AstraZeneca Foundation awards over $1.4M in third year grants to advance healthcare access; announces 2026 call for applications

The AstraZeneca Foundation today announced the award of $1,465,742 in third-year grants through its signature Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE) program. The grants provide operational support to six nonprofit organizations across the Mid-Atlantic U.S. delivering innovative, community-driven solutions to enhance healthcare access. This renewed investment, coupled with capacity-building and measurement, reflects the Foundation's sustained commitment to advancing community health through strategic cross-sector collaboration.

Launched in 2023, the CHANGE program is dedicated to improving access to quality healthcare for populations experiencing health disparities. The program includes a focus on critical health areas, prioritizing screenings, early diagnosis, treatment and/or continuity of care for cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and immunologic diseases as well as cancers. As part of their third-year grant, funded organizations will expand partnerships and share effective practices, impacts and lessons learned with other organizations similarly committed to addressing health disparities to amplify the reach and impact of their efforts.

"We are incredibly proud to continue our long-term partnership with these six dedicated organizations, whose innovative, patient-driven approaches are making a tangible difference in local communities," said Bridget Therriault, Executive Director, AstraZeneca Foundation. "This multi-year investment, paired with support for sharing best practices, translates promising approaches into scalable models for improved healthcare delivery."

The CHANGE awardees are working to transform healthcare delivery through diverse strategies. This includes increasing the availability of vital screenings and services; strengthening care navigation and referrals; and addressing barriers to care such as transportation, health literacy and language support. Furthermore, the nonprofits are expanding their capacity for responsive services through trainings, workforce development and meaningful engagement with community members to guide decision making around services.

Beyond financial support, the Foundation facilitates a unique philanthropic collaborative bringing together NORC at the University of Chicago (NORC), the CHANGE awardees and the Foundation. The collaborative supports a comprehensive reporting and evaluation framework, targeted technical assistance and shared learning, empowering awardees to effectively measure improvements in healthcare access and maximize their community impact. In 2026, the collaborative will focus on promoting collective outcomes, leveraging data for continuous improvement and developing dissemination materials that can help replicate successful strategies in communities across the U.S.

This year's AstraZeneca Foundation CHANGE grant awardees are:

• AIDS Resource Alliance, Inc. in Williamsport, PA ($249,949) for AR Health: Achieving Health Equity for Medically Underserved Populations which aims to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes by providing high-quality primary care services in a welcoming environment to individuals living with HIV and members of the LGBTQ+ community residing in the rural region of northcentral Pennsylvania, with the ultimate goal of building a healthier and more equitable community.
• Community Volunteers in Medicine in West Chester, PA ($250,000) for Sustaining Expanded Access & Services which aims to further mitigate barriers to care for low-income, uninsured community members by expanding hours, locations and transportation services and to address specific unmet healthcare needs by increasing staff, community partnerships and volunteer recruitment.
• Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, MD ($250,000) for Uninsured Care for Individuals and Families Experiencing Homelessness in Baltimore which aims to provide consistently excellent care for people experiencing homelessness in Baltimore when and how they want it, including improvements in preventative care, chronic disease management and care coordination and reducing disparities in health outcomes for the clients Health Care for the Homeless serves.
• LCH Health and Community Services in Kennett Square, PA ($250,000) for LCH Access to Care which aims to improve the health of the community by providing high-quality physical and mental healthcare integrated with supportive services, such as social services and education, to address numerous social determinants of health.
• Mary's Center in Washington, D.C. ($215,793) for Providing Breast Cancer Support Services to Uninsured Participants which aims to increase breast cancer screenings and provide care coordination to all participants with a cancer diagnosis. Through community partnerships with local hospitals, radiology and oncology providers, along with culturally competent services, Mary's Center provides high-quality care for uninsured and under-resourced participants in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
• SOME, Inc. in Washington, D.C. ($250,000) for Breaking Barriers, Boosting Care: SOME & the AstraZeneca Foundation's Whole Person Approach to Healthcare which aims to empower and catalyze transformative change in the lives of medically underserved individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty in D.C. by providing equitable access to whole-person, comprehensive healthcare that proactively addresses each person's unique challenges and needs, ensuring they receive the highest standard of care so they can reclaim their health with dignity.

Since its inception in 2023, the CHANGE program has cumulatively awarded over $5 million to 12 nonprofit partners, reaching more than 50,000 people through direct services, events and programming. The grant awardees' efforts have led to enhanced availability of health screenings, primary and specialty care, care navigation, health insurance enrollment and tailored health education, with many reporting improvements in overall health.

Looking ahead, the AstraZeneca Foundation is excited to announce its 2026 Call for Applications for the CHANGE program. The Foundation will be accepting online applications from eligible US-based nonprofit organizations through its website April 1, 2026 through April 29, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET. This expansion will allow organizations serving populations in California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts and Texas to join the critical effort of building healthier communities. For more information on eligibility and funding criteria, please visit the AstraZeneca Foundation website, https://www.astrazeneca-us.com/sustainability/healthcare-foundation.html.

About AstraZeneca Foundation

The AstraZeneca Foundation works to advance health equity and foster community wellbeing in the US through strategic grant-giving and capacity building support for nonprofit organizations. The Foundation also provides financial support for AstraZeneca employees affected by federally declared disasters in the US and its territories. Established in 1993 as a nonprofit charitable organization, the AstraZeneca Foundation is a separate legal entity from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals with distinct legal restrictions. For more information and updates, visit https://www.astrazeneca-us.com/sustainability/healthcare-foundation.html.

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