California Senior Oral Health Coalition Program

SignatureProgram@delta.org

The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation will provide funding for a coalition of organizations serving a defined geographic community within California. The California-based coalition will work together to address senior oral health access from a systems-change perspective.

Criteria includes:

• Readiness - The organizations have worked together on joint projects in the past and have demonstrated impact and efficacy and/or the partners are primed to collaborate and have established open lines of communication and trust. The applicant organizations also have capacity to implement systems-wide change in the senior oral health space in their community and are committed to equal participation in this joint initiative with the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation.
• Experience/expertise - The entities have demonstrated experience in high quality oral healthcare provision for vulnerable populations. They collectively have the basic infrastructure (including research, data management, staffing and facilities) to begin working together on providing oral healthcare to seniors and address the root causes of disparities in the community without delay. The organizations have complementary areas of expertise.
• Community reach - The applicant organizations have established relationships and experience working with senior communities of color and/or other demographic groups in their community that suffer from a disproportionate burden of oral disease and poor oral health outcomes. The partner community is well-defined, and the organizations have the capacity to develop strategies that are tailored to their specific needs and assets.
• Evidence-based strategy - The organizations clearly understand and provide evidence demonstrating how poor oral health and systemic barriers to accessing oral health care impact their communities. The organizations articulate an initial plan to use data to inform program decisions and measure impact. Further, the activities proposed are innovative and have the potential to make lasting changes to improve oral health outcomes for older adults.

Priority populations include:

• Racial and ethnic minorities
• Individuals with disabilities
• Immigrants
• LBGTQ+
• Unstable housing status
• Urban
• Rural
• People who are incarcerated

Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in California including, but not limited to, health and human service agencies, colleges, universities, and civic/advocacy groups.

Project period: 5 years
Estimated number of awards: 1
Estimated total program funding: $5,000,000

A link to the application instructions is available on the program website.

Email completed applications to SignatureProgram@delta.org.