles Women's Center · Restorative practices to end domestic violence: investing in community capacity and evidence for restorative practices that promote healing and prevention$700,0002023 tax year
- Women's Foundation of California · Supporting the domestic violence housing opportunities means everything (home) cohort$650,0002023 tax year
- Healing Together · Restorative practices to end domestic violence: investing in community capacity and evidence for restorative practices that promote healing and prevention$600,0002023 tax year
- California Partnership to End Domestic Violence · General operating support$540,0002023 tax year
- Tides Center · General operating support for bay area regional health inequities initiative (barhii)$515,0002023 tax year
- Public Health Institute · General operating support for public health alliance of southern california$515,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Sandy Clarke — Trustee
- Lisa Davis — Trustee
- Deborah I Chang — President and CEO
- Sharon Kimberly Belshe — Board Chair
- Raymond J Baxter — Trustee
- Maricela Rios — Trustee
- Luis Granados — Trustee
- Katherine Flores MD — Chair, Human Resources Committee
- Helen Duplessis MD MPH — Chair, Governance Committee
- Adriane Lamar Snider — Chair, Audit Committee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $35,819,650 | $42,210,140 | $73,415,608 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $23,668,198 | $18,255,346 | $77,351,171 | Filing for 2023 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Blue Shield of California Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (415) 229-6080
- BSCF@BLUESHIELDCAFOUNDATION.ORG
- San Francisco, CA
- blueshieldcafoundation.org
Applying to Blue Shield of California Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (415) 229-6080
- BSCF@BLUESHIELDCAFOUNDATION.ORG
- San Francisco, CA
- blueshieldcafoundation.org