Family Medicine Cares- USA Free Health Clinics Grants ( New Clinics)

The Family Medicine Cares USA Free Health Clinics Grants support new and existing clinics in the U.S. that provide care to the uninsured. With applications accepted annually from March 15 to July 15, these grants assist clinics in purchasing essential medical equipment. The initiative aims to address the needs of over 50 million uninsured individuals, ensuring access to primary care and promoting volunteerism among AAFP members and medical students. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to eligible clinics.

NOTE: Applications are accepted once per year from March 15 to July 15, 11:59 PM (CDT). If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the application is due on the following workday.
Launched in 2011, this humanitarian program helps new and existing free clinics to care for the uninsured in areas of need across the United States. Grants are provided to new clinics for the purchase of tangible items, such as exam tables, EHR systems, and medical equipment. Family Medicine Cares USA also gives AAFP members, residents, and students the opportunity to volunteer their time and talents.
Why Free Clinics?
There are over 50 million uninsured people in the United States. Existing free clinics have seen a dramatic increase in patients with the majority of these patients coming from working households. The need far exceeds existing capacity, and some areas have no free clinic access at all. Even now with the Affordable Care Act, there is and always will be an underserved population of men, women, and children who simply fall through the cracks.
Our Partner: Volunteers in Medicine
The AAFP Foundation does not directly start and maintain free clinics, but collaborates with a non-profit organization, Volunteers In Medicine (VIM). VIM has a tested model for developing sustainable, locally supported free clinics(volunteersinmedicine.org). Since the mid-1990s, VIM has assisted more than 100 communities in the clinic development process. VIM helps the AAFP Foundation identify strong potential clinic groups and continues in its current role of providing expertise and guidance throughout the clinic development process.

Eligibility

Application information for New Clinics: Family Medicine Cares USA provides monetary grants to help new, free clinics open their doors.Applicants for a Family Medicine Cares USA grant must: be a new clinic nearing completion of the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) clinic development process, have an AAFP member in a leadership role within the clinic, and meet specified criteria as stated below: Grants are available to all new (opened within 12 months of deadline date) free health clinics that:Provide services at no cost to all patients receiving care in the clinic.Have completed or in the process of completing the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) development process.Have an AAFP member family physician who maintains active, ongoing involvement with the patient care provided at the clinic.Have a primary care focus.Target populations of the uninsured and medically underserved with income restrictions.Are nondenominational and open to all members of the community.Serve adults (and children as needed if SCHIP program not available).Will use active family physician members, residents, medical students, and/or retired family physicians as volunteers.Demonstrate collaboration with other community organizations (e.g. Representation of Community members on the board)Application Information for Existing Clinics Family Medicine Cares USA provides grants up to $10,000 to help existing free clinics care for the uninsured in their communities.Grant applications are accepted from clinics who have an AAFP member in an active leadership role within the organization and meet the specified criteria as stated below: Grants are available to all existing free health clinics that:Provide services at no cost to all patients receiving care in the clinic.Have an AAFP member family physician that maintains active, ongoing involvement with patient care at the clinic.Have a primary care focusTarget populations of the uninsured and medically underserved with income restrictionsAre nondenominational and open to all members of the communityServe adults (and children as needed if SCHIP program not available)Use family physician AAFP members, residents, medical students, and retired family physicians as volunteers.Demonstrate collaboration with other community