Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Opens Applications for 2025 Health Equity Innovation Awards

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has opened the application portal for its 2025 Health Equity Innovation Awards, inviting nonprofit organizations to apply for funding that supports community-based solutions to health disparities. This annual funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations working to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes across upstate New York. 

Excellus BCBS is proud to be one of only three health plans in New York State that has earned NCQA Health Equity Accreditation. The nonprofit is also the first and only health plan in the state to receive the accreditation for all its products including Commercial plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and plans on the New York State of Health Marketplace. * 

Application Period:
•    Opens: Monday, August 18 at 10:00 a.m. 

•    Closes: Friday, September 19 at 11:59 p.m. 

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations located within the Excellus BlueCross BlueShield service areas are encouraged to apply for funding to support innovative, community-based programs that advance health equity and improve health outcomes. 

“The Health Equity Innovation Awards support our mission as a local health plan to improve the health of the communities we serve,” said Simone E. Edwards, DrPH, MPH, vice president of health equity and community investments at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “By investing in community-led solutions, we’re helping address the underlying factors that contribute to health disparities.” 

Funding will be awarded to initiatives that align with one or more of the following priority areas:

•    Chronic Disease Management – Prevention and treatment of conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease

•    Maternal Health – Improving prenatal/postnatal care, maternal mental health, and reducing maternal mortality

•    Mental & Behavioral Health – Expanding access, reducing stigma, and improving care delivery

•    Social Determinants of Health – Addressing housing, education, employment, and social support

•    Health Literacy – Empowering individuals through better understanding of health information

•    Access to Care – Increasing availability through telehealth, mobile clinics, and community health workers

•    Data & Technology – Leveraging digital tools to identify and reduce disparities

For more information and to apply, please visit the application portal here.

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*NCQA awards accreditation to organizations that meet or exceed its rigorous requirements for health equity. Health Equity Accreditation recognizes organizations that lead the market in providing culturally and linguistically sensitive services, and work to reduce health care disparities.

These organizations focus on the foundation of health equity: building an internal culture that supports the organization’s external health equity work; collecting data that help the organization create and offer language services and provider networks mindful of individuals’ cultural and linguistic needs; and identifying opportunities to reduce health inequities and improve care.

Health Equity Accreditation is a voluntary program for health plans and other health-related organizations. For more information, visit ncqa.org.

NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more-informed health care choices. NCQA can be found online at ncqa.org, on Twitter @ncqa, on Facebook at facebook.com/NCQA.org, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa.