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Icons for assistance such as food, shelter, transportation 

Community Connections

The Sunshine Health Community Connections team builds and cultivates partnerships with community-based organizations to support the social safety net and address the social determinants of health that adversely impact our members’ and all Floridians’ health and well-being, including:

  • Identifying gaps in the social safety net and working with community groups to close them.
  • Connecting people to needed social services, with more than 100,000 referrals each year.
  • Awarding $300,000 in annual grants to 60+ organizations to address areas of need identified by our program.

Community Connections Grants

The Community Connections team awards grants to nonprofit, community-based organizations serving Florida. Applications are open to all active status nonprofits in good standing with the community.

Three Levels of Funding

  • Level 1 - Get to Know Us Grants: Organizations we have not previously funded, or have not funded within 24 months, can apply for these grants. Funding can be used for a wide range of social services to improve social determinants of health such as food insecurity, job training, housing help and more.
  • Level 2 - Targeted Grants: Organizations can apply for this grant for programs focusing on a specific statewide need at the time, as determined by the Community Connections Team. Past examples are Maternal Care Grants and Storm Relief and Preparation Grants. Depending on the ability of the organization and the amount awarded, these organizations often have a one-year Business Associate Agree (BAA) with data reporting requirements, including tracking services utilized by Sunshine Health members.
  • Level 3 - Health Investment Grants: These grants focus on program-based organizations with member–data reporting requirements and a one-year BAA. These organizations must have the proven capacity to track and report on services utilized by Sunshine Health members. They are often, but not always, organizations that have started out with smaller partnerships and have proven that they can help the community overcome barriers and track their successes.

Community Resource Database

Sunshine Health’s Community Resource Database connects people in need with programs that can help them. The Community Resource Database makes it easy for people who have social needs — and those who help others — to find and make referrals to appropriate programs and services for needs like food, shelter, healthcare, work, financial assistance and more.

Two ways to connect:

 

Community Connections Help Line