What to support

The Annual Fund provides critical funding for AAFP Foundation programs in the areas of humanitarian, education, and scientific research. Your donation to the Annual Fund indicates your broad support of the Foundation's entire portfolio of work, and allows us to use your contribution wherever it's needed most. Initiatives such as Family Medicine Cares, Family Medicine Leads, and the almost $500,000 donated annually to various AAFP programs are funded in part by the Annual Fund.

It's the easiest and fastest way for AAFP members to support your AAFP Foundation and Chapter programs! It's as easy as checking "yes" on your dues statement or donating when you renew online. Donations with membership renewals are the largest single source of contributions to the Foundation each year. Your participation matters!

Sustaining the long-term viability of the AAFP Foundation and the continuation of its work, the General Endowment Fund provides a solid financial core with income earned annually from interest on the Fund corpus. This income provides support for programs and core operations.

With its long-term growth nature, the AAFP Foundation General Endowment has grown through generous gifts from contributors and from excellent management by the Foundation Board of Trustees and its professional advisors. Donations to the General Endowment ensure an ongoing revenue stream to support the work of your Foundation both now and in the future.

Established in 1992 to preserve the historical value and evolution of the specialty of Family Medicine, the Center for the History of Family Medicine Endowment ensures that the Center will survive for generations to come. The CHFM collection includes decades of documents, photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia that are professionally cataloged and preserved in a climate-controlled environment.

The CHFM Endowment, a long-term growth fund, has grown since its establishment in 1998. Your contribution and the endowment’s continued growth will help the Center for the History of Family Medicine become self-supporting and self-sustaining.

The Robert Graham Fund honors the service of Robert Graham, MD, and supports the Robert Graham Center (RGC) in Washington, DC. The Robert Graham Center exists to improve individual and population health by enhancing the delivery of primary care. "The endowment ensures perpetual support for the Center to do the analytic work needed to clarify issues that matter to family physicians," says Larry Green, MD, Founding Director of The Graham Center.

The Ruth Ostergaard Children’s Fund is a named endowment established by an anonymous couple. The donors were inspired by Ruth Ostergaard’s work and dedication to children through the Physicians With Heart Children’s Project, through which clothes, mattresses, bedding, shoes, and toiletries are supplied for orphanages and special-needs schools within the selected country. Spearheading these efforts with love and commitment, Ruth has improved living conditions for hundreds of children in the former Soviet Union – children at orphanages who have very little if anything to call their own.

This endowed fund is used each year to support philanthropic work with children here in the U.S. and around the world. As this fund grows, more children can be helped.

The Sandra L. Panther Fund was established in honor of the AAFP Foundation’s executive director, Sandra Panther. Sandy dedicated more than 20 years of service to the Foundation and continues to stay involved even after retirement. The fund will support the Sandra L. Panther Fellowship in the History of Family Medicine.

Carolyn C. Lopez, MD, a Chicago-based family physician, created three funds in 2000 to honor her family and her local AFP chapter:

• The Joseph and Angela Lopez Fund pays tribute to the parents of Dr. Lopez and their respect for the Family Medicine specialty by supporting the Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute.
• The Carmen Lopez Pollina Fund was created to honor Carolyn's sister who died from cancer at age 39. This fund supports research that has direct, immediate and visible impact on the area where family physicians are most focused: patient care. In addition, the fund was established to help physicians understand the needs of patients and families, especially those who are facing grave diseases.
• A third endowment fund supports the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians Summer Externship Program.

The Rev. Dr. Donald and Mrs. Ann McCord created this fund to honor their son, Dr. Paul S. McCord, who died in rural Alaska while on his way to provide patient care. Dr. McCord was a young physician who had just finished residency at Cook County Family Practice Residency in Chicago.

This generous, endowed fund supports resident-related programming, honoring Dr. McCord's dedication to Family Medicine and serving those in high-need areas of the country. Through the donations of the McCords and others, the AAFP Foundation's Resident and Student Initiatives fund is able to provide 220 Family Medicine Leads Scholarships for the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students. This conference is held annually in Kansas City, MO.

The David and Karen Smith Humanitarian Fund was established by the namesakes as an extension of their commitment to philanthropic endeavors and humanitarian work. This endowment provides the financial means for a family medicine resident to participate in the Family Medicine Cares International Delegation to Haiti, share the experience at National Conference, and ultimately foster humanitarian work as part of a new physician’s career.

Helping those in need, at home and around the world. Family Medicine Cares (FMC) was created by the AAFP Foundation to address the health care needs of the underserved, both domestically and internationally. To direct your donation in support of FMC, donate to the FMC program as a whole, or choose one of the program components listed below.

ALSO^® provides clinicians in developing countries with techniques to handle emergencies that occur during pregnancy and delivery. This program provides the needed equipment and training to support maternity caregivers in their countries.

Your AAFP Foundation helps those in need at home and around the world. During times of disaster, your Foundation ensures timely and effective aid by working with partner organizations specializing in rapid-response, on-the-ground support.

Family Medicine Leads focuses on ensuring the future of the Family Medicine specialty by supporting efforts to fill the workforce pipeline with both the quantity and quality of family physicians needed to improve the health of all people, as well as by supporting the development of future Family Medicine leaders. To direct your donation in support of Family Medicine Leads, donate to the Family Medicine Leads program as a whole, or choose one of the program components listed below.

The Center collects, organizes, preserves and provides access to the records of leading Family Medicine organizations.

The James G. Jones, MD, Student Scholarship supports one medical student to attend the annual Family Medicine Congressional Conference (FMCC), held in Washington, DC.

CGHI assists in the development of deliberately trained, competent, generalist physicians to meet the health needs of the community and the country.

This enhanced comprehensive prevention program uses office based tools and community programs (e.g., Tar Wars) at the community and national level to fight tobacco and nicotine.

Annual grants of up to $50,000 help investigators research clinical questions in Family Medicine. There are two award cycles each year. Recently funded projects include "Better, Safer Care Through Clear Communication (BeST Communication)" and "ROAR: Reflecting on Abusive Relationships."

Your donation to the Research Grant Initiatives will support the following grant programs:

• Practice Based Research Network (PBRN) Stimulation Grants
• Resident Research Grants
• Research Stimulation Grants