Cultural Competency / Health Workforce / PRIME
TCE leads philanthropic efforts to diversify the health workforce and advocate for language access improvements in the health system.
The system’s healthcare workforce is highly unrepresentative of the state’s population, its financing is misaligned- incentivizing volume over value or health outcomes – and a strong power imbalance exists between physicians and patients and communities.
The California Endowment has undertaken several initiatives to fix this misalignment and imbalance.
The 21st Century Pathways to Health Careers initiative allocated grants to support statewide and local programs that create career paths in healthcare for youth in grades 7-16.
The initiative is organized around three strategic goals and outcomes: increased career opportunities in healthcare for young Californians, especially boys and young men of color; a health workforce populated by local residents in frontline jobs supporting primary care, community-based prevention, patient-centered medical homes, and integrated and coordinated care models; and a larger and more skilled healthcare workforce able to provide high-quality, culturally responsive, and linguistically competent primary care and community health services in places of greatest need.
We also focused on supporting high-quality workforce development programs that enabled healthcare workers to improve their skills and prepare for high demand occupations in the public healthcare sector while training community health workers and medical assistants, enabling them to be better integrated into the state’s health services system.
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$78.2M
to CA organizations working to boost the size and diversity of the state's healthcare workforce
“Whether the culprit is COVID-19, or Influenza, or Tuberculosis, or Smallpox – the public’s health is best protected when ALL are welcome and covered in the system.”
DR. ROBERT K. ROSS President & CEO, The California Endowment
Browse Other Changes Planted by Dr. Ross
Building Healthy Communities $1B invested over 10 years
Health4All 38.6 million lives impacted
Youth Awards 37 total awards given
Schools Not Prisons & BMOC Millions reached since 2016
Farmworker Health $50M initiative
TCE Grant Making 2023 $381M awarded
Parks for All Hundreds of millions leveraged for parks investments in CA
Youth on the Board 1st of large foundations in US to have youth on the board
Childhood Obesity & Freshworks $272M to expand access to fresh and healthy foods in low-income communities
CHIS 20,000 households interviewed annually to find health gaps in CA
Kids Health Coverage Campaign $4M to help enroll children in health programs
TCE Headquarters 125,000+ use our facilities every year
Wishing Wall
Miyihah-Tlakilte Dr. Ross -
On behalf of Anawakalmekak and the Gabrielino shoshone nation. Much love on your journey.
Dr. Ross,
You are an amazing person/soul! Wish you the best retirement!
Thank you for your leadership and keeping justice at the center of LA philanthropy!
Thank you Dr. Ross for impacting so many people and our community.
- Vida Mobile Clinic
Thank you for believing in us and the opportunities your faith in us have afforded so many. We wish tenfold those blessings on you.
- Alf LaMont
Thank you for all that you’ve done! Please enjoy your retirement. You deserve it!
- Martha Dina Arguello & PSR-LA
Dr. Ross,
I love you!! Thank you for being a servant to the people. Lives are better because you came into the world.
Thank you for seeding so much change in the world, Dr. Ross!
Bob,
Fortunate to have such a powerful voice & thought leader at TCE.
- Sherry
Thank you, Dr. Ross, for all the love you have given to this world. You have paved the way to continue making change.
- Veronica
Bob,
Don’t be a stranger.
Love you,
- Ray
Bob -
I love you and always will. Now come and join my board!
- Kim Lewis
Rosetta Henderson Bloom again
Dr. Ross! Congrats on your transition. I am grateful for the opportunity to have grown up with your support. You inspired me to chase my dreams.
- Corleone (BMoC)
Best wishes for the next act!
- Joel
Bob -
It’s been an honor to work with you through the years. Love you very much!
Bob -
“Dr. Ross” - thank you for your leadership, support, and contributions towards health equity and health justice.
With gratitude,
- Ignatius Bau
Bobbie -
May God continue to order your steps. He;s not finished with you yet.
I wish that you receive as much as you’ve provided to so many.
Much love,
- Steve Delgado
Dr. Bob -
Enjoy this next chapter in your life. I wish you joy!
- Jim Crouch
Unveiling Our
2025 Annual
Report
The California Endowment is proud to present our 2025 annual report. Read about the work we are supporting and our partners who are changing California to a state of belonging and inclusion.
View Report