Here you will find answers to commonly asked questions about The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Is the Foundation a nonprofit organization?
Yes. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designated by the Internal Revenue Code.

Do you have chapter organizations?
No. The Foundation is located in New York City and does not have chapters. Our research and fundraising efforts, however, stretch across the country and around the world.

How much money has the Foundation given to research so far?
To date, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has funded $129 million in research, either directly or through partnerships.

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How much of the money donated actually goes to research?
To date, 84 percent of all money donated to the Foundation has been allocated directly to the Foundation's research effort.

How can I make a donation?
Donations are gladly accepted by mail, by telephone, and online. For more information, see the How You Can Help section of our Web site.

Can I make a donation in honor or in memory of someone?
Absolutely. For more information, see the How You Can Help section of our Web site.

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What is a corporate matching gift and how can I make one?
Many large corporations have matching gift programs and will match your donation to a charitable organization. It's an easy way to double or even triple your personal contributions to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. You should talk to your human resources representative to find out if your company has such a program and how you can participate. More information is also available on the Corporate Matching Gifts section of our Web site.

Can I raise money for the Foundation?
Yes. Please visit TeamFox to learn more. We are grateful for the support of TeamFox members throughout the country and the world who raise money for us through benefits, auctions, marathon sponsorships, and other fun and creative events.

What kinds of fundraisers have you held?
We have been-and will likely continue to be-the beneficiary of several kinds of fundraisers. These include movie premieres, benefit dinners, and other events. We also hold an annual fundraising gala event in New York City.

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Can I come to a fundraiser?
When a fundraiser is open to the general public, we make every effort possible to alert members of the Parkinson's community and others who might be interested in attending. We are rarely able to offer free admission or to otherwise subsidize those who wish to attend, however.

Can I volunteer?
Because we are a small office, it is impossible to accommodate all the wonderful, enthusiastic people who want to give their time and energy to our cause. However, we do offer some volunteer and internship opportunities for people in the metro NY area wishing to donate their time to help find a cure for Parkinson's disease. For more information, see the Volunteers and Interns section of our Web site.

How can I apply for a grant?
The Research Programs section of our Web site details all the policies and procedures related to applying for a grant from the Foundation.

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How is Michael J. Fox's health?
Michael appreciates the concern of his fans and well-wishers. However, although on occasion he finds it relevant to publicly discuss life with Parkinson's disease, he considers his health a private matter.

What kind of treatments/medications has Michael J. Fox tried?
Michael considers his health a private matter and therefore rarely discloses his treatment history publicly. Besides the privacy issues, he is concerned that disclosing such information might be seen as an endorsement of a particular therapy or treatment strategy-and he believes that all health-related decisions should be made by individual patients themselves in consultation with medical professionals.

I wrote to the Foundation. When will I hear back?

As the Foundation has grown, the volume of mail we receive-both electronically and via post-has also grown tremendously. Today, the burden and cost of responding have become overwhelming and are out of line with our mission to allocate resources to Parkinson's research, not administrative procedures. As such, we cannot promise to respond to all unsolicited mail as we have attempted to do in the past.

If you made a donation (either electronically or via post) and did not receive a response, your gift most likely did not reach us. Please call us at 1-800-708-7644.

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How can I contact Michael J. Fox?
He appreciates your thoughts and good wishes as well as your ideas and suggestions. The Foundation, however, is focused on research into Parkinson's disease and raising money for research-not on Michael J. Fox as a celebrity. Thus it does not generally respond to Michael J. Fox's fan mail or send out his photo. Correspondence addressed to Michael J. Fox at the Foundation's address will be reviewed by the Foundation staff and passed on, and responded to, if appropriate.

Can I get an autographed photo of Michael J. Fox from the Foundation?
Because of the huge volume of requests for photos and autographs-and the Foundation's small staff and focus on Michael J. Fox as an advocate for Parkinson's disease, not as a celebrity-it is impossible for the Foundation to respond to such requests.

Can Michael J. Fox speak at my event?
He has a very busy schedule and is thus not able to attend many events. The Foundation will pass along written requests that it finds appropriate, but it cannot guarantee either that he will be available or that you will receive a response from the Foundation.

I've seen Michael J. Fox campaigning for political candidates during election season. Does the Foundation decide which campaigns he will participate in?
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's research is not involved in any activities pertaining to any candidate for election in any political race. When Michael J. Fox becomes involved in the campaigns of specific candidates, he does so as a private individual, not in his capacity as founder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Mr. Fox's decisions on this front are his and his alone, and the Foundation is not in any way involved in any aspect of his advocacy for individual candidates in specific races.

As a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, the Foundation is prohibited by IRS regulations to endorse, contribute to, work for, or otherwise support any candidate for office. While we are permitted to use a small percentage of resources to engage in issue-related political activities, we cannot, under any circumstances, participate in political activities associated with a particular candidate.

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