For Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, giving back to the community is at the heart of their mission—to strengthen the health, well-being, and quality of life for individuals and families across the state.

The Caring Foundation (TCF) is the charitable giving arm of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. It is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of communities across the state. Founded in 1990, the foundation supports a wide range of initiatives focused on health education, access to care, and community development. Through strategic partnerships, grants, and outreach programs, The Caring Foundation works to address critical health issues and promote healthier lifestyles for Alabamians of all ages.

Ashley Russell has served as the Giving Specialist for The Caring Foundation for over five years and is committed to staying aware of the most pressing needs in our state. She oversees the community focus area of the organization, which includes reviewing and evaluating grant applications, developing giving strategies, and identifying potential grant opportunities.

“Over the past 35 years, we have worked to fulfill our mission of supporting charitable organizations that aim to improve the quality of life for Alabamians through health, wellness, and education initiatives,” Russell says. “Each year, we award grants to organizations across all 67 counties in the state–and in 2024, we awarded 784 grants to make Alabama a healthier place to live.”

Russell also works with her team to build and maintain strong relationships with their grantee partners and potential new grantees through site visits and meetings. The types of organizations vary, but they all share a common goal: to improve the health, wellness, and education of Alabamians.

“Some notable accomplishments include introducing our Be Healthy School grant program in 2012 to fund schools looking to increase healthy activities for their students,” Russell shares. “In 2016, we began funding scholarships for medical students. Recipients of the scholarships agree to practice for 3 years in a rural Alabama community to help combat a lack in health care access.”

Other areas of funding include a partnership with the National Fitness Campaign to install outdoor fitness courts in Alabama communities, which offer free access to workout spaces.

“The response to this grant opportunity has exceeded our expectations. We received close to 100 letters of interest from different organizations statewide, and 22 were invited to apply. We look forward to seeing the results of this new opportunity and how it’s going to help our community partners move the needle on improving the health of Alabamians,” she shares.

Russell has been at the forefront of these community initiatives and has seen and heard firsthand how the lives of those served by their organization partners have improved. Many of these life-changing stories are wrapped up in one of Alabama’s greatest health resources: the outdoors.

“We’ve heard stories of people experiencing the outdoors for the first time, whether through a field trip to one of our state parks, taking a walk on one of Alabama’s many trail systems, or getting out on the water safely thanks to a Riverkeepers program,” Russell shares. “Our team has witnessed the community come together to enjoy health activities for the entire family.”

One of Russell’s favorite visits stemmed from her personal passion for the arts. The Caring Foundation currently supports multiple fine art organizations in underserved communities that would lack access otherwise. “I love hearing stories of how kids and adults have discovered talents they didn’t know they had, developed new passions, and found joy and community through the activities offered,” she says.

From the arts to the outdoors, The Caring Foundation serves the needs of Alabamians in all facets of health–not only physical health, but mental, emotional, and environmental.

“This year, the foundation also launched the Diamond Impact Award, a new grant program aimed at supporting innovative projects with a lasting impact on access to healthcare. The response to this grant opportunity has exceeded our expectations. We received close to 100 letters of interest from different organizations statewide and 22 were invited to apply. We look forward to seeing the results of this new opportunity and how it’s going to help our community partners move the needle on improving the health of Alabamians.”

If you are interested in the grant application process for your organization, Russell recommends the following: Apply at least 60 days before the start of your event, program, or project. Limit requests to one per year, although both a Caring Foundation and Corporate Giving & Sponsorship application are allowed, as long as they are submitted at the same time.

TCF values relationship building. If they haven’t heard from you in a while or if this is your first time looking to apply, reach out! They’d love to hear about your organization, your impact, and the programs being offered.

Collaboration is something TCF values. They love to see organizations partnering together to achieve their goals. Make sure to share on your application who you are working with, reaching out to, and receiving support from, as TCF is happy to facilitate connections.

For more information about funding guidelines, frequently asked questions, and how to apply, visit The Caring Foundation website here.