Osteopathic Medicine Community Enhancing Grant Program

The Osteopathic Medicine Community Enhancing Grant is administered by the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association Foundation, a charitable arm of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association. This foundation is dedicated to continuing medical education and the promotion of public health through the dissemination of osteopathic medical knowledge. It supports clinical, educational, and community-based approaches that reflect the principles of osteopathic medicine: the unity of body, mind, and spirit; the body's ability to self-regulate and heal; the reciprocal relationship of structure and function; and treatment grounded in this understanding. The grant is intended to fund projects that create lasting, meaningful impact within Pennsylvania communities. Projects must address either urgent needs or persistent community challenges through a novel lens and align with the philosophy of osteopathic medicine. Proposals are welcome across three focus areas: osteopathic education, quality improvement, and community service. Applications should be grounded in the principles of osteopathic practice, demonstrating potential for replication and broader impact beyond the initial project scope. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits or educational institutions. Fiscal sponsorships are allowed if documented by a memorandum of agreement. However, applicants must either be located in Pennsylvania or submit proposals that are directly relevant to the state. For organizations without tax-exempt status, the funding will be considered taxable, and private foundations under IRC 509(a) are ineligible. The grant size ranges between $15,000 and $50,000, with three to five awards anticipated, depending on the quality of applications. Multi-year projects may be considered. Funds may be used for expenses such as new project staff salaries, consultant fees, data collection and analysis, supplies, meetings, and reasonable project-related travel. However, funds may not be used for general operations, fundraising, litigation, tuition, political or religious activities, endowments, or overhead costs not directly linked to the project. Applicants are required to submit their proposals through the Foundation’s online application portal, using the access code “POMAF.” Submissions must include narratives detailing the problem, proposed solution, expected outcomes, biographies of project leaders, a project budget, a list of other funding sources, and financial statements. Evaluation criteria include the potential for long-term community impact, alignment with osteopathic principles, relevance to timely or ongoing issues, and capacity for broader application. The 2025 grant cycle followed a defined timetable: the RFP was released on August 12, proposals were due by September 9, funding decisions are expected by November 9, and awarded projects will begin on January 1, 2026. For questions about the program or application process, Rachel Rifkin can be contacted at rrifkin@gmafoundations.com, and Skylar Brown at sbrown@gmafoundations.com for technical support. Applicants must comply with strict non-discrimination standards, and the Foundation retains the right to modify or reject proposals at its discretion.

Focus on community impact, consistency with osteopathic principles, and potential for replication.