Foundation Report
by Macaran A. Baird, MD, MS
2008-2009 Foundation President
Thanks to the generosity of busy and dedicated STFM members, we continue to use our resources to advance the goals of STFM. Thank you for your support!
I am pleased to report that STFM Foundation activities continue to grow and are now widely distributed among members and provide expanded opportunities for faculty development and leadership mentoring. Our 2007 funding year was our best year ever; however in 2008, we all felt the economic downturn in numerous ways, resulting in an 11% decline in annual contributions.
Foundation Trustees tackled several policy issues in 2008. Among them are 1) the purpose of Foundation reserves, 2) increased funding of STFM initiatives, 3) recognition of deceased STFM members, and 4) implementation of a bequest program. The results of consideration of numbers 1 and 2 above led to the allocation of $35,000 from reserve funds to STFM Board of Director requested projects. Legacy gifts in memory of deceased colleagues, as well as in honor of those we wish to acknowledge during their lifetimes, may be directed to the STFM Foundation, and may be designated for existing programs. Funds accumulated during each year and not designated for an existing program may be allocated to special projects.
Leadership programs were maintained at previous award levels, and you can see a list of these recipients in the sidebar on this page. In 2008, Group Project Fund awards were made to four groups totaling $30,000.
| View the 2009 Leadership Development Award Winners |
At the 2009 STFM Annual Spring Conference, we introduced our STFM Village, including an area where Foundation trustees greeted members and discussed ways to contribute to the Foundation. Whether through pledges, on-site contributions, or planning a bequest in your personal will, we appreciated the opportunity to have a strong presence at the annual meeting.
During the past year, we witnessed the loss of key figures among our membership. We will miss the important voices of our friends and colleagues Carole Bland, PhD, Dona Harris, PhD, and Steven Lawrence, MD. We value the time we spent with this individuals and appreciate the significant contributions they made to the discipline and in our lives.