The ACC's Accreditation Services Foundation Committee supports cardiovascular performance improvement for United States-based healthcare organizations through its funding of quality initiative programs. Facilities interested in receiving funding will highlight the importance of ACC cardiovascular services accreditation as part of its overall clinical practice and quality.
In addition to the QI/PI grant program, in 2021 the AFC promoted a microgrant program and awarded 25 grants. Program was very successful and therefore we will provide the program again in 2023.
The AFC will provide microgrants that will focus on public health education to improve community CV outcomes related to early recognition of heart attack symptoms and appropriate action steps. Grant awards will be given to hospitals to support their efforts in their local communities through both traditional means such as health fairs, and innovative actions such as social media and other outreach activities. The grant is open to U.S. based hospitals.
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The Grant is Now Open!
The grant will close Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.
*Please note that funds will be distributed in 2024*
Questions: community@acc.org
Guidelines:
- One (1) microgrant per hospital or health system (payable to the organization, not the individual applying).
- Microgrant funds may be combined with other funds to support the outreach activities.
- Outreach activities supported by the micro-grant will need to be completed 15 months after grant funds are received.
- Recipients will promote grant supported activities on social media platforms.
- Recipients will participate in a short ACC survey after completion of the grant supported activities.
*Funds cannot be used for accreditation/registry fees
The AFC Microgrants will provide:
- $2,000 per hospital
- $2,500 per hospital partnering with EMS, health departments or other similar organization
- $6,000 per hospital system
The Accreditation Foundation Committee serves as the selection committee and evaluates the merits of each proposal and recommends the projects to be funded. The committee seeks proposals that are well conceived and demonstrate sound methodology. Submitted proposals should:
- Present a project design and methodology that can answer the proposed questions.
- Demonstrate that the project team is knowledgeable on the topic and qualified to complete a high-quality project.
- Include matched funds or in-kind contributions to strengthen the feasibility of conducting the project and completing it within the contracted time line.
- Support operational improvements, patients care and safety, and efficiency in cardiovascular care.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Accreditation Foundation Committee members are not eligible to submit project proposals, but they may serve as un-compensated advisors to projects led by others. Applications that include participation of Accreditation Foundation Committee members must be clearly identified. Those participants will be recused from the evaluation and selection process. Other potential conflicts of interests with other organizations or companies should be identified in the application.
Program Administration and Formation
Funding to support this program was made possible by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), which was established as a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the care and outcomes of patients worldwide with suspected acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation through innovative cross-disciplinary processes. The merger of SCPC with the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) in 2016 provided an opportunity to leverage the accreditation strength of SCPC into the large portfolio of services offered by ACCF. To preserve the legacy of SCPC, an endowment was created to support future cardiovascular quality initiatives or performance improvement programs, particularly those that highlight the importance of accreditation.