The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Family Physicians, works to advance the values of family medicine by promoting humanitarian, educational, and scientific initiatives that improve the health of all people.

In 2017, the foundation will award Immunization Awards in two categories: Adolescent Immunization and Senior Immunization.

1) Adolescent Immunization Awards: This program supports quality-improvement projects aimed at improving immunization rates in youth between the ages of 11 and 21 for the following vaccine-preventable diseases: influenza, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, human papillomavirus, and meningitis. This year marks the first time that the AAFP Foundation will be providing immunization awards to support FMRPs to improve immunization rates in adolescents.

2) Senior Immunization Awards: This program supports quality-improvement projects that include a community-based component aimed at improving influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates in people age 65 and older. The foundation has been providing Senior Immunization Awards since 2014.

Each award provides $11,200 in support. Up to ten awards will be presented to family medicine residency programs for use in enhancing residents’ quality improvement and/or community health training while improving targeted immunization rates in either adolescent (age 11-21) or senior (age 65 and older) populations, especially those who are medically underserved.

To be eligible, applicants must be a family medicine residency program. In addition, residents must be involved in the development, implementation, and reporting of the proposed project.