Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Awards 2023 Impact Grants

To date, the CF Foundation has funded more than $1 million to programs created by and for the CF community.

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation today announced the recipients of its eighth annual Impact Grants, a program which provides up to $10,000 in funding annually for up to two years to individuals and nonprofit organizations within the cystic fibrosis community who are leading projects to support people living with or impacted by the disease.

Since 2016, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 million to 42 programs created by the CF community, for the CF community.

Each person with CF has a unique story, and their experience with the disease constantly evolves. While each journey may take a different shape, all experiences matter and are important to share. There are no better storytellers of these journeys than people directly impacted by CF. From processing the experience of living with a chronic condition, to articulating goals for the future — and even dancing it all out — these Impact Grants each address a component of sharing one’s CF story.

“This year’s Impact Grants focus on connection,” said Sue Sullivan, RN, vice president and head of community partnerships at the CF Foundation. “Through creative outlets like dance and writing, as well as guided coaching and connection conversations, these seven programs provide opportunities for people in the CF community to share, learn, support, and thrive. These awards reflect the Foundation’s commitment to supporting people in the CF community no matter where they are on their journey.”

2023 Impact Grant Recipients

• BreatheStrong+ is a motivational program by Miles for CF — a nonprofit led by Becky Penuel, a mother of an adult with CF — that encourages positive actions including exercise, connecting with others in the CF community, and self-care.
• CF Community Footprints is a dance program by Marisa Ballaro — a friend of a person who had CF — with weekly virtual sessions for children and adults with CF and their families focused on movement, writing and reflection, and conversation, culminating in a collaborative dance piece.
• CF Senior Saturday Meet and Greets is a virtual meeting space by Kristina Robinson — an adult with CF — for people with CF age 40+ to connect, exchange experiences, and access age-specific resources, encouraging them to become leaders in their communities, promote positive aging, and help inform policies and programs that meet the needs of older adults with CF.
• Spit it Out (A CF Storytellers Training) is a program by Katherine Russell — an adult with CF and double-lung transplant survivor — that uses trauma-informed training to help people with CF share their stories. Speakers will learn how to familiarize themselves with their own story, structure it to connect with others, and deliver their story with power.
• The Salty Pen (A CF Writing Group) is a group convened by Cindy Baldwin — an adult with CF — open to all ages who want to achieve their own personal writing goals, giving them the opportunity to collaborate virtually to find support, discuss, and solicit feedback on their writing.
• Turning Points Coaching for Adults With CF is a group coaching program by Roberta Gregoire — a parent of a 26-year-old with CF — designed to support adults with CF as they navigate life changes since starting CFTR modulators. The program aims to help participants navigate identity shifts, articulate goals, take steps toward the life they’ve imagined, and build community.
• Young Adult Group Program is a monthly mindfulness program by Aliyah Novelli — an adult with cystic fibrosis and licensed social worker — that provides young adults with CF the support and strategies they need to address the unique challenges of life with their disease.

2022 Impact Grant Renewal Recipients

The following 2022 Impact Grant recipients have been awarded renewals for their programs:

• Bright Beginnings, Brilliant Futures
• CF Master Class
• STROLO University: Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health for Men With CF

About the CF Foundation's Impact Grants

Launched in 2016, the Impact Grants program reflects the Foundation's mission to help people with CF live long and fulfilling lives. From physical wellness to connectivity and creativity, these grants support programs that empower an individual’s sense of living and thriving with CF. Recipients are selected in consultation with the CF Adult Advisory Council, an external panel entirely composed of adults living with CF.

The CF community can participate in these programs at no cost through award funding. Individual signups and audience for each program vary, so visit the website for each program, if available, or reach out to [e-mail] for questions.

Learn more about Impact Grants and the 2024 Impact Grants application opening in early 2024.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The CF Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. For more information, visit cff.org.