Community Giving

As a company, investing in our communities is paramount to the BCBSIL mission. Access to care and easing social determinants of health (SDOH) are important to community wellbeing. BCBSIL provides grants in five areas of focus, which are comparable to the SDOH outlined in Healthy People 2030.   The five areas of focus are:

Economic Opportunity and Stability: Addressing issues such as poverty, removing barriers to employment, providing good jobs, and upskilling.

Food Access and Nutrition: Supporting efforts to decrease hunger and increase access to nutritional food.

Neighborhood and Built Environment: Focusing on affordable healthy housing, access to transportation, safe outdoor spaces, and access to physical activity. 

Locally Defined Health Solutions: Addressing hyperlocal health and human service needs, community collaborations that improve community wellbeing, interrupt violence, or build peaceful communities.

Optimal Health Outcomes: Helping close gaps in care, specifically around six priority areas: immunizations; diabetes care; cardiovascular care; behavioral health; early detection cancer screening and maternal & infant health.

Cybergrants Portal Update: To protect the information shared through our grant and sponsorship application process, Cybergrants has added an extra layer of security to their online application portal. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps verify user identity at sign-in and keeps applicant data secure—supporting a safe, trusted experience for the community-based nonprofit organizations that apply for funding with BCBSIL. You can find instructions on the portal’s home page when registering or logging in.

FY27 Blue Impact Grant Application Process Timeline

One-Stage Full Application Submission Period: January 12, 2026 – January 30, 2026

Unlike previous cycles, the process this year is a one-stage, full application to apply for an FY27 Blue Impact Grant. Once the application closes 1/30/26, Blue Impact will not re-open in 2026, nor will there be a second stage. After review, all applicants will be notified of funding decisions by early June. Please review our funding guidelines before applying for the Blue Impact Grant.

FY27 Funding Decision: June 1, 2026 (approx.)

Funding Term: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027

Apply for a Blue Impact grant  

Deadline: January 30, 2026 at 10:59 PM

For questions about Blue Impact, contact the Community Investments team.

Organizations working to improve community health and wellness may request sponsorship support from BCBSIL. Sponsorship awards are smaller than grants, ranging between $250–$5,000. Examples of sponsorship awards include galas, dinners, health fairs, luncheons, seminars, conferences, walks and/or runs and similar activities. The range may be higher ($5,000–$15,000) for community-based health fairs, drives, etc.

Please note: To increase the number of organizations who have access to BCBSIL community investment support, an organization may receive a grant or a sponsorship, but not both, within a given year. Requests for sponsorship consideration must be made at least 2 months in advance of project or event.

Request for sponsorship consideration must be made through our online application.   For questions about sponsorships, contact the Community Investments team.

For the grant and sponsorship programs, the BCBSIL focus is health and human services; therefore, priority is given to organizations addressing community needs in the specific areas above. Only requests that directly benefit Illinois residents are considered for funding.

The following requests will not be considered for funding:

• Organizations or projects with written policies that discriminate against individuals based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
• School athletic programs 
• Applications from individuals or support for a sole individual
• Applications that do not align with our funding priorities
• Subscriptions
• Telethons 
• Political campaigns
• Religious activities
• Fraternal activities
• Animal welfare