i2 Innovation Initiative Grant

Overview

Alliance Healthcare Foundation

We believe that all people have a personal desire and basic human right to be well. We define wellness as a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, economic and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Society, structural systems, community, neighborhood, and family are collectively responsible for creating an environment of health and wellness. Wellness is personal and not the same for everyone.

Alliance Healthcare Foundation (AHF) works to advance health and wellness for people who face significant barriers to better health. We do this in San Diego & Imperial counties through collaborative funding, convening and advocacy.

i2 Innovation Initiative

With our Innovation Initiative (i2), also referred to as “venture philanthropy,” Alliance Healthcare Foundation (AHF) seeks promising innovation to transform the current health paradigm of high cost and poor outcomes to improve quality, increase capacity, and reduce costs for the most systemically marginalized and under-resourced populations in San Diego and/or Imperial counties.

Solving our most intractable health challenges requires innovative, transformative, and sustainable solutions. AHF seeks market-based and/or transformational systems-change solutions with the potential to improve access, quality, and health outcomes for low-income residents in San Diego.

One of the most efficient ways we can support population health improvement is by helping innovations succeed, scale, and achieve sustainability.

Examples of Closing Disparities Gaps (not exhaustive):

* Chronic condition prevention and/or management (diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular)
* Access to health and wellness for those without broadband connectivity, transportation, health literacy, language fluency
* Opportunity for wealth building at lowest income levels
* Access to mental and behavioral health care for the under- and uninsured

Funding

We recognize the time commitment that i2 applicants will be making to participate in the i2 Journey culminating in the final pitch in October 2025. To assist applicants with completing their Journey, AHF will be providing grant funding in the last two phases of the Journey as follows:

* Phase 2 (up to 10 applicants) – $5,000 per applicant to support the applicant’s Phase 2 validation process
* Phase 3 (up to 5 finalists) – $20,000 per applicant to support the applicant’s Phase 3 building process

The applicant selected for the Innovation Initiative (i2) $1 Million Milestone-based Challenge Grant (the “Challenge Grantee”) will be announced in November 2025.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* The lead applicant must have a U.S. federal tax ID and be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 
* Applicants must have a U.S. federal tax ID, be tax-exempt under IRS 501(c)(3), and the solution must be piloted and/or delivered for positive social impact in San Diego and/or Imperial counties.
* Section 501(c)(3) organizations and state colleges and universities may collaborate with social enterprises, provided that the applicant itself is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or a state college or university. 
* Faith-based organizations that have a tax-exempt status under IRS 501(c)(3) are considered eligible to apply.
* Public colleges and universities that are classified as tax-exempt, public charities may apply.
* Government entities are eligible to apply so long as the solution is designed for positive social impact in San Diego and/or Imperial counties.

Ineligibility

The following organizations are not eligible to be an applicant for the 2025 i2 Challenge Grant even if they are a Section 501(c)(3) organization or a state college or university:

* Mature organizations that are seeking general operating funds.
* Organizations without a specific focus on a vulnerable or historically marginalized/under-resourced populations.
* Organizations that seek to profit from historically marginalized/under-resourced populations.
* Organizations without an operating focus in San Diego.
* Organizations formed under the laws of a country other than the United States.
* Past i2 grantees.
* Organizations that are developing pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, health food, fitness service, or medical devices requiring FDA approval unless the technology is part of an evidenced-based or novel innovation that is a well-supported approach to one of the eligibility criteria below.
* Organizations that require more than 15% of grant funds to be allocated to indirect overhead costs.
* Individuals are not eligible to apply.