The McKesson Foundation's mission is to remove barriers to quality healthcare across North America, especially for vulnerable and underserved communities.

The McKesson Foundation champions health equity by partnering with nonprofit organizations to advance efforts aligned with three strategic giving pillars and corresponding areas of focus:

Reducing the burden of cancer

Working with our partners, we aim to reduce the risk of getting cancer and address socioeconomic barriers to care.

• Prevention – provide education and services to encourage people to adopt healthy diets, exercise regularly, avoid tobacco, and protect their skin.

• Screening and Treatment – increase awareness of the importance of screenings, early detection and timely treatment among vulnerable populations; provide free health screenings for patients and connect them to care.

• Financial/Logistical Assistance – connect uninsured and underinsured patients to programs providing low or no-cost co-pays and social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions, e.g., transportation, childcare, healthy food, home meal delivery; reduce the economic burden of low-income patients with emergency funds for rent, utilities and other household expenses.

Preparing tomorrow's healthcare workforce

Closing the gap between diverse representation among the general population and among healthcare practitioners will improve health equity and patient outcomes.

• Oncology Professionals – increase underrepresented in medicine (URiM) student recruitment and retention; increase all health professionals’ cultural competency to better serve a diverse patient population.

• Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians – increase URiM recruitment and retention; prepare students for broader pharmacist roles; leverage pharmacists’ extensive training, community presence and public trust to serve vulnerable and rural patient populations.

• Student Engagement – increase students’ awareness of STEM careers; support students’ financial literacy; help prepare middle and high school students for higher education.

Accelerating Crisis Response

With the increased frequency and intensity of climate events, more people across North America need temporary or extended shelter, as well as food and medications, during and in the aftermath of crises. And with 10 percent of the population in both Canada and the U.S. living in food insecure households, programs to provide regular, nutritious meals to children, families and seniors can reduce chronic disease and improve long-term health.

• Preparedness – support relief agencies’ efforts to prepare for forecasted as well as unforeseen emergencies; support relief agencies’ efforts to help people become Red Cross Ready.

• Disaster Relief and Recovery – mobilize resources to provide acute services, such as water, food, shelter, comfort kits, medicines, and healthcare for people affected by natural disasters or crises; help families return to normalcy after a disaster.

• Medicine and Food – assist vulnerable individuals and communities by supporting acute and chronic care services that provide medicines and food.

The Foundation supports both national and local organizations. For organizations working at a national level, program scope can be across the United States and/or Canada or in targeted regions. 

For organizations working locally or regionally, the Foundation has eight priority locations: Atlanta, Ga.; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Houston, Texas; Memphis, Tenn.; Montreal, Quebec; Richmond, Va.; and Toronto, Ontario. Funding to local organizations serving outside these communities is unlikely to be approved.

The McKesson Foundation accepts applications for funding requests above $25,000 February 1 through April 30 each year. 

We accept funding requests up to $25,000 year-round.