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Our Impact

We are building a healthier, happier South Carolina by providing grants, cultivating knowledge, and forging strong ties with (and between) health care and communities.

The programs and initiatives that we support are closely aligned with our Health Priorities and the Areas We Fund.

Our approach

Advancing health equity

Our work focuses on underserved populations who experience health disparities, particularly the economically vulnerable. We support safety net providers to provide primary physical and mental health care, and implement evidence based or innovative models to increase accessibility of health care services.

Sparking innovation

We support promising, innovative efforts to improve health and well-being in South Carolina, and then we share those learnings about what works with others. Our quality improvement projects augment cost and resource efficiencies through creative approaches and solutions.

Catalyzing investment

Our combination of public/private donors extends and leverages our investments to drive a deeper, lasting impact.

Building community capacity

We support local stakeholders as they cultivate culturally relevant, evidence-based solutions that prevent and address health needs. We also collect, use, and share data that drives local and statewide improvement across our healthcare ecosystem.

Finally, we also build a stronger workforce for health, supporting programs and initiatives that: (1) increase the number of health care professionals, and (2) foster health care career development through evidence-based or innovative approaches to advanced skills.

Accelerating change

We support organizations to replicate and scale what works.

Partnering

We partner with and stay closely connected to a variety of partners in the state.

Working downstream & upstream

We pay special attention to the root causes of issues (downstream), with the understanding that impactful prevention and mitigation efforts requires this. We also pay close attention to the policies, systems, and environmental changes (upstream) that drive, or at least perpetuate, the issues our state faces.

Responding to need

We listen to communities and organizations about the funding and other resources they need most and respond accordingly.

Being proactive

We stay on top of trends in the state and identify opportunities where we can offer support and create impact.

What we hope to achieve

Through all of the work we do, we hope to make progress toward three long-term outcomes:

1. Advance equitable access to health and well-being supports and care

Reduce or eliminate barriers to care or disparities in access.

2. Improve health outcomes and decrease disparities

Improve priority health outcomes for all South Carolinians, while decreasing disparities in health outcomes.

3. Build a strong, connected ecosystem

Cultivate a more resilient and harmonious healthcare system in South Carolina that seamlessly and efficiently meets the needs of its patients, and is supported by a strong, data-informed infrastructure.

Read our Impact Stories

Want to read more about the Foundation's work and measure our progress toward the long-term outcomes listed above? Then explore our latest Impact Stories.

Explore Impact Stories

Partner Testimonial

"Partnerships with funders like BCBS are transformative for communities. The Foundation's commitment to community, its deep expertise in healthcare, and its acknowledgement of the pivotal role of nonprofits in developing community-based solutions all contribute to long-lasting, positive change."

Ericka Plater
Executive Director, Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach
Johns Island, SC

Support from the Foundation has allowed South Carolina Free Clinic Association clinics to treat an average of 40,000 patients each year.

Impact

Columbia International University Counseling Initiative

This grant, awarded in January 2023, will establish a PhD program in counselor education and supervision to address the shortage of counseling faculty that has limited the number of master’sprepared...

Impact

Affinity Health Center

Affinity Health Center's incredibly successful dental program finds its roots in a BCBSSC Foundation Grant.

Impact

Mental Health and Law Enforcement Alliance Project

Thanks to a grant from the BCBSSC Foundation, the SC Department of Mental Health was able to embed trained clinicians within law enforcement offices to more quickly respond to the needs of the...

Impact

Zero Suicide Communities of Care

Zero Suicide Communities of Care is helping communities identify and support at-risk individuals as a first line of defense against suicide.