Cultural Competency / Health Workforce / PRIME
TCE leads philanthropic efforts to diversify the health workforce and advocate for language access improvements in the health system.
The system’s healthcare workforce is highly unrepresentative of the state’s population, its financing is misaligned- incentivizing volume over value or health outcomes – and a strong power imbalance exists between physicians and patients and communities.
The California Endowment has undertaken several initiatives to fix this misalignment and imbalance.
The 21st Century Pathways to Health Careers initiative allocated grants to support statewide and local programs that create career paths in healthcare for youth in grades 7-16.
The initiative is organized around three strategic goals and outcomes: increased career opportunities in healthcare for young Californians, especially boys and young men of color; a health workforce populated by local residents in frontline jobs supporting primary care, community-based prevention, patient-centered medical homes, and integrated and coordinated care models; and a larger and more skilled healthcare workforce able to provide high-quality, culturally responsive, and linguistically competent primary care and community health services in places of greatest need.
We also focused on supporting high-quality workforce development programs that enabled healthcare workers to improve their skills and prepare for high demand occupations in the public healthcare sector while training community health workers and medical assistants, enabling them to be better integrated into the state’s health services system.
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$78.2M
to CA organizations working to boost the size and diversity of the state's healthcare workforce
“Whether the culprit is COVID-19, or Influenza, or Tuberculosis, or Smallpox – the public’s health is best protected when ALL are welcome and covered in the system.”
DR. ROBERT K. ROSS President & CEO, The California Endowment
Browse Other Changes Planted by Dr. Ross
Building Healthy Communities $1B invested over 10 years
Health4All 38.6 million lives impacted
Youth Awards 37 total awards given
Schools Not Prisons & BMOC Millions reached since 2016
Farmworker Health $50M initiative
TCE Grant Making 2023 $381M awarded
Parks for All Hundreds of millions leveraged for parks investments in CA
Youth on the Board 1st of large foundations in US to have youth on the board
Childhood Obesity & Freshworks $272M to expand access to fresh and healthy foods in low-income communities
CHIS 20,000 households interviewed annually to find health gaps in CA
Kids Health Coverage Campaign $4M to help enroll children in health programs
TCE Headquarters 125,000+ use our facilities every year
Wishing Wall
May you spend many days on the beach. Best Wishes, Winnie
On behalf of Music Changing Lives, we want to extend our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication. Your commitment to nurturing and inspiring young minds through philanthropy is truly transformative. May you continue to touch lives & bring harmony to our communities. We are blessed to have you as a part of our journey.
- Josiah (Music Changing Lives)
Wishing you good health and lots of laughter!
Wishing you the best and a well deserved rest to enjoy the simple things in life.
Peace,
- Bob Alvarez (Balance PR)
Bob:
Thanks for 24 years of service to TCE and all Californians! Enjoy your new adventures!
Dr. Ross -
Thank you for all you’ve done for the community and have an amazing retirement!
Dear Dr. Ross,
We wish you the best in retirement although we know you will stay busy take time to enjoy family.
- From the Avilas
Dr. Ross!
You are fantastic!
Dr. Ross -
I want to thank and appreciate you for being an advocate for our most underserved communities and our boys of color. It is with deep gratitude that I can say that your investments have given me a career and supported my healing journey.
- Omar Torres
Thank you for all the great work bringing health and wellness to California.
- Alan Pullman
Dr. Ross,
I hope you have some amazing adventures planned. Enjoy!
- Andrea Williams (Southside Coalition)
Dearest Bob,
I will forever appreciate how you have welcomed and vouched for me in philanthropy. And there’s still time for you to get us that $5mil!
- Shane
Dr. Ross -
I learned so much from you and loved working together on op-eds, etc… After a break, I think you have a book in you.
For many years, I have known how special you are! Thanks.
Bobbie -
May God continue to order your steps. He;s not finished with you yet.
Blessings upon blessings! Looking forward to all your journey takes you!
I wish you all the best. Hopefully I will see you around the bowl more!
- Virginia Mosqueda
Dr. Ross,
You rock.
Best wishes!
- Melinda Smith and the Helpguide team
RKR - sooooo wonderful to gather this evening to celebrate you! The honor and privilege of knowing you is more than I can describe. Hoping we will be sure to connect as you go.
Unveiling Our
2025 Annual
Report
The California Endowment is proud to present our 2025 annual report. Read about the work we are supporting and our partners who are changing California to a state of belonging and inclusion.
View Report