About Us
The Physician Associate Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that promotes better health and wellness by providing PAs and PA students with philanthropic opportunities and resources. It is the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), representing a profession of approximately 178,700 PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the uniformed services.
Since 1977, the PA Foundation has worked to promote better health and to positively impact the lives of PAs, students, their patients, and the communities they serve.
Our Mission – Our Core Purpose
- To empower PAs to improve health through philanthropy and service.
Our Vision – Our Picture of the Ideal Future
- PAs connecting clinical expertise and compassion to community need.
Our Values – What We Stand For
- Making a Difference – PAs are passionate about and committed to delivering tangible results that make a positive difference in people’s health.
- Inspiring the Next Generation – PAs are committed to ensuring that PA students have opportunities to contribute and serve.
- Supporting Patient Education – PAs recognize the value of engaging patients in their own health care.
Our Goals – Our Focus for the Next 3 Years
Goal 1: Expand opportunities for PAs to give back.
Goal 2: Support PA efforts to engage patients in their own healthcare.
Goal 3: Establish a sustainable business model to support the new PA Foundation strategic direction.
FAQs
How does the PA Foundation give back?
The Physician Associate Foundation works to promote better health and wellness by providing PAs and PA students with philanthropic opportunities and resources. The PA Foundation equips PAs and PA students with tools, resources, and engagement opportunities, such as grants, scholarships, and awards for PAs and PA students, volunteer opportunities, and resources on topics of interest to healthcare providers.
How can I get involved with the PA Foundation?
Thank you for asking! Getting involved in the PA Foundation can take a few different forms. Donations go a long way toward supporting and empowering PAs. Check out giving opportunities here.
Volunteering is also a valuable way to get involved with the PA Foundation. Share your time by serving in a volunteer leadership role or reviewing grant and scholarship applications. Sign up to volunteer with the PA Foundation here and make sure to check out our other volunteer opportunities.
Participate in a virtual or in-person event with the PA Foundation. See the list of past and upcoming PA Foundation events.
How do I apply for a PA Foundation scholarship?
In order to apply for a PA Foundation scholarship, first make sure you meet each of the PA Foundation scholarship eligibility requirements. The application link will be posted on the PA Foundation website when the cycle opens each year. The application process is hosted through an online platform called Wizehive, and applicants will need to create a Wizehive account and then complete the application process within the Wizehive platform.
To learn more about how to apply for a PA Foundation scholarship, view the applicant instructional guide.
Do I qualify for a PA Foundation student scholarship?
Scholarships are awarded in multiple categories to students with varied backgrounds and interests, including rural healthcare, veteran status, service leadership, women’s health, and more. In order to be eligible for a student scholarship, applicants must:
- Be a student member of AAPA;
- Attend an ARC-PA-accredited PA program;
- Have succely completed at least one term of PA studies (semester or quarter) and be in good academic standing;
- Be enrolled in PA school at some point during the application cycle.
There may be additional criteria/requirements to apply for individual scholarship awards. You can see the list of current PA Foundation scholarships here.
When does the next PA Foundation funding cycle start?
Do I qualify for a PA Foundation grant, fellowship, or award?
Where does my donation go? What does my donation support?
The PA Foundation has a wide range of giving opportunities that support both its mission-driven work as well as specific funding opportunities and programs. You can choose to put your donation towards a specific fund or support our general fund. The PA Foundation general fund supports our mission-driven programs and resources, including scholarship, grant, and award funding opportunities, focused programming, and practice resources.
To donate to a specific fund, view the “Funds” drop-down menu in this donation form.
Where can I learn about grant-funded programs and resources from the PA Foundation?
Audited Financial Statements
View PA Foundation audited financial statements from past years.
Board of Trustees
The PA Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of no less than nine voting members and no more than 18 trustees total. Members in good standing of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) as well as other individuals in the healthcare community who are advocates of the PA profession and committed to the mission and purpose of the PA Foundation are eligible to serve on the Board of Trustees.
Our History
The PA Foundation was established in 1977 as the AAPA Educational and Research Foundation (ERF). Its initial focus was “research on behalf of the federal government in the health field” and “grants to educational programs.” In 1991 the Foundation officially became the Physician Assistant Foundation and adopted a new mission. Today, the PA (Physician Associate) Foundation continues to look to the future and explore new ways that we can increase our reach and our philanthropy with a mission of empowering PAs to improve health through philanthropy and service.
Learn more about key milestones in the PA Foundation’s history.