How to Apply

See Funding Opportunities to learn about each grant program.

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements outlined below. There may be additional, program-specific eligibility requirements:

• Medi-Cal Purpose. Funded projects must benefit Medi-Cal beneficiaries in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
• Service Area. Applicant organizations must maintain ongoing operations, including staffing and programs, in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
• Project Funding.
  • Project requests must be for non-renewable funding that can be sustained through earned revenue or other sources without dependence on further Alliance grant contributions.
  • Benefit expansions, provider payment augmentation and other services managed by the health plan are addressed via the health plan's operating budget and not addressed through the MCGP. 
• Organizational Status.
  • Applicant organizations preferably operate as 501(c)(3) nonprofits or governmental entities.
  • Depending on the funding opportunity, the Alliance may consider grants to physicians, physician groups, hospitals or other health care organizations that are not 501(c)(3) nonprofits or governmental entities for projects that specifically benefit Medi-Cal beneficiaries in the service area.
  • Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) nonprofits or governmental entities are encouraged to discuss their project with Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program staff prior to submitting a proposal.
• Mission. The mission of applicant organizations must align with the Alliance’s mission and goals.
• Outcomes. Funded projects must be associated with at least one of the Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program’s focus areas and support at least one of the identified goals for that focus area.
• Fiscal Management.
  • Organizations must maintain financial records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and maintain an annual audit by an independent certified accountant each fiscal year.
  • Organizations that do not meet the audit requirement are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with Alliance staff.
• Provider Contract Status. Applicant organizations that are currently contracted with the Alliance must be in good standing regarding their provider contract. Applicant organizations must not currently be under investigation or review by the Alliance.
• Eligible for Federal/State Programs Participation. Applicant organizations must be free from any debarment and/or suspension, declared ineligibility or voluntarily excluded by any federal department or agency.
• Compliance with Current Grant Agreement(s). Applicant organizations that have been awarded a grant by the Alliance must be in compliance with the terms of the grant agreement in order to be eligible for additional grant funding. Past non-compliance may disqualify grantees from receiving future funding.

If eligible, use the online grant portal to submit an application by the appropriate deadline.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis if funds are still available for allocation. Current and upcoming dates are listed below.

• Proposals are reviewed by Alliance staff and recommendations are made to the Alliance Board based on the established criteria.
• Alliance staff may request additional information during the application review process. Depending on the grant type, a site visit or meeting may be requested after review of the application.
• The Alliance may choose to engage a third party to participate in the review of applications for certain requests that require specialized technical expertise.
• Please note that proposal summaries are included in Alliance Board meeting packets and available to the public for those proposals that are recommended to the Board for approval.
• Applicants can expect to be notified of funding decisions within two and a half weeks of the Board’s award decision.

There are no guarantees that applicants will be awarded funding. Even though a project may qualify and the organization may meet the eligibility requirements, decisions regarding the awarding of the funds and the amount awarded are at the sole discretion of the Alliance Board and are not eligible for appeal.