PROVIDENCE – Applications are now being accepted for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island’s BlueAngel Community Health grants.
This year, the program is focusing on findings from the insurer’s recently released survey, RI Life Index, which identified the availability and access to safe and affordable housing as a significant concern by many state residents.
Goals for the 2020 Blue Angel program include funding efforts that aim to:
- Increase access to safe and affordable housing in Rhode Island.
- Improve awareness about housing as a public concern and its connection to overall health.
- Collaborate across sectors to create solutions and models to support access to housing.
“Housing is one of the best-researched social determinants of health, and selected housing interventions, particularly for low-income people, have been found to improve health outcomes,” said Carolyn Belisle, managing director of community relations for Blue Cross. “It makes sense that in 2020 we shift the focus of our BlueAngel Community Health Grant program to invest in programs and initiatives where health and housing intersect. Housing stability, quality, safety and affordability all affect health outcomes, as do physical and social characteristics of neighborhoods.”
The BlueAngel initiative is a competitive grant program that has awarded more than $4 million to various nonprofits in Rhode Island since its creation 17 years ago.
To apply for the 2020 program, nonprofits should submit a letter of intent before Nov. 14. Letters are reviewed by a committee, which invites selected agencies to submit a full proposal for funding.
Grantees will be notified and announced in early February.
For further details on the application process, visit www.bcbsri.com/about/blueangel.
