Foster G. McGaw Prize

Apply Now for the 2026 Foster G. McGaw Prize

Celebrate Your Commitment to Excellence in Community Service

Does your organization improve community health and well-being through leadership and community partnerships? We invite you to apply for AHA’s 2026 Foster G. McGaw Prize.

The Prize honors hospitals and systems that have demonstrated a strategic approach to community health. Organizations should show alignment between community health needs and co-designed initiatives; collaboration with a broad range of community organizations; improved access to care; and attention to societal factors that influence health.

This annual award will honor one winner and up to three finalists, who will be recognized at the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit in Denver.

Applications are due noon Central, Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Contact fostermcgaw@aha.org with questions. To learn more about the Prize, watch the celebratory video below or download the honoree booklet.

2025 Foster G. McGaw Prize Winner and Finalists

The 2025 Foster G. McGaw Prize winner and finalists will be announced at the 2025 AHA Leadership Summit, July 20-22, 2025, in Nashville.

2024 Foster G. McGaw Prize Winner and Finalists Announced

Congratulations to 2024 Foster G. McGaw Prize Winner Boston Medical Center, Boston! AHA was pleased to recognize Boston Medical Center and Foster G. McGaw Prize Finalists Englewood Health, Englewood, N.J., and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, at the AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego.

To learn more about Boston Medical Center and the finalists:

• Watch the celebratory video.
• Download the honoree booklet.
• Read the feature article on Boston Medical Center's 5 Steps to Better Community Health.

History of the Prize

In 1986, the Foster G. McGaw Prize was created to recognize hospitals that have distinguished themselves through efforts to improve the health and well-being of everyone in their communities.

Today, despite sweeping changes in the way health care is delivered, hospitals and their communities continue to forge strong partnerships to promote a healthier America.

The Baxter Foundation and the American Hospital Association founded the Foster G. McGaw Prize on the belief that the relationship between a hospital and its community is unique. We celebrate the winners and finalists of this award because they show us how people working together in hospitals and communities can enrich the environment in which they live.

About Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation

Every day, Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people who depend on the company’s products, and in the communities where employees live and work. The Foundation helps advance Baxter’s mission to save and sustain lives by partnering with organizations around the world to increase access to healthcare for the underserved, develop the next generation of innovators who will lead the way in advancing healthcare and to create a positive, long-lasting impact in communities globally. For more information, please visit Baxter's Corporate Responsibility page.