$750 Support Group Development Grant

The Leanne Storch Support Group Fund, established in 2012, honors the commitment of the former executive director of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in 2003. Leanne ran a local support group for 10 years and continues to be passionate about supporting those living with PF.

About the Grant
Groups are limited to one grant per funding year. Support group leaders can request funds to cover expenses such as site rental fees, printing costs, refreshments, honoraria, and other costs related to starting and/or running a quarterly or monthly PF support group. Please note that “institutional overhead” (i.e. overhead for health care or academic institutions) is NOT permitted on this award.

The PFF now requires that grant recipients submit either an official expense report or receipts to document all expenditures of this grant made during the grant year. Receipts can be emailed or mailed to the PFF but must be received by December 31, 2018.

The following list includes examples of appropriate usage of Leanne Storch Support Group Grant funds:
Site rental fees for meeting location
Printing and mailing cost of brochures and flyers to promote support group meetings
Refreshments or treats for support group meetings
Coverage of costs for a holiday party, summer barbecue or other group gathering
Greeting or sympathy cards for support group members 

The following list includes examples of inappropriate usage of Leanne Storch Support Group Grant funds:
Stipends for healthcare professionals
Coverage of costs related to an individual's medical care 

2018 Cycle
All grant applications are received on an ongoing basis. Applications will be accepted in 2018 beginning on May 14, 2018 and will close on August 31, 2018.

Review & Notification Process
  • All applications will be reviewed and scored by the Leanne Storch Support Group Fund Review Working Group of the PFF Support Group Selection Committee, which is made up of PFF Support Group Leader Network members and PFF staff.
  • A member of the Working Group may also reach out to each applicant with a phone interview to discuss your application.
  • Funding decisions will be made based on the overall quality of the application.
  • Applicants will be notified by a member of the PFF staff.  If funded, applicant will also receive a letter of agreement via email.
  • Funds will be released after the PFF has received a signed copy of the letter of agreement.
Click here to review the full Leanne Storch Support Group Fund Guidelines.

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