What are highlights of the Forging Our Future Program to date?
SGIM launched the Forging Our Future Program in November 2020 with the goal of instilling a culture of giving among all members of the organization.1 We set targets of raising $200,000 by December 31, 2020, and another $300,000 in 2021. SGIM’s Council and Philanthropy Committee set great examples by achieving 100% participation in the program within the first two months. By the end of December 2020, we had received donations and pledges totaling more than $200,000. By the end of June 2021, we had received a cumulative total of $303,495 in donations and pledges. So far, the program has succeeded in engaging more than 300 members,2 including 83% of the chairs of the committees and commissions, and 70% or more of the Finance Committee, Health Policy Executive Committee, and ACLGIM Executive Committee. In addition, five of JGIM’s past editors have joined Thomas and Nancy Inui in making a commitment to our Legacy Program for Bequests and Planned Giving.2 We want to take this opportunity to thank all members of the Philanthropy Committee for their tremendous work in launching the program so successfully.
What has support from donors allowed SGIM to accomplish?
The extra support from the Forging Our Future Program enabled SGIM to invest in high priority initiatives despite the extreme fiscal challenge imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented us from having an in-person Annual Meeting in 2020 or 2021. Thanks to this philanthropic program, SGIM was able to invest in new member-centric infrastructure including virtual meeting platforms for the national and regional meetings, a new mentoring platform (Mentor Match),3 and a learning management system (GIMLearn).4-5 In the last year, donations to the Future Leaders of GIM Fund enabled SGIM to give complimentary memberships to 60 fellows and to give scholarships to 43 medical student and resident members to cover their registration for the 2021 Annual Meeting. Thus, SGIM is already benefitting from the additional income, with the Forging Our Future Program moving the organization’s financial support from a three-legged stool (based on membership dues, meeting registration fees, and JGIM royalties) to a four-pillared fortress of revenue (see figure).
What are SGIM’s philanthropy priorities in the coming year?
The Philanthropy Committee is committed to achieving the cumulative target of $500,000 by the end of 2021. Continued donations will help us expand use of the technologies needed to adapt to the post-COVID-19 world, as mentioned above, and will enable us to continue increasing the number of scholarships to trainees interested in academic GIM. Our long-term goal is to offer free memberships to all fellows and residents pursuing a career in academic GIM. We also have challenged the past presidents of SGIM and ACLGIM to help raise $200,000 to expand support for the Unified Leadership Training in Diversity (UNLTD) Program. By expanding the UNLTD Program, we can do more to diversify the leadership of institutions where our members work, and thereby promote a climate that will lead to greater diversity and inclusion within institutions.
How can members participate in the Forging Our Future Program?
We encourage members to consider three options for participating in the Forging Our Future Program:
1) Make a donation this year, using our online portal;2
2) Make a pledge to future annual giving; and
3) Make a commitment to join our Legacy Circle by including SGIM in a bequest or planned giving.
Several of SGIM’s longstanding dedicated members have done all three!