RELEASE
Nourishing Michigan Communities: Grant Opportunity to Improve Food Access
Teddy Lemmer
| 4 min read
DETROIT, July 20, 2026—Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation (BCBSM Foundation) and Blue Cross Complete of Michigan, is now accepting applications for the Nourishing Communities: Nutrition Access, Education and Impact grant. According to Feeding America, 1.5 million Michigan residents, including 400,000 children, struggle to get enough to eat, underscoring the urgent need for solutions that expand access to nutritious food. Together, the organizations committed $375,000 to help more Michigan communities improve residents’ access to nutritious food, educational tools and resources that support healthier eating.
“Poor nutrition is linked to chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and obesity, that represent a significant portion of healthcare costs,” said Tiffany Albert, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan senior vice president of Community Relations and chief inclusion officer. “By supporting initiatives that improve access to nutritious food and resources to make the healthy choice the easy choice, we aim to protect the affordability of healthcare and help Michigan families live healthier lives.”
The grant invites applications from nonprofit organizations that strive to serve communities across Michigan by improving access to nutrient-rich food and strengthening nutrition knowledge. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to support sustainable initiatives that advance these efforts. Examples of strong proposals include, but are not limited to:
- Establishing or improving infrastructure for food distribution programs
- Strengthening local food systems, supply chains and distribution networks
- Establishing, expanding or enhancing community gardens or hoop houses
- Expanding or enhancing programs that increase access to healthy food
- Enhancing initiatives with nutrition education through evidence-based tools or curricula
- Expanding or enhancing food rescue and gleaning efforts
The Nourishing Communities: Nutrition Access, Education and Impact grant builds on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's longstanding commitment to advancing the health and well-being of communities across Michigan. Since 2009, its Building Healthy Communities program has reached more than 615,000 students at over 1,400 schools statewide, empowering young people to make healthier food choices and be more physically active. Since 2022, Blue Cross has offered the Food Pantry Grant to expand access to nutritious foods for Michiganians facing food insecurity. To date, the initiative has invested $900,000 in local food pantries, supported 220 organizations and increased food access for more than 93,000 Michigan residents each month.
“As a Medicaid health plan, Blue Cross Complete is committed to removing barriers to care for our members. This includes finding ways to make it easier to access the health benefits of nutritious food. We’re pleased to support this effort to bolster food pantries and the surrounding infrastructure, making no-cost fresh food easier for Michiganders to come by,” said Todd Anderson, President of Blue Cross Complete of Michigan.
Michigan-based 501(c)(3) organizations, as well as community-based nonprofit organizations partnered with a 501(c)(3), are eligible to apply. Completed applications are due Friday, August 14, 2026, and may be accessed through the Blue Cross grant management system. Questions about the application process can be directed to socialmission@bcbsm.com.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan & BCBSM Foundation
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for more than 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com and MIBlueDaily.com. For more on the BCBSM Foundation, visit bcbsm.com/foundation.
About Blue Cross Complete of Michigan
Blue Cross Complete of Michigan is contracted by the state of Michigan to provide medical services to eligible Medicaid and Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries in 58 counties in the Lower Peninsula. Blue Cross Complete of Michigan is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit mibluecrosscomplete.com.
