AMA - Fund for Better Health

Fund for Better Health

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles in Communities Across America

The philosophy of the AMA Foundation Fund for Better Health begins with the idea that local communities and organizations have great knowledge and insight into their community's health care issues. Based on this thought, the AMA Foundation, with support from the AMA Alliance, created the Fund for Better Health. Through this program, the AMA Foundation provides seed grants for grassroots, public health projects that target the issue of healthy lifestyles. Over the years, the fund has provided over 200 grants totaling nearly $300,000 to projects throughout the United States.

Fund for Better Health recipient Girls on the Run Manhattan

“Girls on the Run has taught me to keep going and push myself when I’m tired and I feel like I can’t keep going. The program taught me to stand up for myself,” said Lila, a nine-year-old who is in her second year at Girls on the Run Manhattan.

Grantseekers

Eligibility

Organizations are eligible to apply for grants which further the charitable and educational purposes of the AMA Foundation. Grants made in 2009 support programs addressing the issue of healthy lifestyles in these three areas:

Nutrition and physical fitness
Alcohol, substance abuse and smoking prevention (includes smoking cessation)
Violence prevention (domestic violence, Internet safety, bullying)

Three types of organizations are eligible to apply:

Organizations with annual operating budgets of $1 million or less; or
New organizations begun in the last 5 years; or
Established organizations starting a new service or expanding a current service to an underserved population

Funding

A maximum of $5,000 will be distributed to each grant recipient. None of the funds awarded are to pay for staff salary or overhead expenses. The number of grant recipients will be determined by the AMA Foundation after all applications have been received. Typically, the number of grants awarded does not exceed twenty. An external panel of experts will oversee the selection of the grant recipients in each category.

Application and deadline

The next opportunity to apply for a Fund for Better Health grant will be in the spring of 2010.

Note that if you have applied for a 2009 grant, you will be notified via postal mail as to the status of your application in mid-September.

Fund for Better Health frequently asked questions
For organizations interested in applying for Fund for Better Health grants

Guidelines to request funding from the AMA Foundation
Tips on applying for funding and grant-writing, description of AMA Foundation funds, and links to other resources.

Grant recipients

Instructions for Fund for Better Health grant recipients

2009 Grant recipients must submit a final report form.
2008 Grant recipients must submit a final report form.

2009 Grant recipients
2008 Grant recipients
2007 Grant recipients

Fund for Better Health recipient quotes
Learn how AMA Foundation Fund for Better Health grants have had an impact (PDF, 21KB).

Fund for Better Health recipient profile
Learn about a Healthy Lifestyles grant project

Donate

Dinah Goldenberg

"I donate to the AMA Foundation because of the wide variety of programs they sponsor to improve health care and the state of medicine. Most recently I have donated to the Fund for Better Health because I have seen the direct benefit of the grant funds in my local community."

—Dinah Goldenberg
AMA Foundation Board Member
North Dakota Medical Association Alliance

Donate now
Donate to the AMA Foundation Fund for Better Health to help organizations across the nation improve the health of their communities.

Public Health