FCAA is the only U.S.-based organization comprised of and for private philanthropic institutions concerned about, engaged in or potentially active in the fight against HIV/AIDS. An affinity group recognized by the Council of Foundations, FCAA’s mission is to mobilize all forms of philanthropic leadership and resources to address the pandemic and its consequences.
According to the Council on Foundation, affinity groups are organizations founded by grantmakers who have common interests. The first affinity groups were formed in the early 1980s and provide opportunities for grantmakers with common interests to meet each other, share knowledge and encourage collaborative funding. Some affinity groups are formed around the identity of the population served, while others are formed around particular grant issue areas, or positions and functions.
Find out more at: www.cof.org
Yes. FCAA is a 501(c)(3) public charity.
FCAA does not have an official membership structure. However, the majority of our supporters provide an annual institutional contribution that they classify as “ annual dues.” For other funders who cannot provide membership support/dues, we engage in a grant strategy for either general operating or project-specific support, depending on the interests and guidelines of each specific funder.
Institutional membership enables all staff and trustees involved in HIV and AIDS grantmaking to participate in FCAA activities as members.
Individual membership enables individuals who serve (or have served) as staff or board members of qualifying grantmaking institutions to participate in FCAA activities as members.
For more information, please contact Sarah Hamilton at sarah@fcaaids.org.
We value, and rely on, your expertise as grantmakers and experts in the field to improve our programming. You can support FCAA by sharing news and case studies from your organization, as well as by providing feedback on how our activities support your grantmaking.
Importantly, we also consider our members “Ambassadors,” and our connection to new grantmakers in the field. Please share our resources, websites and news with your colleagues and Board members to help build a stronger, more informed, community and movement in AIDS philanthropy.
FCAA is not a grantmaking organization nor does it help NGOs strategize, research, or write specific proposals. FCAA also does not direct NGOs to specific AIDS funders.
While AIDS non-profits/NGOs are not a primary part of FCAA’s constituency, FCAA also provides basic education on responsible and responsive grantseeking to such groups. As a component of FCAA’s limited technical assistance service to AIDS organizations, FCAA distributes an AIDS-Related Organization Packet 
, which provides vital information about HIV/AIDS funding to grantseekers. To request a hard copy of this packet, please email FCAA and provide your mailing address.
FCAA is open to all staff, consultants and trustees of private philanthropic institutions concerned about, engaged in or potentially active in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We also encourage grantmakers from other areas (reproductive health, aging, poverty and homelessness, etc.) whose work intersects with the myriad issues surrounding HIV and AIDS.
Members include U.S.-based foundations of all sizes — from the Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute and M·A·C AIDS Fund, to the Metro Health Foundation and the AIDS Funding Collaborative. Every grant counts, and whether you fund HIV/AIDS exclusively, or within a broader portfolio, and whether you gave $100 or $100,000, we encourage you to join this community.
As members of FCAA, you have the opportunity to meet and learn from your peers, as well as to receive recognition as a leader in HIV/AIDS grantmaking. FCAA believes that informing and connecting you with your colleagues will lead to more effective and responsive grantmaking, and thus, an improvement in the field overall.
Benefits include:
- Access to online funder-only networking intranet site, FCAA Connect, which includes:
- Membership Directory with extended profiles of each member
- Blog and forum capacity to engage in conversation with funding colleagues
- Library to share publications and resources with colleagues
- Facilitation of and advisory support in convening local or regional conversations with other funders;
- Access to staff expertise and technical assistance services
- Reactive programs on emerging issues’ potential impact on grantmaking
- Priority invitation to:
- Networking calls
- Working groups
- Panel and online discussions
- Receptions/conferences
- Complimentary copies of FCAA publications
FCAA is happy to add news of events, publications, and similar resources online in our “News & Events” section. Additionally, we welcome submissions of colleague publications you think would be of interest to the AIDS philanthropic sector. Please submit inquiries to info@fcaaids.org.