- Nonprofits are encouraged to apply now for 2025
grants
- The Cigna Group Foundation committed $9 million in 2024 to address youth mental
health, distributing $3 million each
year through 2026
- In first year, 28 grantees were awarded funding to expand
programs, including youth camps, mindfulness coach program and
conflict resolution techniques
BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Feb. 12,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cigna Group Foundation,
the philanthropic arm of The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI), announced
today it is taking further actions to combat the youth mental
health crisis sweeping the nation. As part of a $9 million, three-year commitment that began in
2024, the Foundation has opened its second year of funding and will
distribute $3 million in grants to
address post-pandemic stress and distress among youth ages
5-18.
The commitment includes funding to support those who care for
youth in everyday settings and interactions, including parents,
caregivers, and youth service professionals, such as educators and
therapists. The 2025 grant application is now open for
eligible organizations in select states through March 13, 2025.
"We recognize conditions spurred by stress in a post-pandemic
world are pervasive among our nation's youth. That's why The Cigna
Group Foundation remains dedicated to partnering with trusted
nonprofit organizations that can deliver local resources and
services aimed at supporting and improving youth mental health and
well-being," said Melissa
Skottegaard, board chair, The Cigna Group
Foundation. "We've already seen the positive impacts of these
collaborations in several communities where organizations are using
grant funds to expand or launch vital youth
programs. We look forward to this second year of grants to drive
collective impact and create a world where young people can
thrive."
The Cigna Group Foundation will prioritize grants in regions
where The Cigna Group serves a significant number of customers with
high and very high social determinant of health risks, including
Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee, and Texas. The goals with these grants include
increasing the reach of programming that fosters social-emotional
skills and well-being; increasing the number of parents,
caregivers, and youth service professionals who feel equipped to
support; and increasing pathways to mental health intervention and
access to care.
According to an analysis by The Cigna Group's Evernorth
Research Institute, the number of young people with mental health
conditions has increased 28% since 2018, and the number of youth
with at least two mental health diagnoses has risen 48% over the
same period. More than two out of three children and
adolescents will experience trauma by age 16, and inadequate levels
of social and emotional functioning are being increasingly
recognized as central to many public health problems.
First-year Grants Support Programs to Promote Health and
Well-being for Youth
In 2024, the first year of the youth mental health grant
program, The Cigna Group Foundation distributed funding to 28
organizations that work with local youth every day. Initiatives
funded cover a wide range of social and clinical needs,
including:
- Eluna's Camp Erin, the nation's largest grief camp
network for school-aged youth and their families across the U.S.
and Canada. Through a $150,000 grant, Philadelphia-based Eluna is expanding family
camps and support for caregivers and mental health professionals
through developing new workgroups and workshops in multiples
states.
- McCall Foundation's Adolescent Services Program. With a
$150,000 grant, Connecticut-based McCall is extending its
adolescent services program to Waterbury,
Connecticut. The team is using the grant to expand its
Spanish-speaking clinical team and extend access and culturally
appropriate care to Waterbury
residents.
- Mindfulness First's "Leading with Mindfulness" Program.
The $100,000 grant is co-funding a
program to provide a full-time onsite mindfulness coach during the
2025-2026 academic year in Maricopa
County, Arizona. The coach will guide students through
Mindfulness First's curricula and give teachers the resources to
teach these skills themselves.
- Women's Resource Center's Child and Youth Advocacy
Program. Through a $150,000
grant, the Georgia-based nonprofit
is expanding its youth program, including Camp PEACE and the
GameChangers teen program, which helps children and youth overcome
the trauma of witnessing violence in the home and build a
foundation for healthy future relationships. Through these
programs, children learn how to manage feelings of anger and
frustration, discuss their fears and practice peaceful conflict
resolution techniques.
The Cigna Group Foundation has a long history of impactful
partnerships with nonprofits, and in 2024 announced a philanthropic
and community engagement initiative committing more than
$27 million in grants over three
years to nonprofit organizations focused on improving youth mental
health, improving veteran mental health, and reducing barriers to
health equity.
About The Cigna Group
The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is a
global health company committed to creating a better future built
on the vitality of every individual and every community. We
relentlessly challenge ourselves to partner and innovate solutions
for better health. The Cigna Group includes products and services
marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Health Services or its
subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in more
than 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 189 million
customer relationships around the world. Learn more at
thecignagroup.com.
About The Cigna Group Foundation
The Cigna Group
Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from The
Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group
Foundation aims to support, collaborate, and convene with nonprofit
organizations addressing society's greatest health challenges. In
addition to increasing access to programs and care in geographies
demonstrating significant need, The Cigna Group Foundation responds
with humanitarian aid relief during critical times and strengthens
colleagues' support of causes through matching donations and
volunteer rewards. To learn more, visit
www.thecignagroup.com/community.
Media Contact
Jocelyn Parker
(313) 510-4173
Jocelyn.Parker@CignaHealthcare.com
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SOURCE The Cigna Group
