History and Background
The CDC Foundation was established in 1995 following congressional authorization to create a dedicated organization that could mobilize philanthropic and private-sector resources in support of the CDC’s public health mission. Its official name is the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it operates under the name CDC Foundation.
The Foundation was created to connect the scientific expertise of public health professionals with additional resources, funding and capabilities available through private philanthropy and cross-sector collaboration. Its partnership model enables organizations to support initiatives that complement existing public health activities and address emerging health priorities.
Since its establishment, the CDC Foundation has supported programs addressing infectious diseases, chronic illnesses, emergency response, public health surveillance and community health. Its activities have expanded across the United States and internationally, bringing together partners to address health challenges that require coordinated action.
The Foundation has played a role in public health responses to emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola outbreaks. It has also supported initiatives addressing HIV, malaria, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other significant health concerns.
According to its fiscal year 2025 Report to Congress, the Foundation had raised more than $2.60 billion since 1995 and launched nearly 1,500 programs and projects. These milestones demonstrate the scale of its philanthropic partnerships and its contribution to public health initiatives.
Mission and Purpose
The mission of the CDC Foundation is to help the CDC do more, faster by creating partnerships with organizations and individuals to fight threats to health and safety. Its vision is to save and improve lives through collaboration.
The Foundation seeks to strengthen public health systems by connecting funding, technical expertise, scientific knowledge and community resources with clearly defined health priorities.
Its main objectives include:
- Disease prevention and control: Supporting initiatives that prevent infectious diseases, reduce chronic disease risks and strengthen public health interventions.
- Emergency preparedness and response: Mobilizing philanthropic resources and partnerships to address disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
- Public health research and evidence: Supporting initiatives that improve disease surveillance, data collection, health assessments and evidence-informed decision-making.
- Health equity: Working with community organizations and public health partners to address barriers to health and improve access to essential resources.
- Global health security: Supporting disease detection, laboratory systems, public health surveillance and workforce development.
- Community health improvement: Helping local organizations address health-related challenges involving nutrition, safe water, environmental conditions and other factors affecting well-being.
- Public-private collaboration: Bringing together philanthropic organizations, businesses, academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit partners to achieve shared public health objectives.
The Foundation emphasizes integrity, stewardship, collaboration, mutual respect, shared passion and innovation. These values guide its work with donors, public health institutions and communities.
Governance and Structure
The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization and a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Although it works closely with the CDC, it is legally and organizationally separate from the federal agency.
The Foundation’s official name is the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was authorized by Congress to serve as a mechanism for mobilizing private-sector and philanthropic resources in support of public health.
Its governance arrangements are designed to preserve the distinction between the Foundation and the CDC. The organization’s founding legislation prohibits the CDC director and other CDC employees from serving on the Foundation’s board. Nevertheless, Foundation leadership works with CDC leaders and scientists to identify opportunities for collaboration and ensure that supported activities align with public health priorities.
Programs involving the CDC and external partners undergo review and approval procedures intended to assess scientific integrity, research methodology, alignment with public health objectives and potential conflicts of interest. The Foundation also follows applicable donor acceptance policies and partnership guidelines.
The organization promotes financial transparency through published financial statements, audited accounts, Internal Revenue Service Form 990 filings and reports to Congress. These resources help donors and partners understand its financial management and programmatic activities.
The Foundation’s governance structure supports collaboration while maintaining safeguards intended to protect scientific independence. CDC research findings remain available for public scrutiny, and funding is not supposed to depend on producing results favorable to a particular donor.
For further details, visit the CDC Foundation’s frequently asked questions and financial information page.
Funding and Grants
The CDC Foundation uses philanthropic contributions and strategic partnerships to support public health initiatives. Unlike a traditional endowed foundation that operates primarily by awarding grants from investment income, the CDC Foundation is a non-endowed nonprofit that mobilizes resources for specific programs and projects.
Its funding sources include:
- Individual contributions: Donations from individuals who want to support public health programs and community well-being.
- Philanthropic grants: Contributions from private foundations and other charitable organizations to advance specific health priorities.
- Corporate partnerships: Financial support and other resources from businesses participating in public health collaborations.
- University and institutional partnerships: Contributions and collaborative arrangements involving academic institutions, research organizations and other partners.
- Nonprofit and government partnerships: Resources and program agreements that support eligible public health activities.
- Emergency response funding: Contributions mobilized to address urgent public health threats and support response initiatives.
The Foundation typically incorporates an administrative fee, generally 16 percent, into its grants and agreements to help cover administrative and operational costs. The precise terms depend on the applicable agreement. The CDC also contributes certain funds to help cover the Foundation’s operational expenses.
Funding Opportunities for Nonprofit Organizations
The CDC Foundation does not accept unsolicited funding proposals and is not a conventional grantmaking foundation. Instead, it occasionally issues requests for proposals (RFPs) when it receives funds for a specific project and needs eligible organizations, service providers or consultants to carry out defined activities.
Depending on the opportunity, eligible applicants may include nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, consultants, independent contractors and providers of specialized products or services. Eligibility requirements, geographic scope, deliverables, budgets and deadlines vary by project.
Organizations interested in funding should:
- Review the Foundation’s current requests for proposals.
- Confirm that their organization meets the stated eligibility criteria.
- Read the project scope, application requirements and submission deadlines.
- Prepare the required technical, organizational and financial information.
- Submit an application using the instructions provided for the specific opportunity.
The absence of an open RFP means that organizations should not assume general-purpose funding is available. Applicants should also distinguish CDC Foundation opportunities from grants issued directly by the CDC or other federal agencies.
Major Programs and Initiatives
The CDC Foundation supports public health initiatives across multiple sectors, with programs designed around specific health challenges and developed in collaboration with public health agencies and other partners.
Infectious Disease Prevention and Global Health Security
The Foundation supports initiatives that strengthen the prevention, detection and control of infectious diseases. Activities may include disease surveillance, laboratory capacity development, public health workforce training, community education and outbreak response.
Its wider portfolio has addressed diseases such as HIV, malaria, Ebola and other infectious threats. These efforts help public health partners improve their ability to identify emerging risks and respond to outbreaks.
Chronic Disease Prevention and Control
Chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and hypertension, remain significant public health concerns. The Foundation supports initiatives that improve prevention, health education, early identification and access to evidence-informed interventions.
Programs in this area help public health partners develop strategies to reduce preventable illness and improve long-term health outcomes.
Public Health Data and Workforce Development
Reliable information and a skilled public health workforce are essential for effective disease prevention and emergency preparedness. The Foundation supports projects that strengthen public health data systems, improve surveillance capabilities and expand professional capacity.
Its work includes initiatives connected to public health data strategy and workforce acceleration, helping public health organizations improve the collection, analysis and use of information.
Maternal and Child Health
The Foundation supports initiatives that address the health and well-being of mothers, infants and children. Activities may include maternal health programs, infant safe-sleep education, early hearing detection and intervention, nutrition and community-based support.
Such programs help partners improve health education, identify risks earlier and connect families with appropriate resources.
Injury and Violence Prevention
Injury and violence prevention initiatives address issues such as overdose, suicide, preventable injuries and other threats to community safety. Projects may involve public health data, prevention strategies, professional training and community partnerships.
By supporting evidence-informed approaches, the Foundation helps partners develop responses tailored to specific populations and local needs.
Community Health and Environmental Well-Being
The Foundation also supports programs addressing the broader conditions that influence health, including access to nutritious food, safe water and essential community resources. Partnerships with local organizations can help strengthen community-level prevention and improve access to services.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
The CDC Foundation’s impact is demonstrated through its ability to mobilize private resources, develop partnerships and support public health initiatives at local, national and international levels.
Its fiscal year 2025 Impact Report, covering July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, reported the following results:
- $178,639,288 in support: Contributions from donors and funders supporting public health programs.
- 228 programs and projects: Including 170 domestic and 68 international initiatives.
- 72 countries reached: Geographic coverage of programs and projects supported during the reporting period.
- 2,339 community-based organizations funded: Organizations supported throughout the United States.
- 109 partnerships: Involving individuals, philanthropies, corporations and other organizations.
These figures reflect the Foundation’s reported activity for fiscal year 2025 and should not be interpreted as annual figures for every year of its operations.
Examples of its broader programmatic work include:
- Public health data modernization: Supporting initiatives that improve public health data capabilities and strengthen the information available for decision-making.
- Hypertension prevention and control: Supporting efforts to address high blood pressure and reduce the risks associated with cardiovascular disease.
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention: Supporting initiatives that promote early identification of hearing loss and appropriate interventions for children.
- Global disease surveillance: Supporting public health partners working to monitor infectious diseases and strengthen preparedness.
- Emergency response: Mobilizing funding and partnerships during major health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola outbreaks.
- Community-based health initiatives: Working with local organizations to improve access to nutrition, safe water, health information and other resources that influence health outcomes.
These examples illustrate the range of activities supported through the Foundation’s partnership model. Specific outcomes vary by program, and individual projects may have different objectives, target populations and evaluation measures.
The Foundation makes its annual impact reports, audited financial statements and reports to Congress available online. These documents provide additional information about its programs, funding and results.
Conclusion
The CDC Foundation is an important nonprofit partner in advancing public health through philanthropic funding, cross-sector collaboration and program implementation. Established in 1995 through congressional authorization, it connects private resources and expertise with initiatives that complement the mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Its work spans infectious disease prevention, chronic disease control, emergency preparedness, maternal and child health, public health data, workforce development and community well-being. By mobilizing resources for defined projects and bringing together public, private and nonprofit partners, the Foundation helps address health challenges in the United States and around the world.
For nonprofit organizations and other prospective partners, it is important to understand that the CDC Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Funding opportunities are generally project-specific and should be reviewed through the organization’s official RFP and grant-seeker pages.
Overall, the CDC Foundation demonstrates how philanthropic contributions, scientific expertise and coordinated partnerships can strengthen public health systems and support healthier communities.
For more information, visit here.
