First Hoffman award winners to expand multidisciplinary ALS care
New grant programs are aimed at improving patient access in US
The ALS Association has announced the winners of its first-ever Hoffman ALS Clinic Development and Capacity Awards, two new grant programs aimed at improving access to multidisciplinary care for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) across the U.S.
The awards are supported by a $58 million donation from the late Hugh Hoffman, a philanthropist who lost his father to ALS at age 11. Believed to be the largest gift ever made to an ALS organization, the donation established the Hugh and Herbert Hoffman ALS Fund, which seeks to advance new ALS treatments, strengthen ALS clinics, and improve patient access to multidisciplinary care.
“Thanks to this transformational gift, we are able to support clinical programs that have, as their foundation, highly skilled experts dedicated to ALS and who drive innovation and quality improvement,” Kim Maginnis, senior vice president, clinical programs and outreach at the ALS Association, said in a press release
The winners are …
The Hoffman ALS Clinic Development Award program is intended to support the creation of new Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence and Recognized Treatment Centers, especially in underserved communities.
The 2024 Hoffman ALS Clinic Development Awards were given to Pardee Memorial Hospital Foundation and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Recipients may receive up to $900,000 over three years to establish a new center, or up to $450,000 to grow an existing clinic to meet the ALS Association’s certification standards.
The Hoffman ALS Clinic Capacity Awards program is designed to support increased access to multidisciplinary ALS care at existing clinics, either by adding more ALS-specific clinic days or expanding access to ALS telehealth services. The recipients will receive up to $360,000 over three years to increase their reach.
The six recipients of the 2024 Clinic Capacity Awards are OhioHealth Corporation, Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Synapticure, The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
All recipients are expected to implement evidence-based, multidisciplinary care models, while also tracking measurable outcomes that reflect improved access, coordination, and the impact of their services on the lives of people with ALS.
Since its inception in 1989, the ALS Association has maintained a certification program for clinics that are focused on high-quality, specialized care. The Hoffman awards are part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to bridging gaps in care, ensuring more people receive expert, team-based care. This model has been proven to extend survival, improve quality of life, and enable a more coordinated approach to managing the disease.
“The ALS Association has established a gold standard for quality of care based on [American Academy of Neurology] Practice Parameters and Quality Standards. We know that a multidisciplinary care model delivered by a multidisciplinary team has a direct impact on patient outcomes. Expanding access to this kind of care is our priority,” Maginnis said.
Applications for the 2025 Hoffman ALS Clinic Development and Capacity Awards Program are now open. Those interested must submit a letter of intent by Aug. 19, and selected candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal by Oct. 21.
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