|
Epi Wit & Wisdom Resources
Obtaining
Private Foundation Funding: One Epidemiologist’s Success Story
By Patricia
Meinhardt, MD, MPH, MA
If you think you have a terrific
idea for an epidemiology-based project but are uncertain of your
proposal’s chances for traditional federal funding, this feature may
be of interest to you. As we are all aware, obtaining governmental
funding for biomedical research has become a more difficult and
time-consuming process for epidemiologists in virtually all
health-related fields over the past ten years. However, during this
same time period, non-governmental funding for health-related issues
including private foundation support has increased dramatically.
Although governmental sources of private funding are generally well-
known to most epidemiologists, identifying potential sources of
private funding opportunities is often a challenging and frustrating
task.
The purpose of this article is
to provide an example from my own consulting practice that describes
the “trials and tribulations” of successfully obtaining private
foundation funding for a specific project. I will also describe the
unexpected consequences of obtaining these private foundation monies
when additional funding sponsors were approached to fully finance the
proposed project. At the conclusion of this feature, I will highlight
several resource guides and electronic databases that were invaluable
to me during this process which identify private funding opportunities
as well as provide suggestions for preparing a successful proposal.
A Fundable Idea is Born
In May of 1995, my colleagues
and I from the National Association of Physicians for the Environment
(NAPE) developed a concept for an educational conference that would
address the clinical and public health consequences resulting from
exposure to toxic agents and infectious pathogens in contaminated US
water reserves. As a specialist in occupational and environmental
medicine with a research interest in the epidemiology of waterborne
pathogens, one of my primary goals for this project was to provide a
forum for discussion of the complex epidemiologic aspects of several
major waterborne diseases.
As my colleagues and I “shopped
our idea around” at various federal agencies responsible for
maintaining water quality and safety in the US, our proposed project
was greeted with routinely complimentary comments such as “highly
commendable” and “extremely timely.” In fact, our proposal received a
recommendation for approval by one federal agency but was not funded
as a result of the ongoing federal budget crisis at the time.
Frustrated But Not
Willing to Quit
My colleagues and I were
frustrated but committed to the importance of water pollution as a
public health issue and convinced of the potential benefits of our
proposed project. At this juncture, we turned our attention to
investigating the possibilities of obtaining private foundation
support for our water pollution project. After exploring the types of
foundations that were interested in funding water pollution issues, it
was immediately apparent that the geographic scope of our conference
needed to be regional rather than national in focus.
One area of priority for several
private foundations was protection of the water quality in the Great
Lakes ecosystem. In light of the history of toxic water pollution in
the Great Lakes region in combination with the massive outbreak of
waterborne cryptosporidiosis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Great Lakes
region certainly provided an appropriate location and focus for our
project. We submitted proposals to several regional private
foundations interested in funding projects that addressed water
quality and safety in the Great Lakes region.
Success at Last, But...
In early 1996, we were informed
by the C.S. Mott Foundation that we had been awarded $40,000 for our
water pollution conference. Although we were delighted with this
support, the proposed budget for completion of our project and
follow-up educational outreach effort was approximately $100,000.
Therefore, we had arrived at another interesting juncture in our
funding quest with a significant commitment from a highly respected
private foundation but only partial funding of our proposed project.
What was unclear at this point
was the unforeseen effect of this initial private foundation funding
as we approached other potential funding sponsors in order to reach
our budgetary goal. With the C.S. Mott Foundation support “in hand,”
other private and professional organizations interested in
environmental protection and water quality began to pledge financial
support for our water pollution conference. Eventually our funding
sponsors included not only the C.S. Mott Foundation but the American
Water Works Association, the Water Environmental Association, and
Baxter International, Inc. Interestingly, by the end of the process,
we also received federal support for our project from the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Office of Water at
the Environmental Protection Agency.
A Small Idea Grows
Larger!
With interest in our water
pollution conference growing and financial support of our project
increasing, we were encouraged by our funding sponsors to expand the
parameters of our conference to include not only Great Lakes water
pollution issues but national and international water quality concerns
as well. Although the emphasis of the conference continued to focus
on the water quality of the Great Lakes, national and international
water pollution issues were incorporated into the agenda of our
project.
Eventually, several other
professional organizations extended “in-kind” support to our
comprehensive conference agenda and educational program. In addition
to our seven major funding sponsors, our list of co-sponsors grew to
fourteen including the American Medical Association, International
Society of Doctors for the Environment, National Association of County
and City Health Officials, Association of Occupational and
Environmental Clinics and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
International Conference
on Water Pollution and Health
In May of 1997, our initial
concept was actualized as a two day international conference
addressing the health effects of global water pollution and was
attended by approximately 175 invited medical and public health
professionals from around the world. As co-chair of the conference, I
was able to incorporate into the agenda a discussion of the
epidemiology of waterborne disease caused by both toxic and infectious
agents. The conference and follow-up educational program also provided
a valuable forum to emphasize the importance of epidemiologic
investigation and research in the evaluation and prevention of water
pollution.
Although the time from inception
of our idea to completion of the project was nearly two years in
length and filled with frustration, the conference was a tremendous
success. My colleagues and I are convinced that our initial private
foundation funding was the pivotal turning point that lead to our
subsequent achievement!
Published February
1998
|
