The Cigna Group Foundation launches multiyear youth mental‑health grants with $150K minimum

Cigna Foundation launches concentrated youth mental‑health grant round

The Cigna Group Foundation opens its 2026 Improving Youth Mental Health grant program, inviting community-based nonprofits to apply for multiyear support aimed at addressing rising mental‑health needs among children and adolescents. The foundation seeks organisations that serve young people ages 5–18 and the adults in their lives — parents, caregivers, teachers and coaches — and frames the effort as an urgent, community‑driven response to unprecedented demand. Ellie Polack, president of The Cigna Group Foundation, says the program focuses on getting more kids support "when they need it."

Focused multiyear funding prioritises SEL and trauma‑informed care

The foundation is prioritising evidence‑informed social‑emotional learning (SEL) in school and after‑school settings, trauma‑informed services tailored to children’s life experiences, and family–school partnerships that strengthen adult–child collaboration for healthier outcomes. Grant requests must total $150,000 this year, reflecting a strategy of deeper, concentrated investment rather than spreading smaller awards widely. Eligible organisations must provide services in at least one of ten priority states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

Applications are evaluated on the strength of their evidence base, scalability, and ability to engage families and schools, with the foundation seeking programmes that demonstrate measurable outcomes. The foundation combines financial support with employee volunteering to deepen impact, citing employee mentors working with elementary school youth in St. Louis as an example of how corporate volunteers extend program reach and sustainability. The initiative builds on the foundation’s existing $9 million multiyear commitment to youth mental health and emphasises concentrated, community‑led solutions.

Industry and community implications

Cigna’s move is part of a wider trend among health insurers and related foundations to fund early‑intervention, school‑based mental‑health supports as a complement to clinical services, aiming to reduce longer‑term care needs and improve educational outcomes. By tying grants to evidence and local partnerships, the foundation seeks to scale proven models and strengthen family‑school coordination in communities with high unmet need.

How nonprofits can respond

Interested nonprofits are encouraged to align proposals with the stated priorities and submit applications by March 12 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The foundation highlights its preference for programs that can leverage employee volunteerism and local partnerships to expand reach and sustain results across the priority states.