Priorities

Through strategic grant-making and partnerships, the CareSource Foundation is committed to improving the overall health and well-being, both physically and mentally, in communities where CareSource members reside.

To do this, the foundation focuses on the following four priority areas:

Priority #1: Support Health Education and Promote Healthy Habits

We seek partners and programs that meaningfully improve the physical and mental health for communities with complex needs. Key initiatives include:

  • Providing health education that promotes individuals making informed decisions about their health and the health of their family.
  • Increasing access to and utilization of health and dental screenings and preventive care by low-income families and marginalized communities.
  • Creating a health ecosystem and community-based delivery of care that provides equitable access to high-quality health care.
  • Innovative programs that reduce the stigma and promote access to mental and behavioral health services for adults and children.
  • Evidence-based interventions and education that help people self-manage chronic diseases, and reduce emergency department use.
  • Supporting older adults’ ability to age in their homes by reducing medical and fall risks, ensuring robust social supports, and access to regular physical activity.
  • Support individuals with disabilities and other complex populations to live independently.

To ensure we are learning from our grantmaking and effectively working toward the outcomes in this priority area, we work with grantees to identify indicators that demonstrate positive outcomes.

Access our Foundation Navigate guide for grantees.

Priority #2: Improve Maternal, Infant and Child Health

We seek partners and programs that meaningfully promote healthy births. We work to reduce maternal and infant mortality, and enable vulnerable newborns, children and parents to thrive. Key initiatives include:

  • Increasing access to and utilization of prenatal care earlier in pregnancies, along with postpartum care by low-income and marginalized women and teens.
  • Providing women’s health education and equitable access to women’s health services. This promotes women making informed decisions about their health and the health of their children.
  • Creating a health ecosystem and community-based delivery of care that provides equitable access to high-quality women’s health services.
  • Evidence-based programs that help children meet their development milestones, grow their social-emotional skills and foster positive relationships.
  • Supporting youth development by ensuring children have access to well-visits and immunizations, proper nutrition, regular sleep, and a healthy amount of physical activity.

To ensure we are learning from our grant-making and effectively working toward the outcomes in this priority area, we work with grantees to identify indicators that demonstrate positive outcomes.

Access our Foundation Navigate guide for grantees.

Priority #3: Neighborhood and Downtown Redevelopment (Exclusive to the Dayton region)

We invest in transformative programs and partnerships that help revive and rebuild healthy, thriving neighborhoods. This helps create economic opportunity for vulnerable populations in the Dayton region. It also promotes access to healthy homes and green spaces in the communities we serve. Key initiatives include:

  • Supporting the economic vitality and diversity of the Dayton-region business community, increasing the availability of living-wage jobs and reducing the racial wealth gap.
  • Encouraging a vibrant Dayton community through arts and culture, ensuring access for all people with disabilities and marginalized communities.
  • Supporting low-income families in the Dayton region to gain access to safe, healthy homes, nutritious food and high-quality health care.
  • Promote the availability of, and access to parks, public green spaces and walking trails that improve physical and mental health for low-income and marginalized communities.

To ensure we are learning from our grant-making and effectively working toward the outcomes in this priority area, we work with grantees to identify ways to demonstrate positive outcomes

Access our Foundation Navigate guide for grantees.

Priority #4: 21st Century Workforce Development

We invest in effective, programs and initiatives that prepare and cultivate the next generation of professionals. We promote career-readiness, and we strengthen the capacity and diversity of the health workforce whether it be in healthcare, health and human services, etc. Key initiatives include:

  • Innovative programs and evidence-based curriculum that promote youth and adult students choosing careers in health care.
  • Ensuring children with complex needs have access to social, mental and behavioral health services that promote student academic success.
  • Supporting student access to necessary pediatric health and dental services that help students show up for class ready to learn.
  • Increasing access to jobs for adults with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities to help them live as independently as possible.
  • Promoting a culturally-competent health care workforce that represents patient diversity and cultural factors that affect their health to reduce health disparities.

To ensure we are learning from our grant-making and effectively working toward the outcomes in this priority.

Access our Foundation Navigate guide for grantees.

Across all four priority focus areas, we give strong consideration to:

  • Organizations and ideas that demonstrate exceptional potential for making a difference in one or more of the Foundation’s four priority areas.
  • Innovative approaches that will contribute valuable examples, information, and knowledge to others working in the field
  • Strong program design with clearly defined outcomes and specific ways to evaluate progress. Please review the descriptions of our priority focus areas before submitting a grant application.

If you are interested in applying for a CareSource Foundation grant, please refer to the How to Apply page.