UnitedHealth Group Grant to Support Ingram Institute, Healthcare Access
To help address healthcare access disparities and grow the state’s workforce, UnitedHealth Group has made a $3 million, four-year grant to the UNC Health Foundation to support the Robert A. Ingram Institute for Healthcare Access.
Since its inception in 2024, the Ingram Institute has focused on building a sustainable health workforce and expanding equitable access to care in rural and underserved communities across North Carolina. As one of the nation’s fastest-growing states with the second-largest rural population in the U.S. behind Texas, North Carolina stands to benefit from investment in these critical areas.
An aging health care workforce, rising demand for care and services, and workforce shortages across nursing, behavioral health, technical and other essential roles make workforce development a core access strategy for the grant partnership.
“UnitedHealth Group is working alongside community colleges and leading partners like the Ingram Institute to expand training opportunities and strengthen the pipeline of nurses and other health professionals, particularly in underserved areas,” said Danielle Gray, UnitedHealth Group executive vice president of External and Corporate Affairs. “We know that when people can get the right care at the right time, it leads to better health for families and our communities. We’re hopeful that these partnerships will serve as shining examples of how local solutions make big improvements.”
The goal is healthier, more resilient communities that sustain improvement over time.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration and local partnerships, the Ingram Institute is working to create new on-ramps into health careers, reduce drop-off in the pipeline, and improve retention—particularly in rural areas.
“Too often, talented students step off the path simply because they never saw health care as a possibility,” said Meg Zomorodi, PhD, RN, vice president of the Ingram Institute. “By identifying these critical moments and creating interventions that keep students engaged, Ingram turns potential exit points into opportunities, ensuring more bright minds continue forward to serve our communities.”
Zomorodi joined Gray on April 16 as part of an event hosted by Axios called Improving Health in North Carolina: Local Strategies for the Road Ahead, during which the two discussed the impact of the Ingram Institute on North Carolinians. You can watch the View From the Top segment featuring Zomorodi on YouTube.
To learn more about UnitedHealth Group’s investment in the Ingram Institute, click here.
