The American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology &

Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation

The American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation is a private foundation, established on June 26, 1996, and recognized by the IRS as a true charitable non-profit, defined by IRS code 501c (3). With the creation of this private foundation, the past leadership of the colleges gave us a vehicle to create a legacy beyond our lifetimes. In addition, Dr. Al Dubin made sure to fund the foundation, and he placed the foundation in the hands of a solid investment advisor. Because of the careful management of the foundation the principal in the account is over six million dollars.

The fact our foundation is considered a private foundation opposed to a public foundation, past leadership enabled the foundation to maintain full control over grant making, we can support organizations other than 501c (3) public charities. By following IRS procedures, donors can make grants to charitable programs undertaken by individuals, scholarship programs and other entities, making the AOCOO-HNS Foundation one of the most flexible charitable vehicles when it comes to supporting certain types of giving.

The mission of the AOCOO-HNS Foundation is exclusively charitable, scientific and educational, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organization under Section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). Over the last few years, the foundation has funded some very worthy causes. For example, the Madgy Malawi Foundation, named after David Madgy, DO, with the purpose of continuing to fund ENT Residents to travel to Malawi and help the people of that impoverished country. Additionally, the foundation funded Jessica Ball, DO, to help her begin a study titled “Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy Effects on Post-tosillectomy Pain.” Furthermore, the foundation has funded students and residents to attend the Annual Clinical Assembly, created a covid-19 residents education grant, and more. I bring this to the memberships attention because the Board of Directors has instructed me to create an electronic grant application on our website, www.aocoohns. org, so those in need of funding for research projects, publishing research papers, clinics providing eye-wear or hearing aids to the underserved or economically challenged have the ability to request support.

I promise to have this portal up by the end of September 2020, and when it is ready, we will make sure all of you know. If you know of a osteopathic student, resident, or physician in need of funding for a research project, help with paying fees to journals in order to have their paper published, or an osteopathic physician who is giving back to her or his community, please encourage them to apply for an AOCOO-HNS Foundation grant.

Ralph McClish AOCOO-HNS, Executive Director