Astrazeneca Foundation Awards 12 Nonprofit Organizations More Than $2M to Advance Health Equity

AstraZeneca Foundation Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Grants to Promote Health Equity

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the AstraZeneca Foundation has awarded $2,170,318 in grants to 12 nonprofit organizations across the United States. These grants reflect the foundation’s expanded commitment to advancing health equity and addressing healthcare disparities at the community level. The grants were awarded to organizations that are implementing innovative approaches to improve access to quality healthcare for individuals facing disadvantages due to their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other characteristics.

The foundation’s new signature program, Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE), received six of the grants. Launched earlier this year, CHANGE aims to address urgent, unmet medical needs in low-income and remote/rural areas of the US. The program focuses on improving access to quality healthcare through screenings, early diagnosis, treatment, and continuity of care for cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, immunologic diseases, and cancers.

The remaining six grants were awarded to current grant awardees of the Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM (CCH) Next Generation program. This program has been working to improve heart health across the US, particularly in underserved communities, since 2020. The final grants will provide mission support for their efforts to improve health equity in their respective communities.

The AstraZeneca Foundation’s commitment to measuring impact and providing capacity-building support for nonprofit organizations is evident in its selection of NORC at the University of Chicago as its evaluation partner. Together, they will develop a robust reporting and evaluation framework to measure improvements in access to quality healthcare and work towards reducing disparities. The partnership aims to collect and disseminate learnings and effective practices to support potential application in communities across the US.

Among the grant recipients is AIDS Resource Alliance, Inc., which aims to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for individuals living with HIV and members of the LGBTQ+ community in rural Pennsylvania. Community Volunteers in Medicine will expand access to care for low-income, uninsured community members in West Chester, Pennsylvania, by increasing hours, locations, and transportation services. Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, Maryland, will provide comprehensive care for uninsured individuals experiencing homelessness, focusing on preventative care, chronic disease management, and care coordination.

LCH Health and Community Services in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, aims to improve community health by providing high-quality physical and mental healthcare integrated with supportive services. Mary’s Center in Washington, D.C., will increase breast cancer screening and care coordination for uninsured and under-resourced participants through community partnerships. SOME, Inc. in Washington, D.C., will provide comprehensive healthcare to medically fragile individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty.

The foundation also awarded grants to six CCH Next Generation grant awardees. These grants will support initiatives addressing obesity, diabetes, health inequities, poverty, and food insecurity in various communities across the US.

Since 2010, the CCH and CCH Next Generation programs have awarded over $26 million to more than 50 nonprofits, benefiting over 1.7 million people. These programs have played a significant role in improving heart health and empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives.

The AstraZeneca Foundation’s dedication to advancing health equity and fostering community well-being is commendable. Through strategic grant-giving and capacity-building support, the foundation is making a tangible impact on the lives of underserved individuals and communities across the US. As the foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary, it looks forward to the positive impact that can be achieved in collaboration with its grant recipients.