The Innovative Ideas Challenge will award grants to applicants who implement the most compelling new ideas addressing health issues in California.
The Innovative Ideas Challenge (IIC) is a highly competitive grant-making program available under the Building Healthy Communities strategy. We are seeking to fund ideas that can be classified as disruptive innovations. A disruptive innovation is one that brings to market products and services that are more affordable and, ultimately, higher in quality. It improves a product or service in ways that the market does not expect, typically by being lower priced or being designed for a different set of consumers. We encourage you to read about disruptive innovation if you are unfamiliar with the concept or would like to see examples of how it is radically changing the health sector.
Your innovative idea should address either emerging or persistent health-related issues impacting underserved California communities. Specifically, the IIC program seeks to identify and fund promising innovations that address the 4 Big Results or 10 Outcomes from the Building Healthy Communities strategy with a primary goal of prevention or early intervention. Replicating or taking to scale an existing program or idea does not meet our criteria for disruptive innovation; such requests will be declined.
For more information read our FAQs.
The objectives of the Innovative Ideas Challenge are:
To engage organizations that are learning to use or already are using disruptive innovation to improve health access and/or the health status of Californians, AND Support entrepreneurial and innovative ideas through new ventures or strategic partnerships, including those that may be classified as public/private.
Application Criteria
Awarded projects will demonstrate the following charateristics:
- Is transformative and disruptively innovative
- Benefits California's underserved individuals and communities
- Demonstrates cultural and linguistic competency
- Builds partnerships and encourages collaboration
- Addresses persistent and/or emerging health challenges
- Demonstrates organizational capacity to carry out work
- Aligns with at least one of the 10 Outcomes and/or 4 big results
- Each project funded will be monitored for measurable improvements
Innovative Idea Challenge funds may not be used:
- To carry on propaganda, or otherwise attempt to influence any legislation (within the meaning of Code Section 4945(d)(1) of Internal Revenue Code)
- To influence the outcome of any specific public election or to carry on, directly or indirectly, any voter registration drive (within the meaning of Code Section 170(c)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code)
- To make any grant which does not comply with the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 4945(d)(3) or (4)
- For any purpose other than one specified in Code section 170(c)(2)(B)
- For fees for any services resulting in substantial personal benefit including membership, alumni dues, subscriptions, or tickets to events or dinners
- For capital for building acquisition or renovation
- For operating deficits or retirement of debt
- For scholarships, fellowships or grants to individuals
- For government and public agencies
- For direct services or core/general operating support
