LAKEWOOD, CA — February 1, 2024 — Cure CMD is excited to be one of the seven recipient organizations of the Muscular Dystrophy Association's 2023 Advocacy Collaboration Grant. This grant will enable Cure CMD to continue its legislative advocacy work and provide skills training, resources, and advocacy opportunities for the CMD Community.
In addition, we will build a Cure CMD Advocacy Advisory Council to set priorities and drive advocacy on issues important to the community. “We are grateful for the opportunity and for MDA’s invaluable support,” said Lani Knutson, Cure CMD Advocacy Team Lead.
We congratulate our fellow grantees in this innovative model: The Akari Foundation, All Wheels Up, Child Neurology Foundation, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Cure Rare Disease, and Cure VCP.
The 2023 MDA Advocacy Collaboration grants are awarded to promote and support key
public policy and advocacy initiatives that will benefit people in the neuromuscular disease community, removing barriers and empowering people to live longer, more independent lives. Each of the grantees proposed a collaborative project designed to support and enhance neuromuscular disease advocacy and grassroots network.
“MDA is proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 MDA Advocacy Collaboration Grants. We will continue to build on last year’s success by funding these seven organizations and their projects that support empowerment and independence, meaningful and innovative treatment development, and access to health care and opportunities for the neuromuscular disease community,” said Paul Melmeyer, Vice President, Public Policy and Advocacy at MDA. “From personalized grassroots advocacy, to gene therapy coverage proposals, to air travel safety improvements for wheelchair users and beyond, MDA will continue looking for new ways to support the neuromuscular disease community to best serve their needs. “We are looking forward to seeing the progress made through these noteworthy, innovative projects designed to bring impact and change for the neuromuscular disease community.”
This is the second year of MDA’s Advocacy Collaboration Grants initiative, following a
successful 2022 inaugural cycle. Applications for the 2023 program opened in August
with a focus on non-partisan advocacy initiatives that are likely to result in positive policy
outcomes for the neuromuscular disease community at the federal, state, and local
levels.