Not many would dispute that 2020 has been a breathtaking year. Breathtaking in a sense of “causing one to breathe rapidly or with difficulty, to take one’s breath away,” especially after hearing the cry, “I can’t breathe.” What we have observed, felt and continue to live is extraordinarily breathtaking.
This year has allowed us to bear witness to the many individuals, groups and communities that have galvanized in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has exposed existing inequities and the layers of social injustice in the killing of Mr. George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. These events have challenged us—personally, at home, in the way we work and how we view our world.
These events have also spotlighted areas where the MAFP Foundation, our philanthropic arm, can do better—areas where we can respond more effectively to our members and to our community when we are called to action and when the need arises. We have the opportunity to find the right balance to transform the way we give.
Thanks to our many generous members, the MAFP Foundation has a legacy of funding a variety of outstanding grants and projects that support family medicine and the community. These grants include areas of innovation and research as well as externships for medical students and residents (see video recaps of recent projects).
Over the past several years, we’ve seen an increase in grant applications for projects that focus on health care disparities, the role of family physicians in providing high quality health care and building connections between family medicine and our communities. While the Foundation has a grant application process that works well, we want to be more responsive to the emerging needs of members and communities outside of the existing grant cycles.
New Foundation Priorities & Areas of Impact
The following are new priorities and areas of impact for the MAFP Foundation:
Grow the Next Generation of Family Doctors
Ensure Minnesota has the family doctors it needs to take care of all Minnesotans no matter where they live.
Eliminate Health Disparities in Minnesota
Focus our efforts on ensuring all Minnesotans, not just certain demographics or locations, have access to great health care.
Bring the Family Doctor Voice to Advocate for Health System Changes
Strengthen our voice in the state of Minnesota to change how health care is done.
| MAFP Foundation Mission To support educational and scientific initiatives that advance family medicine and improve health outcomes of patients and communities. |
Foundation Vision Alignment Task Force
Committed to investing in the future of the MAFP Foundation, the Vision Alignment Task Force was formed. This allowed us to bring together a variety of voices of our Academy members. With the help of Fox Advancement, a consulting firm that conducted member interviews, we were able to generate valuable information about the MAFP.
The Vision Alignment Task Force has been fundamental in developing recommendations and new priorities (see above) based on our member feedback. The leadership of the Foundation, together with the MAFP, is actively working to expand our future offerings to be more nimble and relevant for our current and future members.
The MAFP Foundation is finding ways to bring our members and the community together, fostering collective action and structural reform and transforming the way we give.
Wanted: Member Input
As a member-led organization, we welcome your feedback on the MAFP Foundation. Share input with Rosa Marroquin, MD, MAFP Foundation President, at familymed@rosamd.com and/or Lynn Balfour, MAFP Deputy Vice President, at lynn@mafp.org or 952-224-3872.
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This post originally appeared in the summer 2020 edition of the Minnesota Family Physician magazine.
Author: Rosa Marroquin, MD, President, MAFP Foundation Board of Directors
