Rhode Island nonprofit agencies invited to apply for grant support for initiatives that support access to healthy and affordable housing

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 26, 2023) – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is now accepting applications for the 2024 BlueAngel Community Health Grants with a continued focus on funding initiatives supporting access to healthy and affordable housing. Especially welcome are applications from health and human services organizations that respond to ongoing housing needs in innovative ways.

The BlueAngel Community Health Grant program is one of the tools BCBSRI optimizes to address the findings of the annual RI Life Index, a partnership of BCBSRI and the Brown University School of Public Health. The Index is a data resource focused on social factors, such as access to nutritious food, quality education, and human services that have an outsize influence on health and well-being. Now in its fifth year, the Index consistently finds availability of, and access to, safe and affordable housing a significant concern and challenge for many Rhode Islanders. Investing in access to safe and affordable housing is an important step in BCBSRI’s strategy to address health equity in Rhode Island.

BCBSRI first began awarding BlueAngel Community Health grants in support of housing interventions in 2020, and in the past four years has awarded more than $2.1 million to 20 organizations. Grantees represent a myriad of services and resources, including housing navigation, legal protections and counsel, advocacy and policy work, new development, housing for special populations, landlord outreach and education, and transitional housing and supportive services.

“Rhode Islanders continue to struggle with access to safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said Carolyn Belisle, BCBSRI’s managing director of corporate social responsibility. “Persistent inflation, high interest rates, and other economic factors have only exacerbated what has been a deteriorating situation for decades, despite the longstanding efforts of so many dedicated organizations and leaders. At Blue Cross, we’re committed to leveraging our BlueAngel Community Health grants to support community partners as they continue to address the root causes of our housing crisis and develop smart solutions for our state.”

The BlueAngel Community Health Grant program is an annual competitive grant program that allows BCBSRI to further its vision to improve health and well-being by leading access to high quality, affordable, and equitable care, in partnership with community-based agencies. The program, started more than two decades ago, is the cornerstone of BCBSRI’s community-investment activities, having contributed more than $6.2 million in funding to Rhode Island-based nonprofits since its inception.

Through the 2024 BlueAngel Community Health Grant program, BCBSRI aims to:

• Fund organizations and programs that will result in more Rhode Islanders being able to afford safe, healthy and stable housing.
• Increase awareness about safe, affordable housing as a shared public concern, underscoring why housing matters and its connection to overall health.
• Highlight solutions and amplify effective models to support access to safe and affordable housing by funding proven and replicable local- and state-level initiatives, with an emphasis on collaborations across different sectors.

To apply for a BlueAngel Community Health Grant, Rhode Island nonprofit agencies are invited to submit a letter of intent before July 28, 2023. Letters will be reviewed by a committee to determine which programs best fit the criteria for the program and selected agencies will be invited to submit a full proposal for funding. For more information on the application process and for FAQs, visit: www.bcbsri.com/about/blueangel or email blueangel.news@bcbsri.org with any questions.