Research
Awards/Lecture Exchange Program
– Riann
M. Palmieri-Smith, PhD, ATC, has been selected as recipient
of the 2007 New Investigator Award, presented in honor of
Freddie H. Fu, MD. The recipient of the Doctoral
Dissertation Award, presented in honor of David H. Perrin,
PhD, ATC, will be J. Troy Blackburn, PhD, ATC. These
distinguished researchers will receive their awards and
present lectures at the NATA Annual Meeting in Anaheim.
Agreements remain in place for continuing a lecture exchange
program with ACSM, AMSSM and AOSSM. Representatives of
these associations will present their research findings
during the NATA Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia. Such
relationships foster and strengthen the mutually supportive
role that NATA and these organizations presently enjoy.
Funded
Research Presentations
– A record number of applications for research grants has
been received this year. Eighteen of the Foundation’s grant
recipients are scheduled to present their research findings
at the 2007 NATA Annual Meeting. These developments clearly
indicate an increasing interest and participation in
meaningful research relative to the athletic training
profession. The Foundation board authorized the inclusion of
overhead costs (up to 15%) in grant application budgets,
beginning in 2005. This expanded appeal has encouraged even
more applicants. The Foundation has surpassed the $2
million mark in total grants awarded. This is a
significant accomplishment in the relatively short period of
existence of the Foundation.
Research
Results
–
Sixty-five Grant Information Summaries are now available.
Each GIS provides summarized results of a research project
the Foundation has funded. The plan is to continue our
efforts to print several new summaries prior to each NATA
Annual Meeting. We have 10 new summaries this year, which
will be distributed from the Foundation booth and at all
Free Communications sessions. All completed summaries are
free to the membership upon request, and are included in
materials distributed at all NATA District Meetings. They
are also available on the Foundation web site at no cost.
We feel this program provides a more widespread
understanding among NATA members regarding the importance of
funded research to the athletic training profession and its
continued viability.
Free
Communications Program
– The Foundation received 378 abstracts for 2007. Once
again, this is another indication of continued widespread
interest and participation in research within the
profession, in spite of the $25.00 submission fee.
Recognition of outstanding student presentations is
accomplished through oral presentations as well as poster
presentations. Presenters are judged in their peer groups
as doctoral, master’s or undergraduate students. The
judging will be completed and the 2007 awards will be
presented on Thursday afternoon (June 28) during the
Distinguished Scholar Presentations Session. All of you are
cordially invited to attend the session, and join in
congratulating these developing leaders of scientific
investigation in support of future athletic training
professionals.
Scholarships
– This program continues to be a terrific success.
Seventy-seven (77) $2,000 scholarships (another all-time
record) will be presented to recipients at the NATA Annual
Meeting in Anaheim. Over 40 different organizations are
involved in providing the financial support to fund these
awards. The Foundation Scholarship Committee has done an
outstanding job in developing and maintaining these
long-term relationships. The Foundation is proud to
announce that 976 scholarships totaling $1,753,500 have
been awarded to date.
Scholarship Fund
– We were extremely encouraged that the Atlanta Falcons
Youth Foundation formally transferred $150,000 to the NATA
Foundation in 2005, to endow the Jerry Rhea/Atlanta Falcons
Scholarship Program. This is certainly a source of pride
for our board and committee members. The earnings from this
fund should enable us to award 2 to 4 additional
scholarships annually through the NATA Foundation
Scholarship Program. It has also fostered an energetic
effort to endow as many scholarships as possible. New
partial and full endowment options have been offered to all
of our sponsors beginning in 2009.
Annual
Fund
–The 2006 Building Our Foundation Annual Fund campaign
generated over $145,000 in gifts from NATA members and state
and district organizations. We are extremely grateful for
the support provided for instituting dedicated dues to
benefit the Foundation. Six of ten NATA districts have now
formally provided for automatic partial distribution of dues
income directly to the Foundation. These actions clearly
demonstrate widespread support of the Foundation and its
programs. Most significant is the fact that individual
member support of the Foundation has now grown to about
75%! A primary emphasis will be to continue to educate the
membership regarding the benefits of their Foundation
individually, and to the athletic training profession in
general. We project that continued energetic involvement by
our state and district representatives will increase member
giving each year.
Sponsorships –
Sponsorship of Foundation programs is an important aspect of
our overall annual campaign. The Foundation’s efforts in
this area are assisted by terrific support from the NATA
Marketing & Communications Department. We feel that our
coordinated effort to offer opportunities and associated
benefits to potential sponsors is a very effective
approach. Foundation leadership is especially appreciative
of this very productive team approach.
Foundation Golf Classic
– The 2007 golf outing will be held at Industry Hills Golf
Club, about 20 miles north of Anaheim. The format has been
changed somewhat. We have a single tee-time for all
golfers, and the 19th Hole Party will be held at
the golf course upon conclusion of the round of golf.
Participants will continue to enjoy an array of prizes and
raffle items, as well as delicious food and drink. The
silent auction will be conducted at the convention center,
spanning three days, and will allow all convention attendees
an opportunity to participate. We feel this approach will
generate more interest by more people over a longer period
of time. The result should be a more popular event and more
net income to the NATA Foundation.
NATA
Night with the Anaheim Angels
– As you
know, professional baseball has always been an attractive
event for NATA members. The Kansas City Royals will visit
Angels Stadium to take on the Anaheim Angels on Tuesday,
June 26. As you know, this event is scheduled as the NATA
Welcome Reception and will hopefully build upon the theme of
excitement initiated in Atlanta last year. This promises to
be a most enjoyable evening for NATA members and guests
while cheering on two of Major League Baseball’s more
storied franchises. We look forward to seeing you there.
NATA
Foundation Fun Run
– An
annually increasing number of participants sign up for this
popular activity. Representatives of local running groups
are joining NATA members in this year’s event at the
Convention Center, near downtown Anaheim, at 6:00 AM on
Friday, June 29. Efforts are under way to continue to
enhance the event’s popularity and increase member
participation.
New
Initiatives Task Force –
This
group continues to examine every current Foundation program
and activity, as well as the “untapped universe” of new and
different approaches. The intent is to determine which
existing activities should be maintained, curtailed, or
expanded, as well as identifying new ones to add. The next
challenge, of course, is to insure necessary resources are
in place to make that happen.
Committee
for Future Financial Growth –
This is a natural follow-on
to the New Initiatives Task Force. The Foundation has
determined that it will be necessary to solicit and secure
significant endowment funds to
address the ever-increasing need for financial support to
expand current programs and activities as well as add new
ones. We have made a significant commitment to the initial
step in that process. A fundraising consultant was formally
commissioned to develop and conduct a Philanthropic Planning
Study to determine the efficacy of a significant endowment
campaign. Extensive interviews were conducted and analyzed,
and the study has been completed. Foundation leadership is
now involved in establishing the infrastructure of
volunteers needed to formally conduct the campaign. You
will be hearing more from us later in this regard.
Web Site
– The Foundation web site undergoes continuous review, with
an effort to make certain that the information included
there is timely, informative and complete. We are currently
planning to redesign the entire website, and expect to
complete the work by the beginning of 2008. The URL is
www.natafoundation.org.
Please take a look at your convenience. We will appreciate
your feedback and constructive comments.
Outcomes
Summit
– The Foundation sincerely appreciates the financial support
provided by NATA in presenting an important summit titled
“Advancing Outcomes of Care in Athletic Training: A Road Map
for the Future.”
This
high-profile conference took place last month in Dallas, and
was attended by approximately 40 high-profile researchers
from across the country. The purpose of the summit was to
serve as a catalyst for conducting athletic training
outcomes research in a systematic and directed manner. It
was thoroughly successful, and served as the “program
announcement” for the $1Million pledged by NATA, over a
three year period, to fund athletic training outcomes
research. This is yet another example of
professional teamwork, and sends a strong, positive message
to our constituents.
Financial
Support –
The
Foundation leadership, as well as the thousands of
Foundation program supporters and participants, remains most
grateful for the support demonstrated in so many ways by the
NATA Board of Directors. We are pleased to return the favor
through our own funding commitments in support of NATA
activities. We look forward to future opportunities for
progress through our joint efforts.
Fellows
Program
– The Foundation Board of Directors has formally approved a
proposed Fellows Program. The proposal has been forwarded
to the NATA BOD for consideration. This is yet another
example of our joint efforts. The program will offer a new
form of recognition for NATA members, and will encourage
their continued service to NATA and the NATA Foundation.
This program will also identify a group of highly qualified
members who can be called upon for special leadership roles
as required from time to time by the NATA and the NATA
Foundation. We have appreciated the opportunity to be a
part of the process to develop this important aspect of what
NATA offers to its members.
Strategic
Planning
– The Foundation recognizes the importance of effective
planning. We have followed the fine example of the NATA BOD
and are continuing to develop and carry out strategic plans
for a number of different aspects of our overall mission.
This will help us to think strategically and act
strategically. We are fortunate to have a number of board
members in leadership roles who believe in this process, and
who have made significant personal commitments to the
success of these plans. The future remains bright.
