L.A. Care offers 300K grants to organizations helping to keep residents enrolled in Medi-Cal

With new federal legislation reshaping Medi-Cal eligibility requirements, L.A. Care Health Plan has launched its Health and Digital Literacy Grants initiative, offering awards of up to $300,000 to community organizations that can help Medi-Cal beneficiaries understand the evolving coverage changes through in-person education and digital literacy training.

Through the new grant, selected organizations will host workshops that help participants understand their health coverage. Topics include creating and using a BenefitsCal account, applying for and tracking redetermination applications, accessing trusted resources to identify work and volunteer opportunities and navigating L.A. Care’s provider directory and accessing digital resources to stay informed about new policies being placed.  

The grants are part of Keep L.A. Covered, L.A. Care’s initiative to protect Medi-Cal access across the county in the face of new renewal and work requirements introduced by H.R. 1. also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” For many low-income residents, these changes are the most significant disruption to their health coverage in years.

Since 2025, when H.R.1, was signed by President Donald Trump, there have been massive cuts to public assistance programs and Medi-Cal in California.  

Since the passing, 200,000 L.A. County residents have been disenrolled from full-scope Medi-Cal coverage. One out of the five people who lost coverage is a child, including 787 infants, 4,000 toddlers and over 15,000 school-age children, according to the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).  

“As Medi-Cal rules become more complex, people need clear, trusted and accessible information from organizations they already know,” said Melanie Fontes Rainer, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at L.A. Care Health Plan. “These grants are about making sure no one loses their coverage simply because they didn’t have the information or the tools they needed. It’s essentially about meeting people where they are, helping them understand what is changing and giving them the resources they need  to stay covered.”

Awards of up to $75,000 will be given to organizations with a single site that can offer in-person workshops, and awards of up to $300,000 will be given to organizations that can accommodate in-person workshops at multiple sites. The grant term is 12 months, with an expected start date of August 1, 2026.

Eligible applicants must primarily serve L.A. County residents and demonstrate experience working with Medi-Cal beneficiaries in the county. Grantees may apply to host workshops at their own site or in partnership with the health plan at designated locations across Los Angeles County. 

In addition to workshops, organizations will be required to distribute educational materials and provide access to videos and take-home resources. 

“Our goal is to empower every Medi-Cal beneficiary in Los Angeles County with the knowledge and tools they need to maintain their coverage,” said Fontes Rainer. “These community-based workshops will be a lifeline for individuals and families who might otherwise fall through the cracks.”

Community organizations interested in applying are encouraged to submit their applications online by Monday, June 22, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.