Overview
Community Well-being Grants are opportunities for members of the UCSF community to implement their visions and ideas around creating a culture of well-being at UCSF.
About the program
The UCSF Well-being Committee created the Community Wellbeing Grant program as a way to support the health and well-being of our UCSF community. The program, created in 2021, awards grants to projects that promote health and well-being among one or more of our pillars of wellness: emotional, physical, social, financial, career, environmental and spiritual. Wellness provides funding and minimal project guidance while the applicants serve as the project leads.
Particular interest will be given to projects that can help us make strides in the following areas:
- Connecting to our pillars of wellness
- Creating a culture of wellness and supporting well-being at UCSF
- Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UCSF in a substantial and meaningful way
Application Period Closed
The application cycle for the FY2024 fiscal year is now closed. Thank you to those of who submitted applications and congratulations to the 16 selected grantees.
FY 2024 projects
In the third year of the program, 16 projects have been selected for a FY24 Community Wellbeing Grant. A total of nearly $100,000 in funds will be divided among the 16 selected applicants for their projects. The FY2024 projects are expected to impact nearly 5,000 UCSF learners, faculty and staff. Learn more about the 2024 projects.
Lindsay Williams: “An Inquiry into Racism and Health Inequities Lecture Series”
UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice, a diverse group of faculty and staff, created a lecture series to promote critical thinking and reflection around topics of intersectional antiracism called An Inquiry into Racism and Health Inequities. Our grant proposal was for additional funds to pay speakers and increase accessibility of recorded lectures through closed captioning and translation.
Lauren Phinney: “Brief Grief Debriefs for Medicine Residents”
This initiative aims to create more resident-led structured programming with a monthly noon conference at the three inpatient sites dedicated to grief debriefing for internal medicine residents. Topics covered during these conferences will include grief and coping, end of life care, gratitude and remembrance, and other "diastole" activities (animal therapy, massage therapy) to promote wellbeing at work for residents.
Sarah Metz: “Cultural Humility and Antiracism Training for Trauma-focused Treatment Teams”
The UCSF Division of Trauma Recovery Services (DTRS) is comprised of multidisciplinary multicultural staff and faculty that serve clients across the lifespan that have experienced and/or witnessed horrific interpersonal violence. The majority of our clients are from underserved and/or marginalized communities. Social justice, trauma-informed and focused care, and cultural humility are the heartbeats of our every move. Working with The Courage Collective, a DEI consulting and training organization for the modern workplace, DTRS will advance our anti-racism learnings and practices to ensure the highest quality of services for our clients and the most sustainable and equitable workplace for our colleagues.
Kristin Sellers: “Debrief: Conversation to support staff and learners working with neuropsychiatric research participants”
UCSF is home to numerous clinical trials investigating novel treatments for neuropsychiatric illnesses - the combination of high disease severity, required commitment, and frequent contact for study activities can lead to large burden on not only the participants but also study staff. This proposal creates a designed time and space for UCSF staff and trainees involved in clinical trials and patient-facing neuropsychiatric research to share how they experience and process working with these vulnerable populations.
Nicole Torrence: “Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders: DEI Mentorship and Professional Development Series”
The DEI Mentorship and Professional Development Series Series will take place over 5 days, dispersed throughout the training year, where Learners will gather at Spark Social SF to socialize, network, and receive career mentoring. Learners will also participate in team building activities.
Jane Wang: “Increasing Visibility of Women Surgeons: Challenging Perspectives & Building Community”
The goal of this project is to display professional portraits of women surgeons throughout the various hospitals to not only challenge perceptions and stereotypes about what a surgeon “should” look like, but also highlight the remarkable diversity in the UCSF surgical community. Both faculty and learners will be celebrated through this initiative.
Ladan (Ladi) Khoddam-Khorasani and Kim Dau: “Mindfulness Training to Sustain BIPOC-Identified Midwives”
The Midwifery Mentoring and Belonging Program will provide a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training series, with the objective of addressing racism-related stress and moral injury within the community of midwives (learners, providers, educators and alumni) who identify as BIPOC at UCSF. In addition to providing skills to practice MBSR, this training will address potential benefits of MBSR in racialized communities, inclusive of those learning, providing and receiving midwifery care.
Sarah Choi: “Nutrition for Nutrition!”
The Patient Food Services department works hard to serve patient's with nourishing and healing meals. The Nutrition for Nutrition program will provide UCSF Patient Food Service workers with nutrition education classes, grocery assistance, and engaging group discussions with a Registered Dietitian. This program aims to support food service workers with the power of nutrition, just as they do for our patients.
Chequeta Allen: “Postdoc Financial Literacy: My Wellness. My Community. My Identity.”
The Office of Postdoctoral Scholars in the Graduate Division will host a series of financial literacy sessions and connect learners with Golden1 credit union resources. The goal of the program is to enhance belonging through financial skill-building that supports making informed decisions that can impact long-term financial sustainability and well-being for Postdoctoral Scholars.
Nancy Lee: “Social Work CARE – Community building, Art, Relaxation, and Engagement”
Social Work CARE (Community building, Art, Relaxation and Engagement) strives to promote wellness amongst social workers across UCSF by creating opportunities that foster community building and engagement, self-care through art expression and relaxation, and appreciation for the unique work we do. Through our grant, we hope our social workers feel appreciated, connected and supported.
Nerissa Ko: “The Wellness of Women – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the UCSF Committee on the Status of Women”
Beginning with International Women’s Day in March 2024, we will host a variety of activities for women to build skills for advancement and empowerment, to promote wellness and resilience, and to provide social support and community building. Please join us for our Keynote speaker on projecting credibility and confidence, get your professional pictures, and participate in community building events such as yoga, pelvic health, drag bingo and much more!
Abdur Shemsu: “UCSF Black Caucus Sowing Seeds Campaign”
The UCSF Sowing Seeds Campaign aims to address the lack of diversity in the applicant pool through a specialized speaker series tailored to introduce a wide array of healthcare career options to Black and Latinx youth. This series will feature prominent UCSF Black and Latino professionals, including nurses, doctors, and various other healthcare experts, who will share their personal journeys and insights with local schools, colleges, and the wider community.
Robyn (Ra) Adcock: “UCSF E.A.R.S. Program (Ear Acupressure for Resiliency of Staff)”
"The UCSF E.A.R.S. Program (Ear Acupressure for Resiliency of Staff) will introduce the practice of ear acupressure seeding, as used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as a safe and effective self-care tool to reduce stress and improve resilience for staff across three UCSF campuses (Mission Bay, Oakland, Walnut Creek) and in four major pediatric departments (emergency, pain, palliative and integrative medicine)."
Graham Hinchcliffe: “UCSF Pride Pin Pledge”
The UCSF Pride Pin Pledge calls for support of LGBTQ+ UCSF communities through education, action and visibility. It encourages wellbeing and community during a difficult time of ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and narratives. The pride pin, worn by pledgers, sends a clear message that UCSF stands together as a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ folks.
Karen Yuan: “Wellness Video Series: Presented by UCSF Division of Geriatrics Employees”
For our UCSF Community Well-Being Grant “Wellness Video Series: Presented by UCSF Division of Geriatrics Employees”, we will produce a 7-part short video series where each presenter would discuss one of the seven pillars of wellness (emotional, physical, social, financial, environmental, career, and spiritual) and what it means to them. The implementation team consists of: Karen Yuan, Brenda Fagan, Mary Tran, and Angelica Martinez. We hope that this meaningful project will support creating a culture of wellbeing at UCSF.
Tracy Garcia and Klint Jaramillo: "Let Me Be Perfectly Queer: Centering Wellness for the LGBTQ+ Community"
Let Me Be Perfectly Queer aims to build, celebrate, and center the LGBTQIA+ community at UCSF and promote mental health and wellness through creativity and art. Our goal is to foster a stronger sense of belonging through a 2-part series of wellness activities centering the needs and voices of QTBIPOC, trans, and non-binary community members.
Data breakdown of the 2024 grants
FY 2023 projects
Twenty proposals were selected to receive the FY 2023 Community Wellbeing Grant. Due to the inaugural year’s success, where nine projects were selected, the funding for this year increased by 66% to $100,000. Selected projects support staff, faculty, and learners at San Francisco, Oakland and Fresno locations.
2023 project details
Andrea Marmor, MD, clinical professor, Department of Pediatrics
UCSF School of Medicine Coaching Program will host a series of community and spirit-building events for UCSF School of Medicine coaches: physicians who serve as mentors for students. The goal will be to build a connection among the diverse community of over 60 coaches to promote both their well-being and their capacity to continue to share their coaching and communication skills with their students and colleagues in their clinical departments.
Community, Organization, Allyship, Commitment, and Healing (COACHing) for Coaches
Brian Cunningham, BSN, RN, CCRN-CSC, clinical nurse, Intensive Cardiac Care Unit
This project intends to improve the social and emotional well-being of adult critical care staff at UCSF Health by offering Enhanced Stress Resiliency Training, a type of mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Cristina Brickman, MD MSCE, associate clinical professor of medicine, Infectious Diseases
The Infectious Diseases Division has designed a faculty development series comprised of workshops dedicated to well-being, career development, and DEI. The grant will build on this framework and allow them to incorporate retreats to further develop these topics.
D’Anne Duncan, PhD, assistant dean for diversity and learner success, Graduate Division
The Graduate Division and Student Health and Counseling Services will dedicate an afternoon to building and celebrating a community of care to promote mental health and wellness among UCSF graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, program administrators, and faculty.
Creating Community: Building and Sustaining Wellness Among Graduate Students and Postdocs
Dawn Gross, MD, PhD, attending physician, Palliative Care
A new podcast series, Dying to Talk: UCSF Heart Sounds, dedicated to promoting well-being and community at UCSF through conversations about the universally experienced moment in medical training: the first patient death as a doctor. The goal is to create a safe space to share stories, cultivate a culture of curiosity, self-compassion, and empathy.
Emma Gunderson, researcher & administrative officer, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry will build upon the work of their DEI & Engagement committees by hosting two DEI engagement events and bringing in an outside speaker to facilitate DEI discussions at the lab, staff, and faculty levels. The goal of this work is to improve the sense of belonging in the department, with a focus on supporting the marginalized and historically excluded individuals in Pharm Chem.
Gail Lee, REHS, MS, HEM, director, Office of Sustainability
This pilot aims to reduce cost barriers to adoption of the ReThink Plastic program recommendations for pregnant people and new parents. Participants will learn safe food storage and preparation alternatives that reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
Jarmin Yeh, PhD, MPH, MSSW, assistant professor, Institute for Health and Aging
This UCSF Institute for Health & Aging and Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences project involves a three-part series of experiential DEIA activities and will conclude with a collective gathering to reflect on learnings, social identities, and UCSF’s role as an anchor institution.
Cultivating Connections: Experiential Learning for Personal, Institutional, and Community Wellness
Jazmin Valencia Chavez, student, School of Pharmacy
A camping retreat for the undocumented students at UCSF. The goal is to build a community and create a safe space to discuss issues affecting immigrant communities while connecting and grounding with nature.
John Hamiga, analyst, UCSF Prevention Science
UCSF Bikes! and UCSF Transportation are enhancing Bike to Wherever Day (BtWD), the largest annual bike event held across the Bay Area. Through additional community outreach, faculty, staff, and students will experience more opportunities to learn more about biking and the cycling community.
UCSF Bikes! Biking & Micromobility: Advancing Health and Sustainability
Joshua Kamimoto, MBA, administrative manager, Pediatrics and Family & Community Medicine
Annual events will provide an opportunity for the UCSF Fresno School of Medicine staff to connect with like-minded staff to improve wellness in all seven Pillars of Wellness. Events will range from networking to connecting with leaders to engage in work that is meaningful to values, goals, and lifestyle.
Connecting Staff to Wellness Pillars, Supporting Well-being, and Promoting DEI
Joyce So, MD, PhD, associate professor of clinical pediatrics, School of Medicine
The Division of Medical Genetics will lead the GATTACA UCSF initiative to support wellness, inclusivity and community-building with and across the various genetic silos at UCSF, including cancer, prenatal and cardiovascular genetics, and the genetics and genomics labs.
Genetics All Together – Towards a Connected Community at UCSF (GATTACA UCSF)
Khary Dvorak-Ewell, community health program manager, UCSF Department of Psychiatry
The Microaggressions: Visual Arts Campaign and Panel Discussion will raise awareness about microaggressions and their negative impact on people and our collective work environment. The campaign and panel will validate the experiences of those facing microaggressions in the workplace and provide them channels of support; as well as provide everyone with a toolkit to help eliminate microaggressions in our workplace and everyday lives.
Naznin Jahan, graduate student, Biomedical Sciences
This project aims to provide resources for first generation students to express themselves and reclaim their mental health and community spirit through guided art classes at UCSF.
Nicole Hohenstien, MD, resident, Department of Emergency Medicine
Meaningful Medicine is an existing podcast by UCSF residents that highlights stories of healthcare professionals who have found a sense of meaning, resilience, and joy in their work. This podcast tackles numerous topics including compassionate care, burnout, microaggressions in medicine, humor in medicine, climate change, imposter syndrome, and much more.
Solaire Spellen, associate director, California Preterm Birth Initiative, Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
The Preterm Birth Initiative and Black Women’s Health and Livelihood Initiative will collaborate on See Us Birth, an installation of framed portraits of BIPOC families and individuals that are part of the birth justice movement. By using poetry and photos, the installations will build a supportive and engaging environment that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism for the UCSF community and those they serve.
Sumi Sinha, MD, clinical instructor – Radiation Oncology
The UCSF Oncology Healer's Art Program will support reflection through art for early-career women in oncology at UCSF. Participants will engage in creation and appreciation of art during a four-part seminar series where they will be encouraged to foster connections through storytelling to further their professional and personal growth.
Tammy Duong, MD, associate clinical professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences
This event intends to foster an intergenerational social and emotional connection between UCSF learners, clinicians, and San Franciscan older adults. Participants will be able to experience the healing nature of art and share life stories, facilitating a sense of wellness and togetherness in the community.
Afternoon at the Museum: Intergenerational Connectedness through Arts and Food
Tara Valcarcel, PNPMSN, pediatric nurse practitioner, Benioff Children’s Hospital
This proposal will offer support to any UCSF Health, Campus, or BCH Oakland employee who is interested in pursuing an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) career through mentorship, shadowing opportunities, interview coaching, networking, and panel discussions with existing UCSF APPs.
Taryn Shappell, LCSW, chief clinical social worker, Benioff Children’s Hospital
The Pediatric Social Work Department will have the opportunity to participate in a full-day, off-site Day of Restoration to connect with each other, learn new skills, and set the tone for self-care year-round.