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https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/
8515 GEORGIA AVE STE 400
Silver Spring MD 20910-3492
Silver Spring MD | IRS ruling year: 1956 | EIN: 13-1893924
Organization Mission
The American Nurses Foundation was founded in 1955 as the research, education, and charitable affiliate of ANA. Since then, it has fought tirelessly to advance the n ... (More)
The American Nurses Foundation was founded in 1955 as the research, education, and charitable affiliate of ANA. Since then, it has fought tirelessly to advance the nursing profession through raising funds for advances in research, education, and clinical practice to the benefit of the whole health care system. As the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA), our vision is to achieve 'a healthy world through the power of nursing', and this is more relevant today than ever. With the future of health care changing so dramatically, nurses can revolutionize the approach to care for the better. With gifts and grants from generous donors, the Foundation invests in the wellbeing and success of individual nurses while championing the nursing cause throughout the health care system. (Less)
Good
This charity's score is 88%, earning it a Three-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores, weighted as follows: 85% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 5% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 11/1/2021 | 2019 | 85.58 | |
| 10/1/2021 | 2019 | 84.77 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 10/1/2020 | 2018 | 90.66 |  |
| 9/1/2020 | 2018 | 87.05 | |
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for American Nurses Foundation is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
American Nurses Foundation has earned a 86% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2019, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not Applicable
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. Our analysts check the Form 990 to determine if the independent Board members are a voting majority and also at least five in number. (Less) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) Making loans to related parties such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it may divert the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems. This practice is discouraged by sector trade groups which point to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when they call for charities to refrain from making loans to directors and executives. And the IRS is concerned enough with the practice that it requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Furthermore, some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers. And although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it is an indicator that the organization is not financially secure. (Less) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference. Charities are not required to make their Board meeting minutes available to the public. As such, we are not able to review and critique their minutes. For this performance metric, we are checking to see if the charity reports on its Form 990 that it does keep those minutes. In the future, we will also track and rate whether or not a charity keeps minutes for its committee meetings. (Less) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) Providing copies of the Form to the governing body in advance of filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice. If the charity has not distributed its Form 990 to the board before filing, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Does not Compensate Board Members ... (More) The IRS requires that any compensation paid to members of the charity's governing body be listed on the Form 990. Furthermore, all members of the governing body need to be listed whether or not they are compensated. It is not unusual for some members of the board to have compensation listed. The executive director of the organization frequently has a seat on the board, for instance, and is compensated for being a full time staff member. However, it is rare for a charity to compensate individuals only for serving on its Board of Directors. Although this sort of board compensation is not illegal, it is not considered a best practice. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) Such a policy protects the organization, and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the organization. Charities are not required to share their conflict of interest policies with the public. Although we can not evaluate the substance of its policy, we can tell you if the charity has one in place based on the information it reports on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Conflict of Interest policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report any financial mismanagement. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. (Less) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) Such a policy establishes guidelines for handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promotes data integrity. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Records Retention and Destruction Policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows year after year. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted which includes benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay. (Less) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) Charities are required to list their CEO's name and compensation on the Form 990. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and included this information in their filing. (Less) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) Our analysts check to see if the charity lists Board members on its website. Publishing this information enables donors and other stakeholders to ascertain the make up of the charity's governing body. This enables stakeholders to report concerns to the Board. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the Board members listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990, because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's Board members may have changed, and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. (Less) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) It is important for donors and other stakeholders to know who runs the organization day-to-day. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the leadership listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990 because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's leadership may have changed and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. In other words, since the Form 990 isn't especially timely, it can not be used to verify the leadership information published on the charity's site. (Less) | |
| Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We currently rate charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website. (Less) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its most recently filed IRS Form 990 (a direct link to the charity's 990 on an external site is sufficient). It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. (Less) | |
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 11.80% - 7.5/10 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 11.80% - 7.5/10 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio - 1.82 years - 10/10 ptsWorking Capital Ratio - 1.82 years - 10/10 pts
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency - $0.10 - 7.5/10 ptsFundraising Efficiency - $0.10 - 7.5/10 pts
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expense Ratio - 13.10% - 10/10 ptsAdministrative Expense Ratio - 13.10% - 10/10 pts
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expense Ratio - 10.50% - 7.5/10 ptsFundraising Expense Ratio - 10.50% - 7.5/10 pts
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 76.30% - 7.51/10 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 76.30% - 7.51/10 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth - -10.17% - 0/10 ptsProgram Expense Growth - -10.17% - 0/10 pts
Organizations that demonstrate consistent annual growth in program expenses are able to outpace inflation and thus sustain their programs year to year. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Loressa Cole, CEO
$0 (0.00% of Total Expenses)
Plus $369,972 of Compensation from Affliates
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2019
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Foundation Status:
Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes. 509(a)(2) (BMF foundation code: 16)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (American Nurses Foundation) or EIN (131893924) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
American Nurses Foundation reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Grants Sent
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
The Foundation created the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses (CRFN) as a program to support front-line nurses who are combatting the pandemic. The Response fund received a significant amount of support from individuals and private sector donors. Over $16 million has been raised for the CRFN to-date, which significantly impacts the Foundation. The support has allowed the Foundation to grant out millions in direct financial assistance to nurses. The Foundation has also been able to conduct wide-reaching surveys of nurses to keep the programs informed and useful to the nurses it was designed for. It has also created a future challenge in terms of adequately balancing the budget in future fiscal years to account for the sudden revenue increase.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
The Foundation suspended its Nursing Research Grant program in 2020, the longest running program for the Foundation. It was not prudent to run the program in 2020 with academic institutions being closed and current researchers unable to continue their work. The Foundation is resuming the program this year, modifying it by providing less grants at larger amounts. COVID-19 led to the creation of The Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses. The program received millions in support via grants, corporate, and Foundation giving. Its provided direct financial assistance to nurses, a database of the latest scientific information for nurses to use and engage with, advocacy efforts on behalf of nurses with the U.S. Government, and a slate of mental health resources to combat the challenges front-line nurses were facing. All those resources were successfully disseminated remotely, with thousands of nurses receiving financial assistance and hundreds of thousands engaging in the additional benefits.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
The organization switched to a fully remote working environment in March of 2020. That was followed by a voluntary in-office period over the summer and evolved to our current model which is a hybrid of remote work and in-office. Throughout this period the Foundation maintained constant communication both internally, as well as within other teams of the organization and external stakeholders’, partners, and donors. Zoom and Microsoft Teams applications were utilized to have video meetings, assign deliverables, track work, and communicate across the organization. During the pandemic the Foundation also hired a full-time, remotely located grant writer. Due to the increased workload because of the pandemic, nine full-time staff members were successfully hired and onboarded remotely over the past year. The overall size of the Foundation’s staff has tripled as a result which has enabled the organization to effectively manage its growing list of programs.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
An example of a permanent change is the Foundation's work model. The ‘hybrid’ model is a combination of in-office and remote work. Almost all Foundation staff now work in-office twice a week and remote for three days. This allows staff to prioritize meetings and face-to-face interactions during the in-office days, and more focused, long-term work on the remote days. This model has already proven to increase and enhance intra-team communication. The Foundation’s Nursing Research Grants program has granted out over $5 million in funding to over 1,100 nurses since 1955. The program was paused in 2020 due to the pandemic, and it resumes this year in a new iteration that endeavors to be a permanent change. Going forward the Foundation will issue a targeted call for research on specific topics relevant to nurses. The program will provide fewer grants but with larger amounts. This targeted approach is designed to increase the impact and scope of the research projects the grants will fund.
Not Currently Scored
American Nurses Foundation cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Learn More
American Nurses Foundation reported its two largest programs on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Improving Health
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Nursing Research Grants
American Nurses Foundation has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
100% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
America’s 4.3 million nurses comprise the largest body of healthcare professionals and are the most trusted professionals in the country. They are ideally positioned to be the best role models, educators, and advocates of health, safety, and wellness. The Foundation endeavors to serve all American nurses through our program offerings, available regardless of age, employment/retirement status, geographical location within the US, race, gender, orientation, or any specific nurse type or specialty. A significant factor in the Foundation’s success is our ability to both disseminate information to, and receive feedback from, hundreds of thousands of American nurses. We have our finger on their pulse, learning from nurses on the front lines about the challenges they are facing.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees, Suggestion box/email
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
Consistently requesting and receiving feedback from nurses on the Foundation’s work has helped keep the programs relevant and useful. The Foundation taps nurses as subject matter experts and advisors and utilizes their feedback to inform programmatic changes – incorporating new topics, adopting new methods, and increasing accessibility to meet nurses expressed needs. This process has improved the already strong trust that nurses have in the Foundation, as we honor their expertise and prove our receptiveness to the ideas of the nurses we serve. That empowerment incentivizes nurses to continue providing feedback and engaging in the Foundation’s resources which are designed for their benefit.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback, Other means
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
The Foundation's largest existing program is the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses. Created in Spring of 2020 and still providing resources to nurses today, it has evolved to meet the current needs of nurses since its inception. That evolution is based on survey feedback from nearly 200,000 front-line nurses who shared their most pressing work challenges and offered solutions. An initial focus of the fund was providing direct financial assistance grants to nurses who had been laid off, furloughed, or lost work by testing positive for COVID-19. Based on more recent feedback we have transitioned the focus to mental health and well-being resources including therapeutic resources, toll-free support lines, creative writing programs and mobile apps to reduce stress.
Equity Practices - Data Available - UnscoredEquity Practices - Data Available - Unscored
This organization has not provided information regarding the Equity Practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
American Nurses Foundation has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
American Nurses Foundation was founded in 1955 as the charitable affiliate of the American Nurses Association, and ever since has tirelessly endeavored to advance the nursing profession to benefit patients and the whole healthcare system. The Foundation invests in all aspects of nursing through initiatives that empower nurses to transform healthcare and improve lives. We raise funds, develop programs, and administer grants to support advances in research, education, and clinical practice that enhance nurses’ health and improve patient care. With gifts and grants from generous donors, we promote the well-being and success of individual nurses while championing the nursing cause throughout the healthcare system.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
American Nurses Foundation’s vision is to achieve a healthy world through the power of nursing. America’s 4.2 million nurses comprise the largest body of healthcare professionals and they are ideally positioned to be the best role models, educators, and advocates of health, safety, and wellness. With the future of healthcare changing so dramatically, and the economy and community recovery requiring a strong healthcare system, nurses can revolutionize the approach to care. Our focus is to develop tools, information, and support structures to enable nurses to achieve their potential and have the greatest impact on the public’s health. Our programs strive to elevate the image of nurses and the improve their overall health; ensure that nurses can practice to the full extent of their training; strengthen nurses’ leadership skills to serve as full partners in healthcare decision-making and improvement; and generate new knowledge and policy through nurses’ scholarly research and practice.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: aims to transform nursing by preparing and supporting nurses to practice in new settings and in new ways to achieve better patient and community health results.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Two: Re-orient our Nursing Research Grant program, to focus more strategically on topics that are essential at this time, and shift from small to larger grants for greater research impact.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Three: Integrate our Well-Being Initiative and Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation programs – focused on improving nurses’ mental and physical well-being, respectively – for holistic engagement and greater impact.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
The Foundation invests in leadership development across a wide range of issues, including opportunities for all staff. Examples include a board member completing Northwestern University’s 'Leading with Equity' program along with our Executive Director (ED). Our ED attended a 3-day 'Whites Confronting Racism' in 2020 provided by the non-profit of the same name. Our board has engaged in Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training provided by Courage to Care that will continue into 2022. The entire staff completed Unconscious Bias training provided by ANA in 2020 and discuss DE&I topics in team meetings. Every staff member does a DiSC assessment, is a member of both ASAE and PEAK, and is encouraged to engage in trainings and benefits they offer. Foundation staff are engaged in comprehensive training on non-profit grantmaking, featuring sessions on Values-Based Grantmaking, Risk in Philanthropy, and Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Issues in Grantmaking.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
We collaborate extensively with associations, nonprofits and corporations to advance our mission. With American Nurses Assn (ANA), American Assn of Critical Care Nurses, American Psychiatric Nurses Assn, Emergency Nurses Assn, and AORN, the American Nurses Foundation launched the Well-Being Initiative to offer self-care resources for nurses as they care for others. We partner with ASHP Foundation to award a Collaborative Care Grant for nurse-pharmacist interprofessional health services research. With support from specialty nursing associations and corporations, we’ve granted $5 million+ in research funding to over 1,200 nurses. The Foundation, ANA, and the American Academy of Nursing support the National Academy of Medicine’s Distinguished Nurse Scholar-In-Residence program, providing fellows with a yearlong immersion experience in developing federal health policy. As a leader of the Nurses on Boards Coalition, we drove the appointment of 10,000 nurses to board positions in 5 years.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
American Nurses Foundation experienced tremendous growth in the past year, while also navigating changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We launched the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses in April 2020, designed to give immediate relief to frontline nurses experiencing life-threatening challenges in the pandemic, and in anticipation of long-term impacts. Based on nurses’ responses to our on-going survey series, our data informed COVID response planning across federal agencies (CDC, FDA, FEMA, GAO). We provided millions in direct financial assistance to nurses, advocated on their behalf with the US government, educated them with the latest scientific information on pandemic care, and launched the Well-Being Initiative, a slate of invaluable mental health resources and services for nurses. These free resources have continued to expand based on evolving needs, to include mood-boosting apps, confidential phone consultations with licensed professionals, a narrative expressive writing program, a podcast series on mental health and wellness, and free and discounted therapy services, among others. While our program team refined and enhanced offerings over the past year, the development staff grew our funds from $2 million to $17.7 million through strategic campaigns, grant writing, and soliciting institutional donors. The staff has accomplished all this while working remotely since March 2020. Working from home, the Foundation also established new partnerships, created new webpages, and produced two donor newsletters and countless updates, two successful board meetings, a virtual conference for our corporate advisory board, virtual team meetings, and an annual impact report. To build the capacity required to successfully operate the expansive programs, the staff grew from 3 to 12 employees, recruited, hired, and successfully onboarded in the last year, enabling the Foundation to continue to produce crucial results for the nurses we serve.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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