Elevance Health Foundation's 2026 Grant Cycle: A Beacon for Community Health Nonprofits

Across the United States, many community-based nonprofits and safety-net health providers serve populations burdened by systemic inequities: limited access to mental health care, maternal-infant health disparities, food insecurity, and lack of supportive social services. However, sustainable funding is often a challenge — especially for scaled, data-driven, community-centered interventions.

That's where Elevance Health Foundation (EHF) steps in. Celebrating more than two decades of service, EHF recently launched a new five-year, US$ 150 million commitment (2025–2029) to support "whole-health" community solutions.

For U.S.-based community health nonprofits working on behavioral health, maternal/infant health, social determinants of health, or structural inequities — this is a timely and significant funding opportunity.

Who Can Apply

EHF invites applications from:

• Registered nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) public charities under U.S. Internal Revenue Code: e.g., 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), 509(a)(2), or functionally integrated 509(a)(3) organizations)
• Nonprofits serving under-resourced, vulnerable, or historically marginalized communities (e.g., low-income populations, people of color, those facing social determinants of health) — across the U.S.
• Organizations proposing measurable, scalable, community-oriented interventions — not private foundations, capital-endowment projects, or purely fundraising/advocacy initiatives

Note: While EHF specifies "prioritized" states for certain local programs (e.g. for maternal/infant health or other focus areas), it also accepts national proposals.

Priority Focus Areas

Under its 2025–2029 strategy, EHF concentrates on four main domains:

• Behavioral Health & Substance Use Disorder (SUD): including mental health (MH), early-intervention/prevention, treatment access, recovery support, and efforts to reduce loneliness/social isolation
• Maternal & Infant Health: addressing disparities in prenatal care, birth outcomes, social risk drivers, and supporting reproductive and perinatal health of vulnerable communities
• Food as Medicine / Nutrition-linked Health Programs: addressing diet-related conditions, food insecurity, and social drivers of health that influence clinical outcomes
• Community Resiliency & Disaster Relief / Broader Social Determinants: supporting interventions around community stability, resilience, and addressing social needs that influence health outcomes

Grant Size & Duration

• Grant amounts are not fixed: EHF bases funding on the scope and need of the proposed intervention
• EHF expects that no more than ~15% of requested funds go toward general operating/overhead or indirect costs
• Grant terms typically range 1–3 years, with 12-month increments
• Proposals must include clear measures, accountability standards — tracking long-term outcomes, and sustainability plans

Application Portal & Deadlines (2026)

The application portal: "For Grantseekers" page on Elevance Health Foundation's site.

Because EHF reviews proposals carefully and funding is competitive, they recommend applicants download the RFP-specific PDF for their focus area, follow its guidance, and submit before the deadline.

Past Success Stories: What Worked for Previous Grantees

Behavioral Health / SUD & Mental Health

Between 2021 and 2024, EHF invested US$ 33.7 million to support 77 nonprofit organizations working in substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, recovery support, and more broadly — mental health and whole-person care.

These programs reportedly reached 746,000 people through community events and screenings.

In some funded projects, EHF grants helped expand SUD recovery programs, build peer-support networks, and integrate behavioral health services into community-based settings. For example: a grant awarded to Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (VA FCC) to expand SUD recovery across six clinics over three years.

Another example: LA Family Housing — a nonprofit that provides permanent housing along with supportive services — received funding to deliver mental health and substance-use support to residents in its housing units.

These examples highlight that EHF tends to favor scalable, integrated programs combining behavioral health with social supports, housing or basic needs — rather than narrow clinical-only interventions.

Maternal & Infant Health — Spotlight on Equity & Outcomes

Under EHF's prior grant cycles, the foundation allocated US$30 million to 46 maternal health programs aimed at reducing preterm birth rates, lowering maternal morbidity, and improving maternal and infant outcomes in underserved communities.

One notable success: Creating Healthier Communities (CHC) launched the Black Birthing Initiative (BBI) in 2022 — targeting Black women in Atlanta, Cleveland, and Detroit. The program provides non-clinical support addressing social drivers (housing stability, food insecurity, mental health, doula support, birth planning).

According to EHF, participants in BBI experienced a full-term birth rate of 90%, significantly higher than the 54% national average for the same demographic.

BBI also developed a screening tool to identify unmet social needs of pregnant Black women — showing that integrating social determinants assessments with maternal care made a measurable difference.

These examples illustrate that EHF favors equity-centered maternal health programs that address both clinical and social determinants, and that combine data-driven measurement with community-based, culturally informed approaches.

How to Apply for Elevance Health Foundation Grants

Step 1: Review the Grantseekers Portal & Download the Appropriate RFP

• Visit EHF's "For Grantseekers" page to find the most current Request for Proposal (RFP) for the focus area you intend to apply under (Behavioral Health, Maternal/Infant Health, etc.)
• Download the RFP PDF and carefully review all eligibility criteria, deliverables, reporting requirements, and grant guidelines

Step 2: Ensure Organizational Eligibility & Compliance

• You must be a 501(c)(3) public charity under eligible subsections (170(b)(1)(A)(vi), 509(a)(2), or functionally integrated 509(a)(3))
• The proposed program must align with EHF's focus areas and be designed for vulnerable or underserved populations
• Budget proposals should limit general operating or overhead/indirect costs to no more than ~15% of total request

Step 3: Build a Data-Driven, Scalable Proposal with Measurable Outcomes

Your proposal should ideally include:

• Clear description of intervention(s): e.g., prevention, early intervention, treatment, community outreach, recovery services, maternal care — depending on focus area
• Target population and geographic scope (national vs local / state-focused) — if local, ensure your state is among those prioritized (check RFP)
• Measurable outcome metrics: e.g., number of individuals served, increase in treatment uptake, reduction in preterm births, improved maternal outcomes, reduction in social risk factors, food security, mental health outcomes, etc. EHF emphasizes measurable "positive change"
• A sustainability plan: whether through partnerships, community-based coalitions, integration with social services, or data systems — evidence that benefits will continue beyond the grant term. Past EHF practice favors sustainable, scalable impact rather than one-off help
• Capacity for evaluation/reporting: collect demographic, outcomes, and social determinants data; include evaluation frameworks (pre/post intervention metrics, longitudinal tracking, equity measures)

Step 4: Submit Before the Deadline & Use the Official Portal

• For Behavioral Health grants submit by January 31, 2026
• For Maternal/Infant Health grants: aim for before July 31, 2026
• Use the "Apply" link on the RFP page to submit your proposal

What Makes a Strong, Competitive Elevance Health Foundation Proposal

Based on past grant awards and EHF's publicly shared priorities and results, successful applicants usually show:

• Equity-centered mission alignment: Programs targeting vulnerable or marginalized populations (racial minorities, low-income, food insecure, underserved maternal populations, mental health/SUD affected) with a clear equity lens
• Community-based, culturally responsive approach: Including social support, addressing social determinants, integrating non­clinical interventions (housing, food, social support, mental health, peer recovery), not just narrow clinical care — as in past EHF-funded examples like the Black Birthing Initiative or community-based SUD recovery clinics
• Data-driven, measurable outcomes + evaluation plan: EHF expects metrics (e.g. increased access, improved health outcomes, reduced disparities, social determinants improvements) and accountability
• Scalability & sustainability: Programs that can be scaled (state-wide or national), replicated, or sustained beyond the grant term, possibly via partnerships or integration with existing social/health systems
• Balanced budget: majority program/implementation costs, minimal overheads/indirect costs (≤ 15%)

Where Pillar by SocialRoots.ai Fits In — Amplifying Your Grant's Strength

Winning large foundation grants increasingly demand transparent data, clear impact tracking, and efficient reporting — exactly what Pillar offers. With Pillar, nonprofits can:

• Track patient and community-level outcomes (service utilization, maternal or mental health outcomes, SUD recovery, social determinants metrics) in real time
• Generate funder-ready reports (quantitative data + demographics + social determinants) that align with EHF's requirement for measurable impact and accountability
• Combine data from EHRs, outreach programs, social support interventions, and community services — essential when interventions go beyond clinical care
• Visualize community impact — making it easier for funders to see long-term sustainability, scalability, and equity outcomes

By using Pillar, community health nonprofits dramatically increase their ability to design, implement, and present data-driven, equitable, and funder-ready proposals — exactly what the Elevance Health Foundation is looking for in 2026 grant applicants.

Conclusion: A Strategic Opportunity for Community Health Nonprofits in 2026

With its 2025 launch of a new 5-year, US$150 million commitment, Elevance Health Foundation stands out as a major philanthropic funder for community health — especially for nonprofit organizations committed to behavioral health, maternal/infant health, and social-determinants-driven interventions.

If your organization is U.S.-based, qualifies as a 501(c)(3), serves vulnerable or underserved populations, and is ready to deliver scalable, measurable, and sustainable health equity work — now is a prime moment to apply.

By aligning your program with EHF's focus, building a data-rich proposal, and leveraging tools like Pillar by SocialRoots.ai for evaluation and impact reporting, your nonprofit could be among the next set of change-makers receiving support from Elevance Health Foundation.