AstraZeneca Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary, the organization has awarded 12 nonprofit organizations $2,170,318 in grants across eight US states and Washington, D.C., for innovative approaches to address healthcare disparities at the community level, a reflection of AstraZeneca’s broader commitment to advance health equity efforts.

Six grants were awarded through Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE), its new signature program launched earlier this year, which aims to improve access to quality healthcare for people experiencing disadvantages due to their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and other characteristics. Additionally, six grants were awarded to current grant awardees of the Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular Health^SM (CCH) Next Generation program, which has worked to help improve heart health across the US since 2020, particularly among underserved communities, and will sunset later this year. These final grants will provide mission support for their efforts to improve health equity in their communities.

“As the AstraZeneca Foundation proudly reflects on its legacy and healthy changes made in partnership with nonprofits, these new awards demonstrate our expanded commitment to advancing health equity in the US,” said James W. Blasetto, MD, MPH, FACC, Chair and Trustee, AstraZeneca Foundation. “Together with our grant recipients, who collectively serve many diverse populations across the country, we aim to strengthen the long-term health and wellbeing of underserved patients and optimistically look forward to the positive impact that can be achieved.”

CHANGE builds on more than a decade of impact and learnings from the Connections for Cardiovascular Health^SM and CCH Next Generation programs and was designed with key community insights to help address urgent, unmet medical needs, particularly within low-income and remote/rural areas of the US. Following an open call for applications and rigorous review process, six nonprofit organizations were selected for the first cohort of the CHANGE program, serving communities across the Mid-Atlantic US in locations where AstraZeneca operates including in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

The CHANGE grants will support nonprofit organizations using collaborative and innovative approaches to provide greater access to quality healthcare, particularly through a focus on screenings, early diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care for cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and immunologic diseases and/or cancers. The six inaugural grant awardees are each receiving $200,000-250,000 for the first year, with renewal for up to two additional years.

As part of the Foundation’s commitment to measure impact and provide capacity-building support for nonprofit organizations, it has selected NORC at the University of Chicago as its evaluation partner. The Foundation and NORC will collaboratively develop a robust reporting and evaluation framework with funded organizations to measure improvements in access to quality healthcare and work to reduce disparities. The partnership will collect and disseminate learnings and effective practices to support potential application in communities across the US.

The 2023 CHANGE awardees are:

AIDS Resource Alliance, Inc. in Williamsport, PA ($249,953) in Williamsport, PA for AR Health: Achieving Health Equity for Medically Underserved Populations which aims to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes by providing high-quality primary care services in a welcoming environment to individuals living with HIV and members of the LGBTQ+ community residing in the rural region of northcentral Pennsylvania, with the ultimate goal of building a healthier and more equitable community.

Community Volunteers in Medicine in West Chester, PA ($250,000) for CVIM Expanding Access to Care Initiative which aims to further mitigate barriers to care for low-income, uninsured community members by expanding hours, locations and transportation services and to address specific unmet healthcare needs by increasing staff, community partnerships and volunteer recruitment.

Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, MD ($250,000) for Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Baltimoreans Experiencing Homelessness which aims to provide consistently excellent care for people experiencing homelessness in Baltimore when and how they want it, including improvements in preventative care, chronic disease management and care coordination and reducing disparities in health outcomes for the predominantly Black and Latinx clients Health Care for the Homeless serves.

LCH Health and Community Services in Kennett Square, PA ($250,000) for LCH Access to Care for Southern Chester Countywhich aims to improve the health of the community by providing high-quality physical and mental healthcare integrated with supportive services, such as social services, legal services and education, to address numerous social determinants of health.

Mary’s Center in Washington, D.C. ($200,365) for Providing Breast Care Services to Uninsured Participants which aims to increase breast cancer screening for participants and provide care coordination to all participants with a cancer diagnosis by providing high-quality culturally affirming care and services for uninsured and under-resourced participants in Washington, D.C. and Maryland through community partnerships with local hospitals, radiology and oncology providers and mobile mammography services.

SOME, Inc. in Washington, D.C. ($250,000) for Breaking Barriers, Boosting Care: SOME & the AstraZeneca Foundation’s Whole Person Approach to Healthcare which aims to empower and catalyze transformative change in the lives of medically fragile individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty in DC by providing equitable access to whole-person, comprehensive healthcare that proactively addresses each person’s unique challenges and needs, ensuring they receive the highest standard of care so they can reclaim their health with dignity.

The Foundation also awarded final grants of $120,000 to six CCH Next Generation grant awardees for their efforts to advance health equity in communities across the US:

Camino Health Center [Camino Community Development Corp.] in Charlotte, NC to expand the focus of its Camino Vidaprogram to address obesity for uninsured Latinos in Mecklenburg County and support patients in developing nutritional habits and patterns of exercise that promote lifestyle changes and reduce the need for medical intervention through culturally sensitive nutrition and fitness programming.

Central Oklahoma American Indian Health Council, Inc. dba Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC) in Oklahoma City, OK to pilot an initiative to provide Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) technology to eligible American Indian patients with diabetes in Central Oklahoma with the aim of improving blood glucose control and preventing and reducing complications from diabetes.

Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio in Columbus, OH to continue to provide quality pharmacy services, health education, access to free healthy food and connections to wrap around services to reduce the identified risk factors of health inequities, poverty and food insecurity for underserved, low-income patients in Franklin County, and further increase access to its food pantry and other community resources through Community Health Workers.

Good News Clinics Inc. in Gainesville, GA to provide increased clinical care and patient education for low-income, uninsured patients with diabetes through a focused clinical day each week; increase access to fresh produce for patients and the neighboring low-income community through the development of a Food as Medicine Market; and connect patients with social needs related to poverty to community resources in Hall County through a closed loop system of referrals supported by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

HealthVisions Midwest Inc. in Hammond, IN to implement an evidence-based, multicultural, bilingual, diabetes self-management education curriculum, to help reduce the risk for diabetes complications and improve quality of life among low-income, racial and ethnic minority populations with pre-diabetes or diabetes in Lake County, Indiana.

The Wellness Coalition in Montgomery, AL to support its founding program, Wellness Case Management, which aims to help improve health behaviors and clinical outcomes for individuals at risk for chronic disease who live in underserved communities in Central Alabama and have little or no health insurance. Through the program, Navigators provide outreach, referral acceptance and services, including linkages to a medical home; assistance with health insurance applications; access to free/low-cost medications and community resources; and chronic disease education.

Since 2010, the CCH and CCH Next Generation programs have collectively awarded over $26 million to more than 50 nonprofits, reaching over 1.7 million people. To-date, more than 71,000 program participants have had their heart health progress tracked, and as a result, many are making changes to help lower their risk for cardiovascular disease and lead healthier lives.