NASW Foundation Annual Fund Mission


The National Association of Social Workers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization created to support NASW’s educational and charitable initiatives through a wide range of programs and projects. The Foundation serves three primary audiences, known as the Three Ps:

  • the profession – by honoring and investing in social workers past, current, and future;
  • the practitioner – by enhancing social workers’ knowledge and skills; and,
  • the public – by providing information and resources to help individuals, families and communities.

Fundraising activities for the NASW Foundation Annual Fund are essential to pay for operating expenses, including staff salaries, overhead, and the programmatic costs that enable us to serve these audiences. We fund these expenses with voluntary contributions from donors, including friends, NASW members, corporations, and others; as well as awards and grants from government agencies, foundations, and other entities interested in our work. The NASW Foundation is not funded through NASW Membership dues. Certain states require written disclosures for nonprofit organizations soliciting contributions. Please follow this link to individual state disclosures.

Annual Fund Goals

Funds raised from our donors help us to administer a wide variety of educational and research programs in an effort to fulfill our core mission of enhancing the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through the advancement of social work policy and practice.  When you support the Foundation, your dollars help us to achieve the following goals:

  • identify, develop, and respond to social work policy and practice issues;
  • assist with rapid response to social crises;
  • support practice-based research, so that practice and research are directly linked;
  • raise the visibility of social work and enhance public esteem for the profession;
  • support the development of cutting edge continuing education and training that addresses critical issues; and,
  • promote the appropriate application of new technology to the practice of social work. 


Ways Foundation Serves Profession, Practice, And Public


The NASW Foundation serves the profession, the practice, and the public in broad and diverse ways.  Follow this link to learn more about programs, events, and other activities via a Foundation infographic.   A brief summary is listed below:

  • Scholarships and Fellowships - Awarded $330,000 in BSW, MSW, and PHD Scholarships to 120 social work students nationally.
  • Public Education - Raised the profession's visibility by funding Informed Health Mini-Documentary videos for national television that reached more than 51 million U.S. homes (54% of all homes).
  • NASW Chapters - Helped raise $140,000 to support specific NASW Chapter local charitable and educational activities.
  • Social Work Disaster Assistance - Raised $30,000 for social workers and others in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Schools of Social Work Pinning Ceremonies - Included 42 schools and 2,534 pins.
  • Grants Enabled Training to Social Workers To Provide Services To Clients - NASW/Hartford Supervisory Leaders In Aging, Health Care Social Work, HIV/AIDS and Mental Health, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
  • NASW Social Work Pioneers® - Assist in inducting new Pioneers and implementing annual Pioneer event.
  • Social Work History - Preserve and promote NASW and Social Work History and NASW Archives.
  • International - Participate in Social Work Day at the United Nations, host international delegations, and Global Observatory-data collection on progress on the global agenda the past two years.

Ways You Can Help

NASW Foundation friends and supporters have many opportunities to get involved and show their support to our efforts to raise funds for the NASW Foundation Annual Fund and other Foundation funds:
  • participate in special events and seminars;
  • donate to, and spread the word about, special online fundraising campaigns;
  • support Annual Fund year-end donor direct mail appeals & Spring email appeals;
  • participate in the national NASW Social Work Public Education Campaign; and,
  • volunteer as Foundation Ambassadors who spread the foundation message and assist with fundraising campaigns.

If you would like to get involved in NASW Foundation opportunities to participate, please visit our Upcoming Events section, Our Work section for all program activities, and our Supporters section; and/or contact us for more information at naswfoundation@socialworkers.org.

Draft Copy Of Will

NASW Foundation Planned Giving


A bequest, or gift by will, is the method most frequently used to make a future gift to the NASW Foundation. Numerous members and friends have already informed the Foundation of plans for gifts of this kind. Undoubtedly, many others have also made provision for the Foundation through a thoughtfully drawn will.  You can leave your legacy as well.  Learn More >>


Two Hands In Compassionate Embrace

Social Work Disaster Assistance Fund


NASW established the Social Work Disaster Assistance Fund to provide assistance to those affected by disasters such as Hurricane Maria’s devastation in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in 2017; and the California wildfires in 2018.  Donations are awarded to social workers and/or social welfare organizations that can help those who have suffered loss and in need of assistance.  Learn More >>


Connect to end COVID-19, overlapping speech bubbles

Join NASW’s national Connect to End COVID-19 effort, a CDC-funded initiative to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making. Complimentary webinars and CEUs available. Learn about Connect to End COVID-19


COVID-19 Virus Cells


COVID-19 Resources

Social Workers are stepping up during the coronavirus pandemic providing essential support to and advocating for the most vulnerable among us. Get COVID-19 resources and updates from NASW




NASW Social Work Talks Podcast Logo


In Episode 5, NASW Social Work Talks Podcast features the Director of the NASW Foundation, Bob Arnold.   Tune in for a discussion about the Foundation's many educational, research, and  charitable  initiatives.