How much funding does RWJF provide?

RWJF awards $50K – $500K+ typical, set per CFP.

Who can apply for RWJF grants?

Eligibility is set per CFP, but across most RWJF calls: 501(c)(3) public charities, universities, and public agencies are eligible Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories Both research institutions and community …

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grants

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The largest U.S. philanthropy devoted solely to health — funding nonprofits, researchers, and communities working on health equity through open calls for proposals.

Foundation Health equityOpen CFPsResearch + communityNational

Apply with Grantable

Funding Amount

$50K – $500K+ typical, set per CFP

Deadline

Rolling — each Call for Proposals has its own deadline

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the largest philanthropy in the United States focused exclusively on health, granting on the order of half a billion dollars a year toward its goal of a national Culture of Health — the idea that health is shaped as much by housing, income, racism, and community conditions as by medical care.

Unlike many large foundations, RWJF runs a substantial share of its grantmaking through open Calls for Proposals (CFPs) that any eligible organization can answer. At any given time, its Active Funding Opportunities page lists open calls — recent examples include Local Data for Equitable Communities (30 grants of $50,000) and Learning from Abroad (15 awards up to $500,000). Long-running signature programs include:

Evidence for Action — research on what works to advance health equity
Pioneering Ideas — a standing, rolling call for unconventional early ideas about the future of health
Health Policy Research Scholars / Clinical Scholars — leadership development programs

RWJF funds both research (universities, policy shops) and community-facing work (nonprofits, coalitions, local governments), almost always inside the frame of a specific CFP.

Eligibility

Eligibility is set per CFP, but across most RWJF calls:

501(c)(3) public charities, universities, and public agencies are eligible
Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories
Both research institutions and community organizations apply — read each CFP's "eligibility and selection criteria" section, because some calls are research-only and others prioritize community-led teams

RWJF generally does not fund: capital campaigns or construction, endowments, direct medical care or service delivery costs, individuals, or organizations outside the U.S. International work appears only in specific calls (like Learning from Abroad) that fund U.S. organizations to study it.

How to Apply

Watch the Active Funding Opportunities page. New CFPs open year-round; each states its own award size, eligibility, timeline, and selection criteria.
Register in the myRWJF applicant portal before the deadline window — applications are submitted online.
Attend the applicant webinar. Nearly every CFP holds an optional webinar shortly after launch, with Q&A; recordings and FAQs are posted on the CFP page.
Submit the brief proposal first. Most calls run in two stages: a short concept-level proposal, then invited full proposals.
Match the CFP's language. RWJF is explicit about what each call is and isn't for — proposals that stretch the frame rarely advance. Health equity framing, community engagement, and a clear measurement plan are consistently weighted.
For unconventional ideas that fit no open call, submit to Pioneering Ideas, which accepts brief proposals on a rolling basis.