Medical Device Grants
and Donations

There are 6 different review committees that allow for review of specific therapy areas within Abbott:

• Cardiovascular:
  • Cardiac Rhythm Management
  • Electrophysiology
  • Heart Failure
  • Structural Heart
  • Vascular
• Neuromodulation

During the review of applications, the following is considered:

• Whether the application satisfies the grants program criteria – please see each application's program guidelines for more information.
• The quality of the event, activity or program and alignment with Abbott therapy areas.
  • Educational grants - content of the agenda and expertise of the faculty
  • Charitable grants - the organizations overall mission
  • Fellowships – content of the program's curriculum
• The available budget for grant awards.

No. Consistent with the AdvaMed Code of Ethics and Abbott policy, Abbott does not permit sales or marketing personnel to participate on the company Grant Committee.

No. Always submit your grant request allowing plenty of time to seek alternative funding in case the Grant Committee decides to eliminate or reduce the support you received in the past.

Most grant applications are approved or denied within 60 days after it is received, provided that the application is complete. If the Abbott Medical Device Grants team needs more information, they will reach out promptly. Applications received more than 6 months in advance of the program start date will be held till they are within 6 months. The committee also reserves the right to hold over an application to the next month's meeting for further discussion which will cause a delay. If you have a submitted application that has been in the system for more than 60 days feel free to reach out to the Abbott Medical Device Grants team at abbottgrants@abbott.com

The grant committee does not approve multiple grant requests for the same event, activity, or program. The committee can review a request for reconsideration if there is a clear addition to the program that was not noted in the original grant request.

The agenda is a critical tool used to determine the quality of the content of the program as well as the expertise of the faculty. If submitted without a comprehensive agenda, the grant will either be put on hold pending an update or move forward to committee with an agenda that is not representative of the program in its entirety.

No. When Abbott provides funding and receives a promotional benefit in return, such as exhibit space, control of content, promotional activities, etc. This is considered a commercial opportunity and should remain separate and apart from the grants process. For support for these types of initiatives, please reach out to your local Abbott representative for assistance.

Accreditation certificates must be valid at the start of any accredited program.  If your certificate expires prior to the program’s start date, you may submit a screen shot of the accrediting body’s website showing an application for renewal in progress.

• Abbott considers requests for education of healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, and the general public via live conferences/symposiums, webinars, lab stations, and publications.
• Grant requests may support specific events aligned with Abbott’s priorities.
• Please note: Abbott’s educational grants are restricted to non-transfer of value expense types such as accreditation, audio/visual, marketing, meeting room, and/or administrative costs.

Abbott requires that education applications are submitted 60 days prior to the event's start date, to allow time for full review and if approved for the execution of an agreement. The grant team recommends submitting your application 60 days prior to when a decision is needed.

Applicants must submit a formal letter of request on institutional letterhead. This letter should include the following:

• Addressed to Abbott or Abbott Medical Device Grants
• Contain the program name, date, and location
• The amount of funding being requested
• Letter must be signed

Additional required materials include:

• A complete program agenda with a header of program information, times, topics and faculty assignments.
• A detailed program budget that contains all related expenses.
• A copy of the organization’s accreditation certificate, valid at the start of the program
• A current W-9 signed and dated in the last 12 months       

Non-profit organizations based in the United States including healthcare institutions, and community groups, may apply if their work supports awareness, education, or care related to cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology, heart failure, neuromodulation, structural heart, and/or vascular conditions. Priority is given to initiatives that serve low-income or underserved communities.

• Abbott considers requests for fundraisers that benefit communities affected by cardiovascular conditions, or chronic pain, and movement disorders, as well as overall community well-being in these areas.
• Grant requests may support a specific event aligned with the organization’s mission or may support the organization’s overall mission.
• Please note: Charitable grant applications may not include educational content intended for healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, or the general public. 

Abbott requires that charitable applications are submitted 60 days prior to the event's start date, to allow time for full review and if approved for the execution of an agreement. The grant team recommends submitting your application 60 days prior to when a decision is needed.

Applicants must submit a formal letter of request on institutional letterhead. This letter should include; the organization’s mission statement, a description of the program/activity, the amount requested, and an explanation of how the funds will be used if awarded. Additional required materials include an event invitation or save the date, sponsorship levels if applicable, a detailed budget, and a completed IRS W-9 form. Depending on the nature of the request, further documentation may be necessary.

Funding may be used for direct trainee expenses, including support for salary and fringe benefits. It may also cover legitimate educational costs such as textbooks and conference attendance. Funding may not be used to cover expenses for tools and equipment, including computers. 

Yes. Up to 10% of the total award may be allocated to program specific overhead expenses.

The fellowship application portal is open from October 1st through March 1st. After the portal closes, applications are reviewed by our committees. Notification of funding decisions will be sent out in mid-April.

Yes. In accordance with the Open Payments/Sunshine Act, any funds allocated by the awardee to a fellow or teaching hospital must be reported within the calendar year that the grant is awarded. To facilitate this, a reconciliation form will be sent to the awardee approximately 60 days after the program's start date to collect the necessary information so that Abbott can fulfill our reporting obligations.  

Due to Abbott's reporting requirements funding is tied to a specific fellow, if the extension request for the unused funds supports the same fellow originally reported as the recipient of the allocated funds it may be considered. Funding cannot be used outside of the original reporting, and any unused funds exceeding $250 must be returned.

Applicants must submit a formal letter of request on institutional letterhead. This letter should include the requested grant amount; program start and end dates and must be signed. Fellowship curriculums must be a minimum of two pages and contain robust, up-to-date educational content. An active accreditation certificate must also be included. Additional required materials consist of a detailed budget and a completed IRS W-9 form. Please note that budgets must not include any transfers of value to healthcare professionals or organizations, such as food, beverages, travel, lodging, or honoraria, in accordance with the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. Depending on the nature of the request, further documentation may be required.

Requests are accepted from U.S.-based healthcare facilities, licensed physicians, and charitable organizations that provide care for indigent patients. All applicants must meet Abbott’s eligibility criteria.

Abbott donates FDA-approved medical devices and related accessories for patient care. Commonly requested items include implantable devices such as ICDs and CRT-Ds, along with associated leads. 

To apply, you must complete Abbott’s official donation application and include:

• Product name, quantity, and product ID numbers 
• Implanting facility and physician details 
• Planned implant date and shipping address 
• A formal letter on official letterhead, signed and dated, that includes the implant date, requested products, and an attestation that the patient is uninsured and qualifies as indigent.

Organizations may submit up to six (6) donation applications per calendar year. For Left Ventricle Assist Devices (LVADs), there is a limit of one per year, per organization. We do have an exception request process if additional requests are needed, but Abbott cannot guarantee approval of an exception.

Requests must be submitted at least 5 days and no more than 30 days prior to the implant date. In the event of a medical emergency requiring immediate use of an Abbott product, an application may be submitted up to 5 days after the implant of the product.

Applicants must submit a formal letter of request on institutional letterhead. The letter should clearly state the purpose of the donation, describe the patient’s financial need, and confirm that neither the physician nor any affiliated party will resell the product. It must also affirm that any unused product will be returned to Abbott and that both the physician and facility are donating their services for the procedure. A completed IRS W-9 form is required. Depending on the nature of the request, additional documentation may be necessary.

International product donations require a minimum of 60 days of advance notice and can be submitted up to 6 months in advance of the mission. 

Yes, all Latin American countries currently have certain restrictions on products and require a letter from the Ministry of Health allowing the hand carry of the product into their country. 

Yes, there are several levels of review for international donations, and the letter must be received prior to routing for Quality and Regulatory review.

No, products issued are mission specific, tracked, and any additional product left must be returned to Abbott with the provided return label. 

• Abbott considers requests from U.S. Organizations with humanitarian missions to countries outside of the U.S.
• Missions are intended to serve the underserved populations in these countries
• Please note: All services and products must be donated and cannot be billed for reimbursement.

Applicants must submit a formal letter of request on institutional letterhead. This letter should include:

• The mission dates and location.
• A detailed list of products requested including quantities, product names, and specific product ID#s
• Must have a physical or digital time stamped signature
• The below attestations must be part of the letter
  • All implanting physicians and the implanting hospital will be donating their services, and no patients will be charged.
  • The patients receiving the devices are indigent and have no insurance, nor are they eligible for government assistance.
  • Any unused products will be returned to Abbott.
  • Neither the physician nor his/her agent or affiliate will resell any Abbott products.
• Additional required materials include:
  • A W9 for the requesting organization, signed and dated in the last 12 months.
• In some instances, such as Latin American countries, a letter from the Ministry of Health will be required allowing the organization to hand carry products into the country.