The American Psychological Foundation & The American Psychological Association
- APF and APA are two separate nonprofits.
- APF’s finances are completely independent from APA’s.
- Unless explicitly designated by a donor for administrative expenses related to a specific program, donations to APF never fund expenses for APA (e.g. salaries, legal, administrative).
- APF’s Board of Trustees, governance, and leadership are separate from APA’s.
- APF has operated as an independent grant-making foundation for more than 70 years.
- Gifts to APF fund grants, awards, programs, and fellowships that advance the field of psychology.
The American Psychological Foundation (APF) was founded in 1953 as an independently incorporated grant making foundation and is a separate organization from the American Psychological Association (APA). Though APF and APA have worked closely together over the past several decades to advance the field of psychology and support the careers of psychologists, the two organizations have entirely independent finances, budgets, and governance.
The organizations’ missions remain largely aligned, and APF continues to support the important work done by many members of APA and its Divisions. There are a number of APF programs and initiatives that fund activities at APA which reflect APF’s focus on advancing the field of psychology in a variety of ways, including grants, awards, and scholarships funded by APA Divisions, support for the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), the Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP), and education initiatives. Other than restricted funds, which include monies explicitly designated by donors for operations or administrative expenses within the specific program, donations to APF never fund expenses for APA (e.g. salaries, legal, administrative).
APF was envisioned as an independent grant-making and philanthropic avenue for psychologists, and has worked to fulfill this vision for more than 70 years.
Questions? Feel free to reach out to us at foundation@ampsychfdn.org.