Re: let's get going

[Guest guest]

I recently applied for non profit status for a charitable organization I founded. There are templates available as well as corporate attorneys who are willing to do it pro bono. HOWEVER....there is a lot of work to be done throughout the year and on an annual basis to comply with the Feds and maintain the nonprofit status.

As an alternative I would recommend seeking a fiscal sponsor (an organization who is already a non profit with 501c3 status and whose mission would be in line with the goals of the grant we would be seeking. There are many and a quick internet search would bring up quite a few. I strongly recommend this route for the first grant app. and until you see if you want an ongoing organization with 501c3 status. If you are only applying for one grant and might only be a one hit wonder...it would not be worth the hassle of the 501c3 applic. If, on the other hand, the plan is to build an enduring org with nonprofit goals, then it makes sense to proceed with setting up a 501c3. It does take time and you may want to seek out a fiscal sponsor who will cover you and administer the grant funds until you have obtained 501c3 status. I have taken this approach with a grant I received to produce a medical text recently. Aenor Sawyer

[Guest guest]

I would also like to participate in the call...Aenor Sawyer

[Guest guest]

This sounds very cool, folks.

There seems to be some great energy to get this started.

I'm just flying back home and will arrive a little before the call and will

have a tough time getting my kids down so may be a bit late getting on the

call, but I'll try the best I can.

I've thought and talked with some folks quite a bit about the idea of

banding together, confederation, joint effort, etc. These discussions

always come back to the question of purpose: What are we trying to accomplish?

For this I have several answers:

Help others take the leap - map a path to success and guide them around

pitfalls

Help each other practice even better - share great ideas, create a

community of support where we can be reassured we're not completely nuts

It may be possible at some point to use population data to succeed in

pay-for-performance programs that are beginning to pop up.

So then my next question: what would we do with grant money? I would

propose that grant money would make it possible for us to practice

demonstrably better health care and increase the rate of adoption of this

approach.

So how would the money help us to do that? I propose that it would help us

adopt a common set of metrics that demonstrate " better care. "

There is an immense amount of work going on around the country (and not

limited to the US) that bears on what we propose to do. It may make a lot

of sense to stand on the shoulders of others. We could adopt chronic

disease metrics established by the MacColl Institute

(www.improvingchroniccare.org). We could adopt service delivery metrics

established by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (disclosure: I am a

paid faculty member and developed a bunch of them). Researchers (and

friends) at Dartmouth have developed web based tools for office practice

measurement.

Let's use these efforts to inform ours.

I've been asked to sit on an Institute of Medicine subcommittee on

pay-for-performance. The first face-to-face meeting is in May, but I can

tell you already what is being tested around the country, being proposed by

CMS, etc so that we can be prepared to answer when they call.

Take a look at the board members of the grantor. You'll see a lot of

establishment types. While they may truly want innovation in care and

outcomes, they may be much more willing to look favorably on an application

that stands on established principles. We do have that foundation. I

think we may be a very viable grantee.

I'm looking forward to conversation.

Gordon