McKesson Foundation Grants

Health Access Grants Supporting Cancer Care, Healthcare Workforce Development, and Crisis Response

The McKesson Foundation supports nonprofit organizations working to remove barriers to quality healthcare across North America. Through its grantmaking, the Foundation funds programs aligned with three strategic giving pillars: reducing the burden of cancer, preparing tomorrow’s healthcare workforce, and accelerating crisis response. Applications for requests above $25,000 are accepted annually from February 1 through April 30, while requests up to $25,000 are accepted year-round.

Organization: McKesson Foundation
Support Type: Charitable grants
Geographic Focus: United States and Canada, with local priority communities in Atlanta, Columbus, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Memphis, Montreal, Richmond, and Toronto

About the Funder

The McKesson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing health outcomes for all. The Foundation focuses on removing barriers to quality healthcare across North America, with special attention to vulnerable and under-resourced communities. Its grantmaking supports nonprofit partners whose programs align closely with McKesson’s health access priorities.

What This Program Supports

The McKesson Foundation supports programs aligned with its three strategic giving pillars:

Reducing the Burden of Cancer

The Foundation supports efforts that reduce cancer risk and address socioeconomic barriers to early diagnosis and appropriate care. Areas of focus include:

Prevention
Programs that promote healthy lifestyles through education and services focused on nutrition, physical activity, tobacco avoidance, and skin protection.

Screening and Treatment
Efforts that increase awareness of cancer screenings, early detection, and timely treatment among vulnerable populations, including free cancer screenings and referrals to care.

Financial and Logistical Assistance
Programs that help uninsured and underinsured patients with cancer care costs and address social determinants of health that create barriers to care.

Preparing Tomorrow’s Healthcare Workforce

The Foundation supports education and training initiatives that help address healthcare workforce shortages and build a strong, diverse pipeline of healthcare professionals, particularly in oncology and pharmacy. Areas of focus include:

Oncology Professionals
Programs that increase recruitment and retention in oncology fields and strengthen healthcare professionals’ cultural competency.

Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
Programs that increase recruitment and retention in pharmacy and pharmacy technician programs, prepare students for provider roles, and leverage pharmacists’ training and community presence to serve vulnerable populations.

Student Engagement
Pathway programs that introduce youth to healthcare education and healthcare professions.

Accelerating Crisis Response

The Foundation supports emergency preparedness, disaster response, and access to basic health-related needs in vulnerable communities. Areas of focus include:

Preparedness
Support for community organizations and relief agencies preparing for forecasted and unforeseen emergencies.

Disaster Relief and Recovery
Programs that provide acute services such as water, food, shelter, comfort kits, medicine, and healthcare for communities affected by natural disasters or crises.

Medicine and Food
Programs that help vulnerable individuals and communities access medicine and food.

Eligible Support Types

McKesson Foundation grants may support:

Programmatic funding aligned with the Foundation’s strategic giving pillars
National programs serving the United States and/or Canada
Targeted regional programs
Local programs in McKesson Foundation priority communities
Funding requests up to $25,000
Funding requests above $25,000 through the annual application cycle

Eligibility & Preferences

The Foundation supports both national and local organizations.

For national organizations, program scope may be across the United States and/or Canada or in targeted regions.

For local organizations, the Foundation prioritizes eight communities:

Atlanta, Georgia
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Houston, Texas
Memphis, Tennessee
Montreal, Quebec
Richmond, Virginia
Toronto, Ontario

Local organizations serving outside these priority communities are unlikely to be considered.

Applicants should have U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) charitable certification or equivalent nonprofit status if international.

Ineligible Requests

The McKesson Foundation does not fund:

Event sponsorships
Direct donations, scholarships, or grants to individuals
Political campaigns or legislative lobbying efforts
Building, capital, or endowment campaigns
Faith-based organizations, unless the funded activities are accessible to the general public and are not designed to promote one religion or faith over another
Organizations without U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) charitable certification or equivalent status, if international
Programs based outside the United States or Canada
Biomedical research, clinical research and trials, or research on treatments, cures, drug therapies, or medical devices
Organizations whose primary purpose is to re-grant funding received
Organizations or programs that discriminate on the basis of age, race, national origin or citizenship, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious belief, except where those activities support the Foundation’s commitment to diversity and the elimination of health disparities

Funding Amounts

The McKesson Foundation accepts two levels of requests:

Requests up to $25,000: Accepted year-round
Requests above $25,000: Accepted during the annual application cycle from February 1 through April 30

Timeline & Review

📅 Application Timeline for Requests Above $25,000: February 1–April 30 annually
📅 Application Timeline for Requests Up to $25,000: Rolling / year-round
📅 Decisions for Annual Cycle Requests: August, with notifications shortly afterward
📅 Decisions for Requests Up to $25,000: Within 60 days of receipt

Application / Request Process

All McKesson Foundation grant applications must be submitted online. Applications submitted by email or postal mail will not be accepted.

Applicants should review the Foundation’s strategic giving pillars and guidelines before applying. Strong applications should clearly demonstrate:

Alignment with one or more McKesson Foundation giving pillars
Documented community need
Expected impact
Clear program costs
Service to eligible geographies or priority communities, when applying locally

Apply / Learn More:
➡️ McKesson Foundation Grant Application Details

New to corporate grant fundraising?
Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for nonprofits that:

Work to improve healthcare access for vulnerable or under-resourced communities
Support cancer prevention, screening, treatment access, or patient support
Build pathways into oncology, pharmacy, or other healthcare careers
Provide disaster preparedness, relief, recovery, medicine access, or food access
Operate nationally across the United States and/or Canada
Serve one of McKesson Foundation’s local priority communities

The McKesson Foundation Grant Program is best suited for health-focused nonprofits with clear program models, measurable community impact, and strong alignment with McKesson’s strategic giving pillars.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Review Type: Annual cycle for requests above $25,000; rolling review for requests up to $25,000
Typical Lead Time: Apply by April 30 for larger requests; allow up to 60 days for smaller requests
Best Suited For: Health access nonprofits, cancer support organizations, healthcare workforce programs, and crisis response organizations serving the United States and/or Canada