News

TCE Board Approves Increased Spending

Dear Partner,

The current dangers and threats facing children and families across the state has rightly prompted us to ask ourselves – how does The California Endowment best uphold our nearly 30-year-old mission to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians?

We know that TCE cannot simply sit back as we watch the intentional dismantling of health and social service agencies and the defunding of the Medi-Cal program. We cannot stay silent when our values of racial equity and justice, and our LGBTQ and immigrant neighbors face unprecedented attacks. As the largest health funder in the state, we recognize that more is being asked of The Endowment at this critical time.

It is important for us to build on our history of serving the fundamental health needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized. We have maintained a focus on increasing health care access and quality, from our commitment to investing deeply in Building Healthy Communities across California, to statewide advocacy to ensure Health4All and the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act and expanding coverage to ALL Californians. Today we unapologetically center racial equity as a key to a healthy California for all its people, and power building as the pathway to justice. For the past 15 years, we have invested more than one billion dollars towards building power in communities, including our largest grant ever of $75 million to seed the Movement Innovation Collaborative, a cross-sector, cross-racial network of power building centers. We, alongside partners across California and the country have championed efforts to secure health care for all.

Today, all of this is threatened.

That’s why our Board of Directors and I believe that this moment calls on us to build on the legacy of bold action in support of all Californians. To that end, I am proud to share that the Board approved an increase to our endowment spending policy that will enable us to (1) sustain our commitment and investment in our power-building grantee partners; and (2) expand giving to help ensure that Californians can continue to get access to care when they need it. Over the next three years, we will increase our endowment expenditures up to 10 percent (based on current market conditions) that can result in up to $160 million additional grant dollars per year above and beyond our existing grantmaking.

We recognize that when people lose their health coverage, it puts their lives in danger – and we will not sit idly by and allow that to happen. We will act with the urgency called for at this moment. We are committed to getting more funds out the door to protect the health of Californians, enable them to see a doctor, and transform health systems to be more responsive to result in better health outcomes. And we remain committed to standing alongside our partners who are building power to drive health equity in this state.

A California that leads the nation as a powerful and conscientious voice for wellness inclusion and shared prosperity can only happen when we stand up for health for all – no exceptions.

In solidarity,
Brenda