Q: How much money can a company be awarded?
A: We will make investments of up to $3M over the life of a company, with the original investment likely between $500,000 and $1,500,000.
Q: What are the debt terms?
A: We offer a below-market interest rate.
Q: Is there a deadline to apply?
A: No, submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis. We will typically respond within four to six weeks.
Q: Is the fund limited to companies that are based in or operate in California?
A: Companies can be based outside the state, but should have active clients or strong prospective partners in California.
Q: Is the fund limited to companies that are already working with safety-net populations?
A: Not exclusively. We seek companies that have a strong commitment to CHCF’s mission, and whose products or services have the potential to significantly improve quality of care, lower the total cost of care, or improve access to care for Californians with low incomes.
Q: What is meant by “underserved” populations and “safety-net” providers?
A: Underserved populations include individuals who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid, workers with low incomes who cannot afford coverage, and people who have difficulty accessing care due to disability or distance.
Safety-net providers are health care providers who serve consumers with low incomes, who are uninsured, or who have Medicaid, including community health centers and clinics; public, critical access, rural, and other hospitals that have high Medicaid and uninsured caseloads; and medical practices that serve individuals with low incomes.
Q: Can a company qualify for a grant rather than an investment?
A: CHCF does not make grants to for-profit companies to fund growth. CHCF will sometimes make a grant in conjunction with an investment, but typically the grant will be specifically to fund an independent evaluation of the larger investment’s outcomes.
Q: Can a health care organization (hospital, clinic, or health care system) apply for a grant to purchase a technology or service?
A: In a situation where a health care provider approaches CHCF for a grant to work with a specific technology or service company in a pilot arrangement, we will consider many factors, such as: Has the provider considered a range of partners and is there a strong rationale for the selection of the chosen partner? Is the provider conducting a pilot with a larger, more generalizable purpose than simply testing out one company’s solution for their own purposes? Will there be a broad benefit to the field from the results of this pilot? How well does this pilot align strategically with the work of CHCF?