The Ministry of Health & Wellness has launched a formal call for proposals for the J$500 million Community Arranged Response Efforts (C.A.R.E.) Fund, inviting registered Community-Based Organisations, Faith-Based Organisations and other Civil Society groups to submit applications for projects that are aimed at improving health outcomes in communities across Jamaica.

Speaking at the launch ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Monday, June 15, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, CD, MP, said the fund is aimed at strengthening the social foundations upon which good health depends.

“Health is not merely the absence of disease. Health is the presence of strong families, caring communities, supportive relationships and opportunities for individuals to thrive. The C.A.R.E. Fund represents our commitment to investing in those foundations,” the Minister said.

The Fund is intended to support initiatives that increase health-seeking behaviour among Jamaicans, strengthen families and caregivers, promote healthy lifestyles, encourage community engagement and build support networks that contribute to better physical, mental and emotional health outcomes.

According to the Minister, the Fund is not a handout to organisations, but an intentional investment into developing and improving community involvement in public health.

“This initiative represents much more than a funding mechanism. It is a recognition that good health is not created only in hospitals or health centres. Good health is shaped long before illness occurs. It is shaped in homes, in schools, in churches, in community centres, on playing fields, and through the relationships that bind people together,” Dr. Tufton said.

Eligible organizations may visit the Ministry’s web portal at www.moh.gov.jm/carefund to complete the application form and upload supporting documents ahead of the deadline for submission on Friday, July 31, 2026.

Additionally, the Ministry’s Enabling Environment in Health & Client Services Division (EEHCSD), which will manage the fund, will be hosting information sessions in each of the four health regions across the island to sensitise and assist interested organisations in completing the submission process successfully.