Applications open for $1.5M in COVID-19 relief funding from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois

Recognizing that the social impacts of COVID-19 are still great, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is opening a second round of funding to support community-based organizations addressing crucial needs for people across the state.

“We’ve stepped up since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis to give our members, providers and communities access to care, coverage and social supports,“ said Harmony Harrington, vice-president government and community relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “Now in year two, as the pandemic has grown and evolved, I’m proud that we are offering additional funding to social service organizations offering support to our most vulnerable neighbors.”

In May 2020, BCBSIL awarded $20,000 grants to 75 organizations providing critical services in the areas of access to health care, hunger and shelter as part of the BCBSIL COVID-19 Community Collaboration Fund.

BCBSIL today opened an additional round of quick-release funding to support community-based organizations supporting five focus areas – access to care, hunger, shelter and behavioral health, and COVID-19 health education and vaccine access. This grant cycle will again offer 75 grants of $20,000 and is open to prior recipients of BCBSIL’s COVID-19 Community Collaboration funding, however prior grantees are not guaranteed a second award. Key dates for the program:

• February 15, 2021 – Application opens
• February 26, 2021 – Application closes
• Week of March 22, 2021 – Applicants notified of funding decisions

This builds on the work accomplished with round one of the funding program, as well as BCBSIL’s $1M donation to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund and $500,000 to the Chicago COVID-19 Response Fund, as well as direct donations of PPE, food and school supplies to people in communities across Illinois. BCBSIL is also supporting access to COVID-19 vaccines for front line health care workers, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Learn more on our dedicated COVID-19 website about how we are responding to the pandemic for our members, including expanding access in areas such as testing, treatment, pharmacy and telehealth related to COVID-19.