The California Endowment is a private, statewide health foundation created in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. The Endowment is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with regional offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and San Diego.

Health Happens Here Campaign 

Founded in 1996, The California Endowment supports the statewide Health Happens Here campaign which is reframing the conversation around health care from medical settings and individual choices to the idea that our health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and through aggressive prevention measures.

In support of the Health Happens Here campaign, the Endowment is currently engaged in a 10-year Building Healthy Communities place-based plan. Launched in 2010, residents, community-based organizations and public institutions in 14 underserved communities across California are working to bring health back to their communities through advocacy and community organizing using 10 specific outcomes that will build community health as their framework.

Other Activities

In addition to the awarding of grants in California, The Endowment engages in foundation-led public education and advocacy for health equity, including health coverage enrollment campaigns.

The Endowment also provides public programming events at its conference centers in Los Angeles and Oakland. These range from documentary screenings to speaker presentations on a broad range of health-related topics.

In addition, The Endowment’s staff are frequent presenters at health-focused conferences and convenings.

The Endowment has also raised funds to help illegal immigrants apply for Deferred Action and remain in California.

The California Endowment also offers complimentary meeting and conference space in its Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento offices to nonprofit organizations and qualified government agencies that advance their mission to "expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians." California Endowment has supported the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.