Humana Awards $169K in Health Equity Grants to Community-Based Orgs

Humana has granted $169,000 to 24 community-based organizations committed to advancing health equity, according to a press release HealthPayerIntelligence received via email.

The payer’s health equity strategy has three main areas: improving access to care, improving quality of care, and addressing non-medial barriers to healthy living, such as social determinants of health.

Humana launched the health equity grant cycles to help support initiatives and organizations that further the payer’s goals and improve experiences for members.

“Humana is committed to supporting community organizations that are at the front line of advancing health equity every day,” J. Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH, chief health equity officer and senior vice president for Humana, said in the press release. “This support will further drive health equity by strengthening capacity for some of those organizations leading important work in our communities.”

Community-based organizations can help payers reach members because they are typically aware of the health-related issues their communities face. People also tend to recognize these organizations as trusted resources that work to limit care barriers.

Humana’s partnerships with community-based organizations may help increase access to health screenings, address food and housing security, and improve maternal health, among other outcomes.

For the most recent grant cycle, organizations were selected from applicants within Humana national partner communities. Recipients were chosen based on alignment with the core areas, health equity-related programming, and the ability to demonstrate a commitment to long-term solutions.

The grant recipients include the following organizations:

• Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (Asheville, NC)
• American Heart Association (Houston and San Antonio, TX)
• Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (Atlanta, GA)
• Crossroads of Michigan (Detroit, MI)
• Cultivating Humanity (Ellenwood, GA)
• Family Service (San Antonio, TX)
• The Frankie Mae Foundation (Charlotte, NC)
• Giving Health, Inc. (Alpharetta, GA)
• Goochland Cares (Goochland, VA)
• House of Neighborly Service (San Antonio, TX)
• Jax Care Connect (Jacksonville, FL)
• Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
• NOVA Scripts Central (Fall Church, VA)
• Nullary Care (New York, NY)
• Open Hand Atlanta, Inc. (Atlanta, GA)
• Peter Paul RVA (Richmond, VA)
• Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic (Orange, VA)
• Samaritan (Serving Kentucky)
• San Antonio Oasis (San Antonio, TX)
• St. Vincent De Paul (Atlanta, GA)
• Tampa Metropolitan YMCA (Tampa, FL)
• Target Hunger (Houston, TX)
• Urban League of St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

During the Spring 2023 grant cycle, Humana provided $121,500 in grants to 16 community-based organizations, bringing the total funding amount to almost $300,000 for the year.