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The California Wellness Foundation

Annual Giving
$67.0M
Grant Range
$0K - $2.0M
Decision Time
3mo

The California Wellness Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $67 million (2025)
  • Total Assets: $1 billion
  • Decision Time: 60-90 days after cycle closes
  • Grant Range: $100 - $2,000,000 (most under $500,000)
  • Geographic Focus: California statewide
  • Application Method: Cycle-based (currently paused after July 31, 2025)

Contact Details

Address: 515 S. Flower Street, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone: (818) 702-1900
Email: grants@calwellness.org
Website: https://www.calwellness.org
EIN: 95-4292101

Overview

The California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness) was created in 1990 and endowed in 1992 following the conversion of Health Net from a nonprofit to a for-profit health insurance corporation. With $1 billion in assets, it is one of California's largest public health philanthropic institutions. Since 1992, the foundation has awarded over 9,000 grants totaling more than $1 billion. The foundation's mission is to protect and improve the health and wellness of the people of California by increasing access to health care, quality education, good jobs, healthy environments, and safe neighborhoods. Cal Wellness focuses particularly on low-income individuals, people of color, youth, and residents of rural areas. In 2025, the foundation is making its largest-ever annual commitment of $67 million—up from its typical $47 million annual budget. The foundation is currently in strategic planning and will begin operating under a new framework in 2026.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Cal Wellness organizes its "Advancing Wellness" grantmaking program (launched in 2014 as a 10-year strategy) into four main portfolios:

1. Community Well-Being - Communities Leading Transformation

  • Focus: Healing and well-being programs addressing trauma and community violence impacts, particularly in communities of color
  • Examples: $750,000 to Advance Peace for gun violence interruption; $300,000 to LOUD For Tomorrow for youth organizing

2. Equity in Access - Defending Health Care and Immigrant Rights

  • Focus: Healthcare access and immigrant rights protection
  • Examples: $500,000 to Community Water Center for core operating support

3. Economic Security & Dignity - Strengthening the Floor and Raising the Ceiling

  • Focus: Economic equity, Black workers, affordable housing
  • Examples: $500,000 each to Los Angeles Black Worker Center and End Poverty in California; $1.5 million program-related investment to Little Tokyo Service Center for affordable housing

4. Leading for Power & Change - Striving for Racial Justice

  • Focus: Leadership development, capacity building, racial justice advocacy
  • Examples: $800,000 to Black Wellness and Prosperity Center for doula workforce initiative

Grant Types: Direct services, public policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building. The foundation prefers multi-year grants (2-3 years) for organizational stability over single-year support.

Application Method: Cycle-based review periods (currently on hold after July 31, 2025)

Priority Areas

  • Health equity and wellness for underserved populations
  • Gun violence prevention
  • Black maternal and infant health
  • Economic justice and worker rights
  • Affordable housing
  • Environmental justice (water access, healthy environments)
  • Youth empowerment and engagement
  • Immigrant rights
  • Racial and social justice
  • Inclusive democracy and community power-building

Target Populations: Low-income individuals, people of color, youth, residents of rural areas, and historically underserved communities across California

What They Don't Fund

  • International work or organizations located outside the United States
  • Projects that do not benefit people in California
  • Healing and well-being programs without a clear strategy for addressing trauma and community violence impacts
  • Standalone conferences
  • Requests that do not align with current portfolio priorities

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Board Chair: Terence Mulligan (elected 2024)
Immediate Past Chair: Pamela J. Simms-Mackey, M.D., FAAP
Board Treasurer: Geri Yang-Johnson
Board Secretary: Xóchitl Castañeda

New Board Members (beginning January 2025):

  • John Kim, President and CEO of Catalyst California
  • Kaci Patterson, Founder of the Black Equity Collective

Executive Leadership

President & CEO: Richard Tate
Manager of the Executive Office: Brooke Atherton El-Amine

Leadership Philosophy

Richard Tate has emphasized transformational thinking in his leadership approach. He has stated: "Most of our systems and structures were built for a time that already no longer exists" and "incremental change won't meet the moment ahead." Tate believes "only by thinking differently and acting courageously will we ensure not just our own survival, but the survival of those who will undoubtedly need us most in the years to come."

On the foundation's 2025 commitment, Tate said: "The people and organizations we support are facing unprecedented challenges—but they are not backing down, and neither are we."

Board Chair Dr. Pamela Simms-Mackey described Tate as "an authentic and empathetic leader who brings optimism, boldness and dedication to all that he does."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT NOTE: For the remainder of 2025, the foundation will continue to make grants but will not be accepting Letters of Interest (LOIs) for funding consideration after July 31, 2025. The foundation will provide an update on their 2026 approach in the coming months.

Standard Two-Stage Process (when accepting applications):

Stage 1 - Letter of Interest (LOI):

  • Submit during open cycle dates (specific times of the year, not rolling)
  • Short online form describing your organization and funding request
  • Must align with at least one portfolio and one goal within that portfolio
  • Online account required to submit
  • Recommend drafting responses in Word template first, then copying into online form during open cycle
  • Form must be completed in one sitting
  • If request fits multiple funding areas, submit only one LOI (staff will route appropriately)

Stage 2 - Full Proposal:

  • By invitation only after LOI review
  • Submitted online if LOI is accepted

Eligibility: Organizations do not need to be headquartered in California, but the work must benefit people in California.

Contact for Questions: grants@calwellness.org

Decision Timeline

  • LOI Review: 60-90 days after the cycle closes (sources vary between 60 and 90 days)
  • Process: The foundation reviews LOIs in batches during specific cycle periods, allowing them to evaluate groups of proposals related to a program area together for greater efficiency
  • Notification: Confirmation email sent upon LOI submission; decision notification sent within the review period
  • Feedback: Declined applicants receive "clear and thoughtful feedback" about the decision via declination email

Success Rates

  • 794 awards made in 2023
  • Specific application-to-award ratio not publicly disclosed
  • The foundation makes "hundreds of grants a year to organizations of every size in California"
  • Past grantees receive no special priority—each application is evaluated on current merits based on fit with priorities, community need, available funding, and organizational capacity

Reapplication Policy

No specific waiting period or restrictions documented. The foundation states that past grantees do not receive special priority, suggesting each application is evaluated independently on its merits. Declined applicants have reported appreciation for staff feedback and advice for strengthening future proposals.

Application Success Factors

Alignment is Critical: The foundation emphasizes that decisions are based on "fit with priorities, community need, available funding, and organizational capacity." They explicitly state: "If your request does not align with our current grantmaking priorities, it is unlikely to be funded."

Review Portfolio Pages Carefully: Applicants must review the "What We Fund" and "What We Don't Fund" sections under each goal area before applying. Work must align with at least one portfolio and one goal within that portfolio.

Study Past Grants: The foundation encourages applicants to view their searchable grants database to understand what types of organizations and projects they've supported.

Multi-Year Thinking: Cal Wellness prefers multi-year grants (2-3 years) for organizational stability rather than single-year support when appropriate.

Focus on Impact in Communities of Color: Recent grants show strong emphasis on racial justice, with significant funding for Black maternal health, Black worker centers, and organizations led by and serving communities of color.

Community-Led Solutions: Recent funding announcement from VP of Programs Lori Cox noted grants "reached deep into communities across the state," suggesting preference for grassroots, community-based approaches.

Clear Strategy Required: For Community Well-Being portfolio specifically, programs must have "a clear strategy around addressing the impacts of trauma and community violence, particularly among communities of color."

Geographic Diversity: The foundation welcomes "requests from organizations of all sizes and from all parts of the state"—from large urban centers to small rural areas.

Recent Examples of Funded Work:

  • Black Wellness and Prosperity Center: Doula workforce initiative and programming for Black fathers
  • Advance Peace: Gun violence interruption program
  • Los Angeles Black Worker Center: Economic equity work
  • Community Water Center: Environmental justice and water access
  • LOUD For Tomorrow: Youth empowerment and community organizing

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Strategic Transition Period: The foundation is in strategic planning for 2026. LOI submissions are paused after July 31, 2025. Monitor their website for 2026 application updates.

  • Alignment Over Everything: Review portfolio pages thoroughly before applying. If your work doesn't clearly fit within one of the four portfolios and specific goals, don't apply. The foundation explicitly warns misaligned requests will not be funded.

  • Justice-Centered Approach: Cal Wellness is explicitly guided by "a vision of racial and social justice." Applications should demonstrate understanding of health equity and social determinants of health.

  • Multi-Year Relationship Building: The foundation prefers 2-3 year grants, signaling they want sustained partnerships rather than one-off projects. Frame proposals with long-term impact in mind.

  • Community Power Focus: Recent funding patterns show preference for organizations building power in historically underserved communities, grassroots organizing, and community-led transformation.

  • Size Doesn't Matter: The foundation explicitly welcomes applications from organizations of all sizes. Don't be intimidated if you're a smaller grassroots organization—they actively fund across the spectrum.

  • Expect Thoughtful Feedback: Even if declined, applicants report receiving clear feedback and advice for strengthening future proposals. Use this as a learning opportunity.

References

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