We’re changing our Letter of Interest (LOI) process for grant-seekers this year, as Cal Wellness embarks on a strategic planning journey to shape the future of our work. Instead of accepting LOIs year-round, we’re moving to specific submission windows that will be open now through April 30, and July 1-31. We’ll provide an update later this year on LOI submissions for the rest of 2025. Learn more here.
Apply for a Grant
Program areas currently accepting letters of interest
Open
- Youth Justice
- Community Environments
Not Accepting
- Violence Prevention and Healing Justice
Open
- Economic Mobility & Wealth Creation
- Economic Safety Net
Not Accepting
- Post Secondary Education & Health Professions Training
Open
- Universal Coverage and Access to Care
- System Transformation
Not Accepting
- Priority Populations
Open
- Equity in the Nonprofit Sector
- Reimagining Social Justice
Not Accepting
- Mobilizing Movements and Power Building
If you are eligible to apply for a grant, you can submit a Letter of Interest. (Please see here for the downloadable Word version.)
Unsure whether you’re eligible? A checklist:
- Your organization must be a nonprofit public agency, religious organization or tribal government. Cal Wellness does not fund individuals seeking funding.
- You must have Section 501(c)(3) status and be classified as a public charity.
- Your organization can’t discriminate by race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation or national origin.
- Your application is not for an annual fund drive, building campaign, major equipment or biomedical research.
- Your proposal would benefit those living in California. Cal Wellness does not provide international funding or fund organizations located outside the United States.
We ask that you share any comments or questions via grants(at)calwellness.org.
Advancing Wellness Grantmaking
Our grantmaking program, Advancing Wellness, is organized into four main areas (see above).
Each portfolio has specific goals and funding priorities. Your work must align with at least one portfolio and one goal within that portfolio. Be sure to visit the portfolio pages linked above to check the “What We Fund” and “What We Don’t Fund” sections under each goal area. This will help you see if your organization’s work aligns with our priorities. You can also view our past grants to learn what types of organizations and projects we’ve supported.
How to Apply
First Step: Submit a Letter of Interest (LOI)
The LOI is a brief overview of your organization and your request. It helps us decide whether to invite you to submit a full proposal.
Before you begin:
- Download this fillable LOI template to draft your answers. This makes it easier to work with your team and make edits.
- Once you start the online form, you must complete it in one sitting. You cannot save and return later.
- Double-check your answers before clicking Submit.
- You will enter your answers directly into the online form—a separate request narrative upload is no longer required.
If your LOI is accepted, we’ll contact you and invite you to submit a full proposal online. You should hear from us within 60 days of the end of the cycle. We receive more LOIs than we’re able to fund, and while we cannot say yes to every request, we’ll do our best to provide feedback if we’re unable to move forward with your LOI.
We’re grateful for the time and thought you put into this process. Please check our website regularly for updates on open LOI cycles and funding priorities. Our Frequently Asked Questions page is another resource for you.
Want to connect? Call us at (818) 702-1900 and ask for Grants Management, or email us at grants(at)calwellness.org.