Americares Foundation

Funder Type: Large International Nonprofit / Medicine Security + Grant Programs EIN: 06-1008595 Location: Stamford, Connecticut Prior Award: Climate Change & Health Education Microgrant (Completed February 2025)

Opportunity Summary

Americares is a major international health-focused relief and development organization that operates both as a medicine/medical supply distributor AND as a grantmaker. The organization provides $946 million in total aid annually to nearly 1,000 partner clinics across 49 states and Puerto Rico. Americares has two distinct pathways for engagement: (1) becoming a Medicine Security Partner to receive free medicines and supplies, and (2) applying for competitive grants for specific programs like climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and clinic capacity building.

FIU recently completed a Climate Change & Health Education Microgrant with Americares in February 2025, establishing a successful partnership relationship.

Key Programs Relevant to FIU:

• Climate Health Equity for Community Clinics (extreme heat/wildfire grants)
• U.S. Medicine Security Program (free medicines and supplies)
• Community health clinic capacity building
• Disaster preparedness and climate resilience
• Mental health training and support

Two Distinct Pathways

Pathway 1: Medicine Security Partnership (Free Medicines + Supplies)

What It Is: Access to free prescription medicines and medical supplies through Americares' U.S. Program portal

Eligibility:

• 501(c)(3) or government/charitable organization
• Legal authority to dispense medicines
• Serve patients at or below 300% Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
• Serve uninsured or underinsured patients
• Track inventory to patient level by lot number

Value: No fees, free shipping, no transaction fees; access to donated medicines and supplies

Application: Create account at https://usprogram.americares.org

Strategic Fit for FIU: NeighborhoodHELP serves low-income uninsured patients—perfect fit for medicine partnership

Pathway 2: Grant Programs (Competitive Funding)

What It Is: Specific grant competitions for climate resilience, disaster prep, capacity building

Current/Recent Programs:

• Climate Health Equity Grants: Equipment and supplies for extreme heat preparedness (AC units, cooling supplies, patient education)
• Heat Action Plan Development: Support for clinics developing heat response plans
• Wildfire Smoke Preparedness: Resources for clinics in wildfire-prone areas
• Disaster Resilience: Emergency preparedness and response capacity

Typical Grant Size: $10,000 - $100,000 (varies by program)

Application: Primarily invitation-based or through specific RFPs; monitor Americares website and partner communications

Strategic Fit Assessment

Alignment Strengths

• Active Partnership: FIU completed Climate Change & Health Education Microgrant in February 2025
• Mission Alignment: Americares' U.S. Program serves free/charitable clinics and community health centers—NeighborhoodHELP fits profile
• Geographic Match: Americares supports clinics in Florida; recent climate grants targeted FL, AZ, TX, NM, GA
• Climate Focus: Americares heavily invested in climate health equity—aligns with FIU's climate health education work
• Underserved Population: Both organizations focus on low-income, uninsured, vulnerable populations
• Disaster Preparedness: Florida's hurricane vulnerability aligns with Americares' disaster response mission

Strategic Considerations

• Not Traditional Grantmaker: Americares primarily distributes in-kind donations; grants are secondary to medicine program
• Invitation-Based Grants: Most grant opportunities are invitation-only or part of specific initiatives
• Partnership-First Model: Becoming a Medicine Security Partner likely prerequisite for grant opportunities
• Program-Specific Funding: Grants tied to specific themes (climate, disasters, capacity building) not general operating
• Scale: Americares is massive ($2B revenue, $946M U.S. aid) but grants are small portion of overall program

Opportunity Score

Detailed Scoring (1-5 Scale)

Overall Score: 4.2 / 5.0 Priority Level: HIGH PRIORITY

Recommended Dual-Track Approach

Track 1: Medicine Security Partnership (Immediate Priority)

Timeline: Apply Now (Q1 2026)

Actions:

1. Visit https://usprogram.americares.org
2. Create partner account for FIU/NeighborhoodHELP
3. Complete partner application demonstrating:
   • Service to low-income/uninsured patients (≤300% FPL)
   • Legal authority to dispense medicines
   • Inventory tracking capability
4. Gain access to medicine ordering portal
5. Begin ordering free medicines and supplies for NeighborhoodHELP patients

Expected Value:

• Estimated $50K-$200K annually in donated medicines and supplies (based on patient volume)
• Reduction in medication costs for uninsured patients
• Expansion of formulary available to NeighborhoodHELP

Effort: Low (online application, no ongoing fees)

Track 2: Climate Health Equity Grant Opportunities (Opportunistic)

Timeline: Monitor 2026-2027 for new grant cycles

Strategy:

1. As Medicine Security Partner, FIU receives communications about grant opportunities
2. Monitor Americares Climate Health Equity program announcements
3. Watch for:
   • Extreme heat preparedness grants (Florida relevant)
   • Hurricane/disaster preparedness grants (Florida critical)
   • Climate resilience capacity building
   • Heat action plan development support
4. Apply when invited or when open RFP announced

Potential Project Ideas:

• Heat Action Plan for NeighborhoodHELP Sites: Develop comprehensive plan for protecting patients during extreme heat
• Hurricane Preparedness for Community Clinics: Emergency supplies and protocols for FIU community health sites
• Climate Health Education Expansion: Build on completed microgrant to expand climate health curriculum
• Cooling Equipment Grant: AC units, cooling supplies, portable generators for community health sites

Expected Value: $25K-$75K per grant (based on recent grant patterns)

Effort: Medium (competitive applications, specific project focus)

Application Pathways

Medicine Security Partnership Application

Portal: https://usprogram.americares.org Contact: usprogram@americares.org Process:

1. Create account
2. Fill out partner application
3. Submit required documentation:
   • Proof of 501(c)(3) status
   • Documentation of legal authority to dispense medicines
   • Patient eligibility criteria confirmation
   • Inventory tracking system description
4. Await approval (typically 2-4 weeks)
5. Access ordering portal upon approval

Grant Program Applications

Climate Health Equity Program: https://www.americares.org/what-we-do/community-health/climate-resilient-health-clinics/ General Partnership Inquiries: Via website or partner portal Process:

• Monitor partner communications for grant announcements
• Apply when specific RFPs released
• Typically invitation-based or limited open calls
• Applications through partner portal or email

Key Contacts

Americares Headquarters: 88 Hamilton Ave Stamford, CT 06902-3105 Website: https://www.americares.org

U.S. Program (Medicine Security): Email: usprogram@americares.org Portal: https://usprogram.americares.org

Emergency Response (Disasters): Email: emergency@americares.org

Key Leadership (FY2024):

• Christine Squires, President/CEO ($574,695)
• Richard K Trowbridge Jr, CFO/Treasurer ($305,811)
• Jenny Goldstein, Chief Development Officer ($313,508)

Recent Americares Grant Programs (2024-2026)

Climate Health Equity for Community Clinics

Program Details:

• Launch: 2022 with $2M from Johnson & Johnson
• Expansion: 2025 with additional CVS Health funding
• Scope: 100+ clinics by 2025; 1,000 in pipeline; 30 states with heat action plans
• Grant Recipients: 13 initial clinics received equipment grants; 8 additional grants in AZ, FL, GA, NM, TX (2025)

Grant Components:

• Air conditioners for clinic sites
• Ice packs and cooling supplies for patient distribution
• Reusable water bottles
• Patient education materials on heat safety
• Heat action plan development support

Geographic Focus: States with extreme heat (AZ, FL, GA, NM, TX, LA, CA)

Eligibility: Free clinics, charitable clinics, FQHCs, community health centers

Sources:

• https://www.healthcare-brew.com/stories/2025/08/26/americares-grants-clinics-community-health-centers-extreme-heat
• https://www.americares.org/news/climate-and-health-equity-program-launches-with-frontline-health-clinics-in-arizona-florida-and-louisiana/

Additional Grant Programs

COVID-19 Relief Grants (2020):

• $250,000 total distributed
• 25 free and charitable clinics
• $10,000 per clinic

Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition:

• $100,000 grants (2 clinics per year)
• Partnership with BD
• Support for PCMH accreditation

FIU Prior Relationship

Climate Change & Health Education Microgrant:

• Status: Completed February 2025
• Program: Climate and health education initiative
• Outcome: Successful completion
• Significance: Establishes FIU as trusted partner; demonstrates shared mission

Action Items:

1. Document outcomes and impact from completed microgrant
2. Obtain final report and acknowledgment from Americares
3. Gather photos, data, testimonials from project
4. Use as evidence of successful partnership in future applications

Critical Success Factors

For Medicine Security Partnership

1. Demonstrate Patient Eligibility: Show majority of patients meet ≤300% FPL criteria
2. Document Dispensing Authority: Provide clear evidence of legal authority to dispense medicines
3. Inventory Tracking System: Explain system for tracking inventory to patient level by lot number
4. Free Distribution Commitment: Confirm all donated medicines distributed free to eligible patients
5. Sustained Relationship: Once partner, maintain active ordering and good standing

For Grant Opportunities

1. Partner Status: Likely need to be active Medicine Security Partner to be considered for grants
2. Climate/Disaster Focus: Projects must address climate resilience, disaster prep, or extreme weather
3. Underserved Population: Demonstrate service to low-income, uninsured, vulnerable communities
4. Measurable Outcomes: Clear metrics for patient impact, clinic capacity, disaster readiness
5. Geographic Relevance: Florida's extreme heat and hurricane risk are strong match
6. Scalability: Show how project could serve as model for other clinics

Timeline and Next Steps

Immediate (February-March 2026)

1. Gather Prior Grant Documentation:

   • Locate Climate Change & Health Education Microgrant file
   • Compile outcomes, final report, photos, data
   • Document lessons learned and impact

2. Assess Medicine Partnership Fit:

   • Review NeighborhoodHELP patient demographics (verify ≤300% FPL)
   • Confirm legal authority to dispense medicines
   • Document current inventory tracking system
   • Estimate potential value of donated medicines

3. Decision Point: Proceed with Medicine Security Partnership application?

Short-Term (April-June 2026)

1. Submit Medicine Security Partnership Application:

   • Create account at usprogram.americares.org
   • Complete partner application
   • Submit required documentation
   • Follow up on application status

2. Monitor Grant Opportunities:

   • Subscribe to Americares communications
   • Watch for Climate Health Equity grant announcements
   • Track disaster preparedness grant opportunities

Medium-Term (Q3-Q4 2026)

1. Utilize Medicine Security Partnership:

   • Begin ordering medicines and supplies
   • Track cost savings and patient impact
   • Document value of partnership

2. Develop Grant Concepts:

   • Heat action plan for NeighborhoodHELP sites
   • Hurricane preparedness for FIU community clinics
   • Climate health education expansion
   • Submit if/when opportunities arise

Related Opportunities

Similar Funders:

• Direct Relief: Similar medicine security model for free clinics
• Project HOPE: Health capacity building and disaster response
• MAP International: Medicine donation program for underserved populations
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Community health and disaster resilience grants

Complementary Florida Opportunities:

• Health Foundation of South Florida: Climate and health equity focus
• Florida Blue Foundation: Community health and disaster preparedness
• HRSA: Federal health center capacity and disaster preparedness grants

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Last Updated: February 13, 2026 Research Completed By: Grant Funder Researcher Agent Confidence Level: High (official website + ProPublica 990 + recent grant program data + prior partnership documentation)

Priority Actions:

1. Apply for Medicine Security Partnership (High Value, Low Lift)
2. Document prior microgrant outcomes
3. Monitor for climate/disaster grant opportunities
4. Maintain active partnership relationship