The Merck Foundation has launched the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care, a $22 million, five-year initiative aimed at improving access to high-quality, person-centered care for individuals living with heart conditions across the United States. The program provides grants to eleven organizations working in communities where timely access to cardiovascular care is limited, supporting the development and implementation of evidence-informed, comprehensive programs designed to enhance health outcomes.
The initiative targets both the medical and social needs of people affected by cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., particularly impacting under-resourced communities. By addressing these gaps, the Collaborative aims to create lasting improvements in cardiac care and community health. The selected grantees, ranging from health systems and research foundations to community health centers, will work in partnership with local organizations to bridge gaps in care and promote sustainable, potentially scalable interventions.
Supporting the grantees is the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, serving as the Collaborative’s National Program Office (NPO). The NPO provides technical assistance, fosters peer-to-peer learning, conducts cross-site evaluations, and disseminates lessons and best practices from the initiative. This structure ensures that grantees benefit from shared expertise while tailoring solutions to the unique needs of their communities.
Through this program, the Merck Foundation continues its long-standing commitment to community-focused health initiatives, building on prior efforts such as the Alliance for Equity in Cancer Care. The initiative exemplifies the Foundation’s broader mission of funding programs that address critical health challenges in underserved populations, with the goal of improving access, equity, and outcomes in U.S. health care.
The Merck Foundation, established in 1957 and funded entirely by Merck, has contributed over $1 billion to support global and domestic health initiatives aligned with the company’s mission to save and improve lives.
