Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania is now accepting proposals for its first grant cycle of 2013. Applications must be received electronically by 5 p.m. Friday, March 8, to be considered.

Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations located in and serving The Foundation's 13-county service area (Bradford, Carbon, Clinton, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Sullivan, Tioga, Wayne and Wyoming counties) may submit proposals for health and wellness projects under The Foundation's Mini-Grant, Impact Grant and Access to Health Care for the Uninsured and Underinsured Grant categories.For more information on eligibility requirements and funding priorities, and to download the electronic application, visit

www.bcnepa.com/Community/BlueRibbon.aspx.BCNEPA established its private, nonprofit Blue Ribbon Foundation in 2002 to invest in health education and prevention initiatives that produce measurable health improvements and help manage long-term health costs for the residents of northeastern and north central Pennsylvania.During its first decade of service, The Foundation awarded nearly $10 million in grant funding to 170 nonprofits to help meet the health and wellness needs of more than 186,000 at-risk individuals.