About the community benefit investment fund

At Baylor Scott & White Health, our vision is to empower people to live well. Health is shaped by more than what happens in hospitals and clinics. Access to care, education, economic stability and community support all play a role.

We prioritize programs that are innovative, collaborative and designed to deliver measurable results. Strong proposals clearly define the population served, outline a plan for impact and include a way to track success.

As part of our commitment to community health, Baylor Scott & White invested approximately $1.4 billion in community benefit activities in fiscal year 2024. This work reflects our ongoing commitment to building healthier communities.

Community impact fund priorities

Maternal and child health

We support programs that improve the health and well-being of mothers, babies and families. This includes expanding access to preventive care, strengthening support services and improving coordination across care teams.

Examples of impact include:

  • Number of pregnant or postpartum people receiving education, navigation or support
  • Increase in prenatal, postpartum or pediatric visits
  • Improved access to screenings, referrals or coordinated care
  • Number of families connected to nutrition, behavioral health or parenting resources
  • Increased access to healthy food
  • Fewer barriers affecting maternal, infant or child health

Access to care

We support programs that help people get the care and support they need, when they need it. This includes expanding access to preventive, primary, specialty and behavioral healthcare, along with care coordination and navigation services.

Examples of impact include:

  • Number of people connected to primary, specialty, behavioral health or preventive care
  • Fewer avoidable emergency department visits or hospital stays
  • Increase in preventive screenings, follow-up visits or care plan completion
  • Number of people connected to insurance, transportation or support services
  • Improved management of chronic conditions where appropriate

Education and workforce development

We support programs that expand access to education, job training and career opportunities. This includes efforts that help people build skills, access training and prepare for meaningful employment.

Examples of impact include:

  • Increase in awareness of healthcare careers or participation in mentorship programs
  • Number of people connected to internships, apprenticeships or training programs
  • Number of participants enrolled in and completing programs
  • Number of participants earning certifications or securing employment
  • Improved readiness for school, careers or the workforce
  • Increased access to educational resources and job training

Where we invest

Baylor Scott & White operates licensed hospital facilities across North and Central Texas. Funding regions are based on Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), which help identify where support is needed most. Organizations serving one or more of the counties listed below are eligible to apply.

North Texas counties

  • Anderson County
  • Collin County
  • Cooke County
  • Dallas County
  • Denton County
  • Ellis County
  • Fannin County
  • Grayson County
  • Gregg County
  • Henderson County
  • Hood County
  • Hunt County
  • Johnson County
  • Kaufman County
  • Navarro County
  • Parker County
  • Rockwall County
  • Smith County
  • Tarrant County
  • Van Zandt County
  • Wise County
  • Wood County

Central Texas counties

  • Austin County
  • Bell County
  • Blanco County
  • Brazos County
  • Burleson County
  • Burnet County
  • Coryell County
  • Grimes County
  • Hays County
  • Llano County
  • McLennan County
  • Milam County
  • Robertson County
  • San Saba County
  • Travis County
  • Waller County
  • Washington County
  • Williamson County

Our commitment to priority communities

In addition to the counties listed above, Baylor Scott & White is committed to supporting communities with the greatest need.

Organizations may apply for programs serving any eligible county. Proposals that serve one or more high-risk ZIP codes listed below may receive additional consideration.

These ZIP codes are identified using factors such as poverty, employment, education, language and Medicaid enrollment.

High-risk North Texas counties

COUNTYZIP CODES
Anderson County75886, 75884, 75779
Collin County75164
Cooke County76240
Dallas County75247, 75210, 75216, 75172, 75233, 75159, 75146
Denton County76201, 75057, 76205
Ellis County76623, 75101, 75125
Fannin County75452
Grayson County76268, 75090, 75020, 75459, 75021
Gregg County75602
Parker County76487
Smith County75702
Tarrant County76105, 76115, 76119, 76106, 76010
Wise County76071

High-risk Central Texas counties

COUNTYZIP CODES (HARDSHIP INDEX)
Austin County77833
Bell County76549, 76541, 76543, 76570, 76504
Brazos County77803, 77801
Coryell County76597
Llano County78639
McLennan County76704, 76707, 76701, 76711, 76706
Robertson County77867, 77859
San Saba County76871, 76832, 76877
Travis County78742, 78712, 78719
Waller County77446, 77466

High-risk ZIP codes were identified using the hardship index, a composite measure of community hardship. It brings together factors such as unemployment, age dependency, education, per capita income, crowded housing and poverty into a single score, allowing for clear comparisons across geographies. The index closely aligns with other measures of economic hardship, including labor force statistics, and is associated with poorer overall health.

Eligibility and application requirements

Interested organizations should carefully review the following requirements before submitting a proposal.

Who can apply

Applicants must be a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization or a public entity, such as a municipality, health department, university or school.

Unincorporated organizations must partner with a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent to administer the grant.

Programs must serve one or more eligible counties and support at least one of the following areas:

  • Maternal and child health
  • Access to care
  • Education and workforce development

Funding and eligible activities and expenses

Capital requests may not exceed 10% of the total grant funding requested. This ensures investment remains focused on programmatic impact and measurable outcomes.

Indirect costs are limited to 15% and may include shared or administrative expenses that cannot be directly attributed to the program (e.g., facilities, utilities or general administrative support).

How proposals are reviewed

Applications are reviewed based on the following:

  • Alignment with Community Health Needs Assessments and priority areas
  • Clear understanding of community needs and populations served
  • Strength of program design and plan for implementation
  • Measurable results and ability to track progress
  • Organizational experience and community partnerships
  • Budget clarity and responsible use of funds
  • Focus on reducing disparities and addressing social drivers of health
  • Collaboration with community partners
  • Alignment with Baylor Scott & White priorities

Informational sessions

The Community Benefit team will host virtual information sessions for organizations interested in applying.

If you would like to attend, please reach out to Dina Howerton at Dina.Howerton@BSWHealth.org.

  • June 23, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • June 25, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Reporting requirements

Organizations that receive funding must submit an impact report at the end of the grant period.

Reports may include:

  • Summary of program activities, progress and key learnings
  • Measurable results tied to the proposal
  • Number of people served, including relevant demographic or geographic information
  • How funds were used, including alignment with the approved budget
  • Challenges, adjustments and opportunities for future impact
  • Photos or stories that demonstrate community impact, when appropriate and permitted

Baylor Scott & White may also request check-ins, site visits or additional information during the grant period.

Timeline

From grant submission to award notification.

  • June 2026: Informational sessions
  • July 2026: First release of FY27 request for proposals (RFP)
  • August 2026 – September 2026: Review of proposals
  • September – October 2026: Award/declination notifications sent to applicants
  • February 2027: Second release of FY27 RFP
  • March 2027 – April 2027: Review of proposals
  • April 2027 – May 2027: Award/declination notifications sent to applicants
  • September 2027: July RFP grantee impact reports due
  • April 2028: February RFP grantee impact reports due

Conflict of interest disclosure. Applicants must disclose any actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest related to the proposed project or request for funding. This includes any financial interest, governance role, employment relationship or immediate family relationship involving the applicant organization and any Baylor Scott & White director, officer, employee or person involved in the review or approval of funding. Disclosure of a conflict does not automatically disqualify an applicant, but failure to disclose relevant information may result in disqualification or withdrawal of an award.