ACOFP: OUR CONTINUING HISTORY 53 Infrastructure Coming out of the pandemic, and in light of lower in-person attendance at ACOFP Annual Conventions, which seemed to also correlate with lower attendance of physicians’ families at conferences, the AACOFP engaged in constructive conversations about the direction it would head in the future — all while continuing its support to ACOFP through family engagement programs. While continuing to recognize outstanding students, the AACOFP refocused its resources on supporting residents who had committed to osteopathic family medicine, as opposed to students who might choose family medicine. Healthy reserves allowed the AACOFP to make a series of gifts totaling almost $150,000 to the ACOFP Foundation between 2019 and 2023, supporting the Foundation’s Forging Our Osteopathic Future campaign and helping to defray the cost of initial certification for residents with the AOBFP. In late 2024, ACOFP and the ACOFP Foundation engaged an outside fundraising consultant to assess how both organizations could enhance their non-dues revenue and bolster their fundraising efforts. During that engagement, it became increasingly apparent that much of the work undertaken by the AACOFP was now being facilitated through ACOFP and the ACOFP Foundation. To increase fundraising efforts and operational efficiency, it was recommended to sunset the AACOFP as a perceived stand-alone entity and that future charitable fundraising would best occur through the ACOFP Foundation. The AACOFP board accepted this recommendation in February 2025. As it wound up its affairs and disbursed its $375,000 of remaining funds, a final $75,000 gift was made to the ACOFP Foundation in honor of ACOFP’s Members enjoying Auxiliary Happy Hour over the years. 75th anniversary and to support its Family Medicine Forward campaign helping to develop future osteopathic leaders. The remaining balance was given to ACOFP to support activities that it would assume responsibility for in the future, like family engagement events at the Annual Convention and student awards, like the Marie Wiseman Outstanding Osteopathic Student of the Year Award and the Emerging Osteopathic Student Leader Awards. It is estimated that these funds will support these initiatives for approximately 10 years. Based on financial records dating back to 2001 alone, the AACOFP raised over $2,000,000 dollars! During this time, they administered $390,000 in awards, $150,000 in student programming, and helped organize and fund the family breakfast and other activities at the ACOFP annual convention. In doing so, the AACOFP left an indelible mark on the osteopathic family medicine profession. While the AACOFP has ended, its efforts to keep family within osteopathic family medicine goes on through planned family events, rechanneled volunteerism, and everlasting spirit.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2NjI=