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Americares Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$1.4B
Grant Range
$10K - $0.1M

Americares Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1.42 billion in grants and aid (FY2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed for grant applications
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $100,000 (for specific grant programs)
  • Geographic Focus: United States and 85+ countries globally
  • Partner Network: Nearly 1,000 clinics and health centers in the U.S.

Contact Details

Website: https://www.americares.org

Phone: 1-203-658-9500 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST)

Email: [email protected]

Address: 88 Hamilton Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902

Medicine Program Contact: [email protected]

Overview

Americares Foundation Inc (EIN: 06-1008595) is a global health-focused relief and development organization headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The organization responds to people affected by poverty or disaster with life-changing health programs, medicine, and medical supplies. In FY2023, Americares provided over $1.4 billion in aid, making it one of the largest health-focused relief organizations in the United States. The organization was ranked the 9th largest charity in the United States and maintains a 99% score with Charity Navigator, earning a Four-Star rating. Americares operates globally, with offices in Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Liberia, Nepal, the Philippines, Tanzania, Puerto Rico, and throughout the United States. The organization distributes enough medicine to fill over 32 million prescriptions annually, along with 4.5 million medical supplies, reaching 85 countries on average each year.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Medicine Program (In-Kind Distribution)

  • Amount: Free medicine and medical supplies (no cost for products, membership, or shipping)
  • Method: Rolling basis through online portal (USAccess)
  • Description: Provides donated prescription medications, vaccines, and medical supplies to safety-net health organizations

Emergency Response Grants

  • Amount: Varies based on disaster and need
  • Method: Deployed in response to disasters and humanitarian crises (35+ annually)
  • Description: Rapid deployment grants to restore health services for disaster survivors

COVID-19 Relief Grants (2020)

  • Amount: $10,000 per clinic
  • Recipients: 25 free and charitable clinics
  • Total: $250,000 distributed

Texas Weather Resilience Grants (2022)

  • Amount: Total of $100,000+
  • Recipients: 6 nonprofit health care providers in Texas
  • Purpose: Purchase backup power generators and water filtration systems

Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition Grants

  • Amount: $100,000 each
  • Recipients: 2 clinics per year
  • Funder: BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)
  • Purpose: Support NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition process

Extreme Heat Response Grants (2024-2025)

  • Amount: Not specified
  • Recipients: 13 clinics in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas
  • Partner: CVS Health
  • Purpose: Combat extreme heat impacts on vulnerable populations

Priority Areas

  • Access to Medicine: Providing free medicines and medical supplies to safety-net health facilities serving uninsured and underinsured patients
  • Emergency Response: Rapid deployment to natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide
  • Community Health Centers: Supporting free clinics, community health centers, and safety-net providers
  • Disaster Preparedness: Building resilience in health facilities through infrastructure improvements
  • Global Health Programs: Health services and medicine distribution in 85+ countries
  • Patient Assistance Programs: Helping patients access needed medications through pharmaceutical company programs

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, Americares' focus is exclusively on health-related programs. Based on their mission and programs:

  • Non-health-related projects
  • Organizations that charge patients for donated medicines or supplies
  • Facilities that do not serve low-income, uninsured, or underinsured populations
  • Organizations without proper legal authority to receive and dispense medicines

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Christine Squires - President and Chief Executive Officer Christine Squires was named President and CEO in 2020, after previously serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. She brings extensive leadership experience to the organization.

Key Executive Team:

  • Yael Gottlieb - SVP and Chief Development Officer
  • Bruce Pankey - Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
  • Elana Lopez - Chief People and Systems Officer
  • Dr. Julie Varughese - SVP of Programs and Chief Medical Officer
  • Felicia Macdonald - SVP and Chief Marketing Officer
  • Monica Barber - General Counsel
  • Kellen Thomas - SVP of Medicine Security
  • Eric Jovan Pérez-López - Vice President of Regional Programs for the Americas
  • Shripad Desai - Deputy Senior Vice President and Country Team Liaison

Board of Directors

Susan Grossman - Board Chair (elected 2022) Susan Grossman joined the Americares board in 2019 and was elected chair in 2022. She serves as Executive Vice President of Consumer Acquisition and Engagement Services at Mastercard. Ms. Grossman brings wide-ranging leadership experience in the retail and technology sectors, with senior management roles in data analytics, marketing, and business strategy. She holds an MBA in marketing from Northeastern University and a bachelor's degree in communications from Boston College.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Medicine Program (In-Kind Donations) Organizations interested in receiving free medicine and medical supplies should:

  1. Visit usprogram.americares.org
  2. Create an account on the Partner Portal
  3. Complete the online Partner Application
  4. Once approved, access the USAccess website 24/7 to view inventory and place orders

Targeted Grant Programs Americares does not maintain a general open grant application process. Most grant programs are:

  • Response-based (emergency/disaster grants awarded proactively)
  • Invitation-only (specific programs like the Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition Grants)
  • Partnership-driven (corporate-funded initiatives targeting specific needs)

For questions about becoming a financial partner or grant opportunities, organizations can contact:

  • Diana Maguire at [email protected]
  • Phone: 1-800-486-HELP (4357)

Eligibility Requirements for Medicine Program Partners:

Organizations must:

  • Maintain current status as U.S. not-for-profit, charitable, public, or government organization
  • Maintain legal authority to receive and dispense donations of medicines and supplies
  • Distribute donations to eligible people free of charge
  • Track inventory donations to the patient level by lot number

Patient Eligibility Criteria:

  • Living with income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL)
  • Uninsured or underinsured (including those with Medicaid or Medicare coverage who have no prescription drug coverage, have high-deductible insurance plans, or cannot afford prescription co-pays)

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. For the Medicine Program partner applications, organizations receive access to the ordering portal upon approval. Emergency response grants are deployed rapidly in response to disasters, often with relief workers among the first to respond.

Success Rates

Success rates for grant applications are not publicly disclosed. However, Americares currently supports a network of nearly 1,000 clinics and health centers serving more than 7 million patients in need through their Medicine Program.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Organizations denied partnership status may inquire about reapplication by contacting the program team directly.

Application Success Factors

For Medicine Program Partnership

Key Requirements:

  • Legal Status: Must be a registered 501(c)(3), government, or charitable organization with legal authority to receive and dispense medicines
  • Service Model: Must provide services free of charge to patients meeting income eligibility criteria (at or below 300% FPL)
  • Tracking Capability: Must have systems to track inventory to the patient level by lot number
  • Population Served: Must serve uninsured, underinsured, or low-income patients

Program Benefits:

  • No cost for products, program membership, or shipping
  • Access to weekly email notifications of available inventory
  • Ability to search and sort products based on clinical needs
  • 24/7 ordering capability through online portal
  • Access to prescription medications (Americares is licensed in all 50 states and Puerto Rico)

For Emergency Response and Targeted Grants

Strategic Alignment Factors:

  • Health Focus: Organizations must have a clear health-related mission
  • Vulnerable Populations: Demonstrated service to low-income, uninsured, or disaster-affected communities
  • Infrastructure Capacity: Ability to properly receive, store, and distribute medical aid
  • Partnership Approach: Willingness to work collaboratively with Americares and other partners
  • Geographic Relevance: For targeted grants, location in priority geographic areas (e.g., extreme heat grants in Southwest states)

Relationship Building

Corporate Partnerships: Many of Americares' grant programs are funded through corporate partnerships (BD, CVS Health, etc.). Organizations seeking funding may benefit from understanding which corporate partners align with their mission.

Network Participation: Organizations already participating in the Medicine Program may have increased visibility for additional grant opportunities.

Emergency Preparedness: Organizations in disaster-prone areas that demonstrate resilience planning may be prioritized for emergency response grants.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Focus on Health Access: Americares is exclusively health-focused. Applications must demonstrate clear health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

  • Medicine Program is the Primary Entry Point: Most organizations should start by applying to become a Medicine Program partner to access free medicines and supplies. This establishes a relationship with Americares.

  • Limited Open Grant Cycles: Unlike traditional foundations, Americares primarily works through targeted, invitation-only grant programs or emergency response. Don't expect a general grant application portal.

  • Partnership Approach Matters: Contact Diana Maguire or the partnership team to explore how your organization might align with Americares' strategic goals and corporate partner priorities.

  • Leverage Factor is Exceptional: For every $1 donated to Americares, they provide $20 in aid. This multiplier effect makes them particularly attractive to major donors and corporate partners.

  • No Cost Model: The Medicine Program offers completely free medicine, supplies, and shipping—an exceptional value proposition for safety-net health organizations.

  • Emergency Response Capability: Organizations in disaster-prone areas should ensure Americares is aware of their presence and capacity to serve affected populations when disasters strike.

  • Quality Recognition Programs: Organizations seeking to achieve Patient-Centered Medical Home or other quality recognition may find specific grant opportunities through Americares' partnership programs.

References

All sources accessed December 16, 2025

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