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Advancing Community wellness in the Coachella Valley

Desert Healthcare District (DHCD) Grants Program

2027-2031 Strategic Plan

  • PILLAR 1: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    PILLAR 1: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    GOAL 1.1 Recruitment: Attract a diverse, mission-aligned workforce to meet the primary care, specialty care, and behavioral health needs of District residents.

    • KEY INITIATIVE 1.1.1 Grow-Your-Own Healthcare Workforce Pipeline: Develop a culturally responsive pipeline that prepares, trains, and places primary care, specialty care, and behavioral health professionals in the District.
    • KEY INITIATIVE 1.1.2 Recruitment Incentive Program: Use targeted incentives and recruitment strategies to attract primary care, specialty care, and behavioral health professionals to practice in the District.

    GOAL 1.2 Retention: Retain a skilled, stable, and culturally responsive health workforce that can deliver high-quality care across the District.

    • KEY INITIATIVE 1.2.1 Workforce Support: Support primary care, specialty care, and behavioral health professionals through supervision, peer support, cultural empathy training, and professional development opportunities.
    • KEY INITIATIVE 1.2.2 Retention Incentives & Community Integration: Provide targeted incentives and coordinated supports that encourage primary care, specialty care, and behavioral health professionals to remain in the District.



  • PILLAR 2: AWARENESS & ACCESS

    PILLAR 2: AWARENESS & ACCESS

    GOAL 2.1 Awareness: Increase community awareness of the health services and resources available across the District.



    • KEY INITIATIVE 2.1.1 Connected Care Navigation: Support a coordinated, culturally responsive approach to health awareness and navigation so residents can more easily understand what services and resources exist and be connected to them across the District.


    GOAL 2.2 Access: Reduce barriers that limit District residents' ability to access healthcare.



    • KEY INITIATIVE 2.2.1 In-Person Care Infrastructure Enablement: Enable access to in-person care by strategically procuring, leasing, or supporting physical spaces that expand healthcare service delivery for District residents. 
    • KEY INITIATIVE 2.2.2 High-Need Access Expansion Support: programs and nontraditional delivery models that facilitate and expand access to services and care for District residents. 
    • KEY INITIATIVE 2.2.3 Digital Access Enablement: Expand access to virtual care by supporting telehealth service delivery and resident digital navigation that enable effective use of digital health tools. 


  • PILLAR 3: ENGAGEMENT

    PILLAR 3: ENGAGEMENT

    GOAL 3.1 Neighborhood and Built Environment: Strengthen neighborhood and built-environment conditions. 


    • KEY INITIATIVE 3.1.1 Healthy Housing & Stability: Support programs and align partners around strategies that improve housing stability and integrate health-supportive services in the District.
    • KEY INITIATIVE 3.1.2 Environmental Health & Climate Resilience: Support programs and align partners to address environmental conditions—such as air quality, water safety, and extreme heat— that impact health outcomes for District residents. 


    GOAL 3.2 Social and Community Context: Enhance social and community well-being for District residents.


    • KEY INITIATIVE 3.2.1 Promote Nutrition for Health: Support programs and align partners that promote nutritious food, nutrition education, and reduce food insecurity in the District. 
    • KEY INITIATIVE 3.2.2 Community Safety & Wellbeing: Support community-based initiatives that strengthen social connection, mental wellbeing, and safety—particularly for populations at higher risk of isolation or harm. 
    • KEY INITIATIVE 3.2.3 Policy Alignment & Community Awareness: Support programs and partnerships that elevate awareness of policy impacts on District residents and improve community understanding of public benefits, protections, and resources. 


    GOAL 3.3 Economic Stability: Strengthen economic stability for District residents.


    • KEY INITIATIVE 3.3.1 Expand Pathways to Economic Vitality: Convene and align partners that expand access to career pathways and employment opportunities in the District. 




  • PILLAR 4: DATA DRIVEN

    PILLAR 4: DATA DRIVEN

    GOAL 4.1 Data Maturity (Internal): Become a data-driven organization that makes informed decisions with a relevant and timely understanding of stakeholder needs and wants. 

    • KEY INITIATIVE 4.1.1 Strengthen Internal Data Capability & Governance: Develop the people, governance, tools, and processes needed for DHCD to consistently collect, analyze, and use data to inform strategy, funding decisions, and organizational learning. 
    • KEY INITIATIVE 4.1.2 Advance Outcomes & Impact Measurement: Advance a shared outcomes and impact measurement framework—and embed consistent reporting expectations into funding relationships—to support learning, accountability, and collective impact across DHCD investments. 

    GOAL 4.2 Data Hub (External): Enable data-informed decision-making for our partners and community through data aggregation, reporting, and partnerships. 

    • KEY INITIATIVE 4.2.1 Enable Shared Data Access & Insight: Enable collective access of timely, relevant, and actionable health data through shared platforms, reports, and analytic tools that support collective impact across the District. 
    • KEY INITIATIVE 4.2.2 Convene Regional Learning & Insight: Convene partners around shared data, guidelines, and learning to build buy-in, align practices, and strengthen the use of data as a core enabler of collective impact.

Grant Resources

Desert Healthcare District (DHCD) Grants Program




On May 26, 2026, the Board of Directors unanimously adopted the District’s 2027–2031 Strategic Plan, which will guide future grantmaking priorities and funding opportunities. Future grant opportunities will align with the goals and priorities identified in the new Strategic Plan. Click here to read the District’s 2027–2031 Strategic Plan.


Grant funding opportunities are not currently available as the District works to implement the new Strategic Plan. Additional information regarding upcoming grant opportunities, eligibility, and application timelines will be shared as it becomes available.






Current Grantees: If you need to access your grant portal for reporting, please click here.






                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Grants Policy: Policy Number: OP-5


In accordance with Desert Healthcare District's mission and strategic plan, it is the policy of the Desert Healthcare District to provide guidelines for grants and mini-grants to support health and wellness programs/projects for the benefit of the District residents and in alignment with the California Health and Safety Code requirements. Each year the Board of Directors will allocate a budget for both grants and mini-grants. Click here to read the complete policy.

Prevailing Wage Law

Under California law (Labor Code sections 1720 et seq. and 1770 et seq.), any work paid for in whole or in part with public funds, including funds from the Desert Healthcare District, may require that workers be paid at the prevailing wage rates. Prevailing wage is essentially a minimum wage for various classifications of construction workers. The rule applies to construction, alteration, demolition, installation, repair, or maintenance of property if the total value of the work is $1,000 or more. These rates are often higher than standard wages, and the additional cost should be factored into the project budget. Grant recipients may be liable for back wages and other costs if they fail to inform their contractors of this requirement, and therefore any contracts for such work must state that the prevailing wage rates apply. More information is available from the Department of Industrial Relations. https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_PrevailingWage.html

California Assembly Bill 2019 (AB-2019)

California Assembly Bill 2019 (AB 2019) became law as of January 1, 2019. This law, in particular, Section 3 - Section 32139 of the Health and Safety Code 9.5 states: A prohibition against individual meetings regarding grant applications between a grant applicant and a district board member, officer, or staff outside of the district's established grant awards process. A district's established grant awards process may include the provision of technical assistance to grant applicants, upon request, by district grant program staff.

DHCD Grantmaking

The Desert Healthcare District's mission can be achieved in part by providing grant resources to projects and programs which align with our grant guidelines. We respond to grant requests initiated by eligible organizations through our online application process. We occasionally use a Request for Proposal (RFP) to target grants for programs and projects that best support the District’s goals.

The Desert Healthcare District's Board-approved and established grant awards process begins with an initial application. Once the initial application has been submitted, staff, under the law (AB-2019), can provide technical assistance to the grantee.

Who is Eligible?

  • 501(c)(3) Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, a governmental, tribal, or public entity, including healthcare service providers such as federally qualified health centers, and local clinics.

Who is not eligible?

  • Individuals
  • Endowment Campaigns
  • Retirement of debt
  • Annual campaigns, fundraising events, or expenses related to fundraising
  • Programs that proselytize or promote any religion or sect, or deny services to potential beneficiaries based upon religious beliefs
  • Political campaigns or other partisan political activities, including lobbying public officials
  • Unfunded government mandates
  • Replacement funds to allow funding to be shifted to other programs or budget areas prior to grant approval
  • Organizations that discriminate against certain groups or individuals in the delivery of programs and services based on race, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability

Requirements

  • Organizations must directly serve residents of the Desert Healthcare District
  • Organizations must address goals in the Desert Healthcare District's current Strategic Plan
  • Except for mini-grant recipients, organizations must have current audited financial statements