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Frequently Asked Questions

  • The foundation awards grants through a competitive application and review process.

    To be considered for funding, an organization must meet all eligibility criteria for the specific funding opportunity, as outlined in its guidelines; and prospective grantees must complete an online application, including all required documents.

  • Open funding opportunities are announced on this website and through the Blue & You e-newsletter. We encourage you to sign up for the e-newsletters using the link at the bottom of the page to receive funding alerts and learn more about the Foundation and the work of our grantees.

  • Programs and projects should address community issues related to health, well-being, and/or education and offer a solution to the issue(s) by bringing together and working with community partners and funders. The Blue & You Foundation’s funding focuses are behavioral health, maternal and pediatric health, and social determinants of health. Programs and organizations should also demonstrate operational and financial viability.

    • Capital campaigns or endowments
    • Large construction projects or large equipment purchases
    • Organizations that have previously received two years of funding for a project must apply for something outside of that scope of work.
    • Health fairs, conferences or conference attendance fees
    • Sponsorships or fundraising events
    • Programs that are specifically tobacco related. Because of the availability of funding in Arkansas from the Tobacco Settlement, the Foundation will not fund proposals that are principally tobacco related.
    • Indirect costs for programs or the organization
    • Organizations or governmental agencies must be Arkansas-based (or if the applying organization is located outside of Arkansas, the project to be funded must specifically benefit Arkansans). Check your organization’s status here: https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/corps/search_all.php
    • Any 501(c)(3) public charity
    • Public schools, colleges and universities
    • City, county and state governmental agencies
    • Religious organizations are eligible, but the program cannot support theological functions or religious purposes.
    • Individuals
    • Organizations cannot be a private foundation under IRC § 509(a)
    • Political or lobbying organizations
    • Athletes or athletic teams
    • Beauty Pageants
    • Greek or fraternal organizations
    • Organizations cannot be in a contractual relationship with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
  • A “contractual relationship” is defined as an arrangement whereby an organization has a contract to provide a service or product to the corporate entities of Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “vendor” relationship). Such a relationship would make the organization ineligible for a foundation grant.

    Organizations whose sole relationship is that of purchasing health insurance for its employees from Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “customer” relationship), and do not provide a service or product to these corporate entities, are not considered to have a “contractual relationship” within this definition, and therefore are eligible for grants, if other eligibility criteria are met.

    Also, an organization that has a contractual relationship to provide a service or product to individuals or groups that have health insurance through Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “provider” relationship), are eligible to receive grants, if other eligibility criteria are met. For example, participating providers (physicians or hospitals) are not considered ineligible simply because they provide a service to individuals insured through Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.

    An exception to the “provider” guideline above involves those several hospitals which have a joint venture contractual relationship with Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. A grant application from a joint venture hospital would be ineligible. However, a qualifying Foundation of such a joint venture hospital could be eligible to apply for a grant if other eligibility criteria are met.

    In summary, “vendors” are ineligible, but “customers” and “providers” as defined above are generally eligible for grants, if other eligibility criteria are met.

  • For more information on deadlines and cycle dates, please visit our Apply for Funding page.

  • The Evaluation Committee considers the following categories when evaluating grant applications.

    • Relevance to Blue & You Foundation priorities
    • Project design and feasibility
    • Documentation of need
    • Evidence of broad-based community involvement
    • Innovativeness/learning opportunity
    • Health Equity
    • Leveraging potential

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