Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is once again inviting nonprofit organizations to apply for 2023 Health Equity Innovation Award (HEIA) funding. The awards help fund health and wellness programs that address racial and ethnic health disparities in upstate New York. The online application period opens at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 14 and closes at 11:59 p.m., Thursday, September 14.
“Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Health Equity Innovation Award funding aims to support initiatives, programs, and research that specifically target and address the root causes of health inequities, with a focus on addressing structural racism. We believe that by investing in projects that tackle the underlying social, economic, and systematic factors that contribute to health disparities, we can work towards creating a more just and equitable healthcare system,” says Lisa Harris, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.
501(c)(3) organizations in Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s service area are invited to apply for Health Equity Innovation Award funding up to $30,000.
Application proposals for innovative initiatives or projects that have proven data outcomes and can be expanded will be considered. Proposals must include clear, defined goals for reducing health disparities and the burden of health inequities and social disadvantages. Organizations will be required to specify how funding will measurably assist in improving racial and ethnic health equity outcomes.
Health Equity Innovation Award categories include, but are not limited to:
Reducing health disparities in racial, ethnic, LGBTQIA+ communities, people with disabilities, people living in rural or urban communities, or other groups of people that may be at a higher health risk for:
- Medical issues and conditions (chronic or acute)
- Behavioral health or mental health conditions
- Negative outcomes from the above, including death or suicide
The application portal to apply for the Health Equity Innovation Award funding can be found here.
For additional information, please visit: www.excellusbcbs.com/community, scroll to the Health Equity Innovation Awards section.
Award winners will be announced in late October.
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield operates in 31 upstate New York counties, organized into four regions: the Rochester region, encompassing Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties; the Central New York region, which includes Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego and Tompkins counties; the Southern Tier region, including Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Tioga, Schuyler and Steuben counties; and the Utica region, comprising Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego and St. Lawrence counties.
The company’s corporate giving follows all applicable laws and regulations and does not support funding organizations that conflict with its corporate mission, goals, policies, or products.
Contact:
Melissa Klinko, Regional Corporate Communications Manager (607) 725-6695
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 1.5 million upstate New York members. The company's mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care. Its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. With more than 4,200 employees, the company is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.
