Community Grants Program

Community Grants Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: U-M Center for Disability Health and Wellness (CDHW)
Amount: Up to US $10,000
Last Updated: January 23, 2026

Summary

The Disability Health Care Access and Quality Grant Program for Safety Net Organizations seeks to improve health care accessibility for low-income individuals with disabilities in Michigan. Funded by the U-M Center for Disability Health and Wellness and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, grants up to $10,000 will support projects enhancing healthcare access and quality. Eligible organizations must demonstrate local disability representation and a significant impact on community health within a six-month timeframe.

Overview

Disability Health Care Access and Quality Grant Program for Safety Net Organizations The U-M Center for Disability Health and Wellness (CDHW) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan are excited to announce a call for applications from safety net organizations within Michigan who are interested in enhancing health care access and quality for individuals with disabilities from low-income and traditionally underserved communities. Grants will be for amounts up to $10,000 to support the one-time purchase of equipment, the development of material or educational programming, or support of training activities associated with improving accessibility and quality of health care for people with physical, cognitive, sensory, and developmental disabilities. All projects will demonstrate involvement of local disability representatives and show how the project will have a broad impact on people with disabilities in the identified community. The project must be realistic and achievable within a six-month time frame. This grant program is supported by the University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness (U-M CDHW) in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM). Funding will be provided by BCBSM and through a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research through the Advancing Health Equity among Adults with Disabilities from Diverse Communities Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (AHEAD-DC RRTC).

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. This funding opportunity is open to any safety net or non-profit organization, group, or agency that has demonstrated reach at a community level. Only Michigan nonprofit health care safety net organizations that provide direct patient care are eligible to apply for this funding. Safety Net Organizations are organizations that provide free or discounted health care to vulnerable populations. These organizations include public hospitals, community health centers, free and charitable clinics, rural health clinics, school-based and school-linked health centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers as well as community and migrant-worker health centers, health services programs for homeless children and adults, local public health departments, and Indian, Tribal and Urban Indian health programs. To be considered for funding, your project proposal must:Clearly demonstrate the potential to increase health care access and quality for people with disabilities.Show how the project will have a significant and lasting impact on people with disabilities.Ensure that local disability representatives, either individuals with disabilities or representatives from organizations that serve or advocate for persons with disabilities, are actively involved throughout the project.Identify staff to participate in virtual trainings and utilize technical assistance provided by CDHW.Provide progress updates and a brief final report, using a template provided by CDHW, within 30 days after completion of the project.Agree to have your project publicly shared and reported by CDHW and the AHEAD-DC RRTC.

Ineligibility

Clinics embedded within health systems, including Michigan Medicine, are not eligible to receive funding through this award. The following types of projects will not be considered for funding:Projects that require ongoing support, including providing sign-language interpretationProjects that are typically the funding responsibility of federal, state, or local governmentProjects that do not include disability representation on the project teamProjects that are not at the community level and are only accessible to a limited number of peopleProjects that do not involve community feedback and engagement