Health Equity Challenge
Health Equity Program

Health Equity Challenge

The UCLA Health Equity Challenge Program, conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and sponsored by The MolinaCares Accord (MolinaCares), in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of California (Molina), and the California Health Care Foundation, provides UCLA graduate students with the opportunity to develop innovative community-based solutions to improve health equity in California.

Imagine a world with improved health for all...now let’s work to create it.

The UCLA Health Equity Challenge is a competition that provides UCLA graduate students the opportunity to turn their ideas into action. Conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR), and sponsored by The MolinaCares Accord (MolinaCares), in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of California (Molina), and the California Health Care Foundation, the UCLA Health Equity Challenge invites students to develop solutions to address health equity issues in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

Students are asked to submit an idea to solve a health inequity that a community-based organization (CBO) can implement. Up to 15 finalists are selected to turn their ideas into full project proposals and over the course of 15 weeks, work with a mentor and select a CBO to work with. Four winners are announced at an awards ceremony and up to $50,000 is awarded to each of the students’ community organizations to implement the proposed project.

The 2025 Health Equity Challenge is currently underway.

Spotlight

Fourth Annual UCLA Health Equity Challenge which offers up to $50,000 for each community organization to implement your idea.
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UCLA students propose innovative ideas to address health disparities in the greater Los Angeles area
Collage of four photos of winners of the 2024 Health Equity Challenge. In each image the winners are posing with contest supporters and mentors.
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Four UCLA students’ projects awarded $50,000 each to advance health equity in Los Angeles
headshots of 15 Health Equity Challenge student finalists
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Challenge accepted: Graduate students answer the call to help boost health equity
hands holding a lightbulb highlighting 50K prize for the Health Equity Challenge
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Health Equity Challenge invites UCLA graduate students to create change in their communities
Four Health Equity Challenge winners Cameron Salehi, Nikolas Wianecki, Nadeeka Karunaratne, and Karla Murillo with their checks
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Four UCLA students’ projects awarded $200,000 to combat health inequities
Health Equity Challenge
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UCLA announces finalists in health equity competition for graduate students
UCLA Health Equity Challenge
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UCLA competition provides funding to students to address health inequity
ucla-health-equity-challenge-awards
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UCLA Health Equity Challenge awards $100,000 in funding to student projects
ucla-and-molinacares-announce-10-finalists-in-the-health-equity-challenge
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UCLA and MolinaCares announce 10 finalists in the Health Equity Challenge
Grad Competition
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New UCLA graduate student competition invites ideas to improve health equity in California