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

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (23 de junio de 2021) – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is now accepting applications for 2022 BlueAngel Community Health Grants. The program seeks to fund initiatives that support access to safe and affordable housing. BCBSRI is interested in the innovative ways that health and human service community-based organizations are responding to ongoing needs.

Grants will continue to address the findings of the RI Life Index, a data resource focused on social determinants of health that influence health and well-being. The RI Life Index found availability of, and access to, safe and affordable housing is a significant concern and challenge for many Rhode Islanders. The research is clear that by investing in access to safe and affordable housing, health outcomes for all Rhode Islanders will improve over time. BCBSRI first began awarding BlueAngel Community Health grants in support of housing interventions in 2020, providing funding to nine organizations and supporting a myriad of services including housing navigation, legal protections and counsel, landlord outreach and education and transitional housing and supportive services.

“The RI Life Index has played a critical role in shaping our BlueAngel Community Health Grant program. Survey results from the first two years convey a lack of access to safe and affordable housing is on the minds of many Rhode Islanders and is impacting their health and well-being," said Carolyn Belisle, BCBSRI managing director of corporate social responsibility. “We are focused on investing in programs and initiatives where health and housing intersect. Housing stability, quality, safety and affordability all affect health outcomes."

BCBSRI’s corporate vision is to passionately lead a state of health and well-being across Rhode Island. The BlueAngel Community Health Grant program is an annual competitive grant program that allows BCBSRI to further its vision by addressing critical health issues in the state through its partnerships with community-based agencies trying to improve the health of Rhode Islanders. The 19-year-old program is the cornerstone of BCBSRI’s community-investment activities, having contributed more than $5.1 million in funding to Rhode Island-based nonprofits since the program’s inception.

Through the 2022 BlueAngel Community Health Grant program, BCBSRI aims to:

• Financiar organizaciones y programas que permitirán que más residentes de Rhode Island puedan pagar viviendas seguras, en buenas condiciones y estables.
• Aumentar la concientización sobre viviendas seguras y asequibles como una preocupación pública compartida, mientras destacamos por qué la vivienda es importante y la conexión que tiene con la salud en general.
• Destacar soluciones y amplificar modelos efectivos para apoyar el acceso a viviendas seguras y asequibles mediante el financiamiento de iniciativas a nivel local y estatal comprobadas y replicables, con énfasis en colaboraciones en diferentes sectores.

To apply for a BlueAngel Community Health Grant, Rhode Island nonprofit agencies are invited to submit a letter of intent before 23 de julio de 2021. Letters will be reviewed by a committee to determine which programs best fit the criteria for the program and selected agencies will be notified to submit a full proposal for funding. Grantees will be notified and announced in 20 de diciembre21. 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.