American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
ActivePublic CharityCommunity Improvement
ROSEMONT, ILWebsite
About American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Serving the orthopaedic profession to provide the highest quality musculoskeletal health care.
Focus Areas
Orthopaedic education and trainingClinical research and innovationInternational member support and global collaborationPatient education and resources
Funding Style
unrestricted/general operating supportflexible fundingcore organizational support
Topics
general/unspecified (no programmatic focus)organization-wide support (cross-cutting)non-thematic funding
About American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons channels most of its giving back into orthopaedic organizations and AAOS itself, with three very large general-support grants to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Those awards alone account for the clearest signal in the recent record: this funder uses grantmaking to support the profession’s infrastructure as much as outside projects. Alongside that large institutional support, the foundation funds state and regional orthopaedic societies across the United States. Recent recipients include the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society, Minnesota Orthopaedic Society, New Jersey Orthopaedic Society, and Montana Orthopaedic Society, all listed for general support. The pattern points to a funder that supports professional associations, education, and organizational capacity rather than individuals. Its stated summary is serving the orthopaedic profession to provide the highest quality musculoskeletal health care, and the active grant programs align with that mission. The IDEA Grant Program supports education, community, and outreach initiatives, while Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards support surgeon-led research and innovation in orthopaedic care. The recent grants list also shows repeated awards to several recipient organizations over multiple years, indicating sustained relationships rather than isolated transactions.
What American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons Funds
One clear theme is professional association support. The foundation gave general support to the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society in both 2023 and 2024, and it also funded the New Jersey Orthopaedic Society and the Minnesota Orthopaedic Society with repeat awards. That suggests a steady relationship with member organizations that represent orthopaedic surgeons at the state level. Education and outreach appear in the active IDEA Grant Program, which is described as supporting education, community, and outreach initiatives, including orthopaedic diversity. That program is open to unsolicited applications in the United States. Research and innovation is another focus. The Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards fund surgeon-led research and clinical innovation in orthopaedic care, with support available in the United States and internationally. The grant descriptions frame the foundation’s work as field-building: training, research, and professional capacity all sit alongside patient-facing priorities in the stated focus areas.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$20.6M
Total Assets
$21.4M
Total Revenue
$25.9M
Total Expenses
$27.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
Geographic Reach
National11 states funded
About 12% of grants go to recipients in MD.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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