Cambia employees have created a rich culture of giving back to their communities which comes to life in a variety of ways. Many volunteer individually on their own time or as a group working collectively to support a local cause. Each year, employees make charitable contributions to organizations they care about, and some offer their expertise by serving on local nonprofit boards. At Cambia Health Foundation, we’re inspired by this generosity, and we launched a pilot program this year to encourage and amplify employee engagement.

Employee-led philanthropy

The Foundation's newest program invites employees to be a part of some of the Foundation’s philanthropic investments. The Cambia Community Resilience Fund (CCRF) program, launched in April 2023, invites employees to nominate nonprofit organizations to be considered for a contribution from the Cambia Health Foundation. Once all nominees were received, the nonprofits submitted an application and a committee of employees, along with Foundation staff, selected five organizations to receive a $50,000 investment.

Employees nominated 34 nonprofit organizations for this year's pilot program and 30 of them applied for funding. The applications were reviewed in a multi-step process that included a committee of 26 employees from across the company representing a variety of roles, departments and geographic locations.

Applications were evaluated based on the need and impact of the nonprofit's work as well as its alignment with the Foundation's strategic focus areas and Cambia's mission to improve health care and people's lives. Cambia Health Foundation staff reviewed the committee’s recommendations and provided final approval for funding.

The final five

The following organizations were selected to receive $50,000 from the Cambia Community Resilience Fund to support general operating costs:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Nez Perce Tribe, in Lapwai, Idaho, enables all young people, especially those in need, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
• Childhaven, in Seattle, Wash., partners with parents and the community to strengthen families, prevent childhood trauma and prepare children for a lifetime of well-being.
• Comprehensive Life Resources in Tacoma, Wash., serves and empowers its community by embracing everyone as a whole person and by providing tools and resources to enhance the quality of life.
• Friends of the Children Utah, in Kearns, Utah, creates generational change by empowering youth, facing great obstacles, through long-term relationships with dedicated professional mentors.
• Meals on Wheels People, in Portland, Ore., meets the social and nutritional needs of older adults in our community.

These organizations meet the needs of their communities across our four-state footprint of Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington and are aligned with two of the Foundation’s strategic focus areas—Resilient Children & Families and Healthy & Connected Aging.

To deepen impact, Cambia Health Foundation increased the employee donation match from 50 to 100 percent for the remainder of the year for all 34 nominated nonprofit organizations to commemorate the pilot year of the CCRF program.

Reflections from nominators

The CCRF pilot program was developed to more closely involve employees in the Foundation’s philanthropic investment process, helping them feel more connected to the Foundation's work.

Marsha Ulmer, Cambia’s product implementation manager, nominated Childhaven and spoke enthusiastically about the CCRF pilot program: “I’m thankful that Cambia has a program that allows employees to nominate agencies and nonprofits that matter to them. I’m also extremely happy that Cambia has a foundation that focuses on things within our footprint and that they are so transparent with where the money goes, that it aligns with the work we’re trying to do. It’s a rare and wonderful employee benefit.”
 
Kristen Erbes, Cambia’s vice president and chief compliance and privacy officer, nominated Meals on Wheel and said: “I was excited to see that the CCRF pilot program would give employees more opportunities to engage with the Cambia Foundation and learn more about corporate philanthropy. There are so many great nonprofits to support throughout our communities. I value the opportunity to give back as a Cambia employee through volunteering, employee giving, and more.”
 
Josilin Rosario, Cambia Health Foundation’s corporate social responsibility manager for Idaho, nominated Boys & Girls Clubs of the Nez Perce Tribe and shared: “I think the CCRF program is an amazing opportunity that gives employees a say in the funding process. I was able to nominate a cause that’s close to my heart and I’m so glad that Cambia prioritizes the work our nonprofits are doing for our states and communities.”