A Look at Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico’s Community Giving Strategy
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The health insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield practices charitable giving in states across the country, including South Carolina, Mississippi, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Another state with a BCBS connection is New Mexico. Here’s a look at how Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) approaches philanthropy and supports communities throughout the state.
Top focus areas
At BCBSNM, there are five primary areas of focus. The first is economic opportunity and stability, which addresses poverty, removing employment barriers and providing good jobs. Nutrition is also a BCBSNM interest — the funder supports efforts that decrease hunger and increase access to healthy food.
The third interest area focuses on neighborhoods and local assets, with grants for affordable housing, access to transportation and promoting physical activity. BCBSNM also supports locally defined health solutions that address local health and human service need. Finally, it seeks to fund optimal health outcomes and looks to close care gaps in six key areas: behavioral health, cardiovascular care, diabetes care, immunizations, early detection cancer screening and infant and maternal health.
Eligibility and exclusions
Like other Blue Cross Blue Shield foundations, this one exclusively supports organizations within its home state. It funds 501(c)(3) nonprofits, government agencies, and civic and cultural organizations. It also supports public school systems that promote educational opportunities.
However, BCBSNM does not support established trusts, endowments, certain types of sponsorships, brick-and-mortar or capital campaigns, individuals, deficit funding, or any discriminatory organizations or projects. Grant funding comes in the form of both program-focused initiatives and general operating support.
Applying for a grant
BCBSNM offers a straightforward application process and an annual grant opportunity. The funder requires applications to be submitted online between January 12 and November 10. Organizations can submit online applications anytime during those 10 months each year. Sponsorship funding is typically only available for groups that provide BCBSNM with visibility through events like fundraisers, galas, golf tournaments and conferences.
The funder has a grant program called Blue Impact, through which support is available to expand access to care and target the social determinants of health. BCBSNM has accepted online applications for Blue Impact grants between February 15 and March 31. Each year, the BCBSNM video department also offers one New Mexico nonprofit the opportunity to collaborate on a three-to-five-minute video to highlight its work and share its story with a target audience.
Other community involvement
In addition to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico’s community giving program, the company’s involved in New Mexico communities in a number of other ways. It makes corporate contributions, has employee volunteer programs and promotes wellness through community outreach. It offers the free Blue 60Plus program to help seniors stay healthy, has a mobile health clinic that travels statewide, and, notably, provides a costumed blue bear character as a health ambassador for events. Other examples of community involvement include participating in blood drives, donating school supplies, partnering with the United Way, providing holiday gifts for needy families and sponsoring an annual breast cancer walk.
Read more about this funder in IP’s full profile of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, which is part of our New Mexico funding guide.
