Get involved.
Drive change.
Fuel the future.
Rally for Rheumatology
This September, during Arthritis Awareness Month, rheumatologists and community members across Canada are rallying together to match donations to the Canadian Rheumatology Association Foundation (CRAF).
Through this matched giving campaign, your gift goes twice as far — powering breakthrough research, supporting education for future rheumatologists, and driving innovation in patient care.
Together, we can fuel the future of rheumatology — help the CRAF advance life-changing research, education and care for millions of Canadians living with rheumatic diseases.
How to Get Involved
FAQs
Rally for Rheumatology is a national fundraising campaign led by the Canadian Rheumatology Association Foundation (CRAF). It empowers Canadian rheumatologists to lead by example—promoting the CRAF, encouraging support for the organization, and optimally making personal gifts that match donations from patients, colleagues, and the broader community to double the impact of every contribution. Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact and advancing a shared commitment to patient care, research, and education in Canadian rheumatology.
The Canadian Rheumatology Association Foundation (CRAF) supports advancing rheumatology research, education, and patient care across Canada. By funding groundbreaking studies and training the next generation of specialists, we improve care for those with rheumatic diseases. Through programs such as CIORA (the Canadian Initiative for Outcomes in Rheumatology Care), Designated Research Funding, student bursaries and education, CRAF is helping to advance innovation and improve patient care across the country.
CRAF is committed to becoming the leading funder of rheumatology research in Canada. Our investments not only fuel groundbreaking discoveries but also foster the next generation of rheumatology specialists and researchers.
Canada is currently facing a pressing shortage of rheumatologists. With more than 200 positions unfilled nationwide and nearly 30% of the current workforce expected to retire within the next five years, the need for sustained support has never been greater.
This campaign seeks to raise essential funds to support clinical training, expand educational opportunities, and invest in research that responds directly to the urgent and growing needs in our field. With your support, we can strengthen the future of rheumatology care in Canada—ensuring patients receive the specialized care they need, when and where they need it.
Rheumatology: More than just Arthritis
Rheumatologists diagnose and treat over 100 complex diseases — including arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis — that affect the joints, muscles, bones, tissues and sometimes other organs. These chronic, painful, and often life-altering conditions are frequently autoimmune or inflammatory in nature.
Despite affecting millions of Canadians, many people wait too long for diagnosis and treatment. There is no cure for most rheumatic diseases — but research, education, and timely care can change lives and help find cures.
Your support will fuel our mission which aims to boost Canada’s capacity to manage and hopefully one day prevent rheumatic diseases. This is achieved through:
- Increasing interest in the field of rheumatology among medical students.
- Enhancing the training of the next generation of rheumatologists.
- Funding and advancing critical research
Together, we can shape a stronger future for rheumatology.
Yes—there are three flexible levels of involvement, so you can choose the role that best fits your comfort level, capacity, and schedule. Whether you prefer a more active or behind-the-scenes approach, your support makes a meaningful difference.
Champion: Contribute to the matched gift fund with little or no public promotion. Even silent supporters are key to our success.
Advocate: Make a personal matched gift and promote the campaign in your clinic and online. Option to talk with patients, use EMR systems, or host your own peer-to-peer fundraising page.
Supporter: Make a matched gift and show quiet support through posters, an email signature line, or a co-branded campaign page.
No. We ask you to give a personally meaningful amount. Whether your match – your personal contribution that will be doubled during the campaign — is $500 or $5,000, your leadership and example will inspire others.
No. Promotion is entirely at your discretion. You can choose a passive approach or to speak directly with patients—whatever you’re most comfortable with.
Hosts and their staff receive a tailored menu of tools including templates, customized promotional materials, optional peer-to-peer online giving page setup, and 1:1 coaching (if desired). Active Champions and Advocates can also receive a training video on how to speak with patients. CRAF staff will also be available by phone or email during the campaign to support your efforts. Our goal is to make this campaign as effortless as possible for you and your staff to implement, and for donors to participate.
Only if you choose to be. Participants can remain anonymous, be listed by name, or be profiled more fully as campaign leaders.
You can fill out the [interest form] or contact the CRAF office directly (info@crafoundation.ca). A team member will follow up to confirm your level of participation and provide the next steps.
No, participants choose their own giving level and are not required to increase it if the overall campaign exceeds its goal. However, you are encouraged to continue promoting the event and inviting donations, even after reaching your personal target.
CRAF is the charitable organization working in collaboration with the Canadian Rheumatology Association. It funds education, training, and research to advance the field of rheumatology to improve care for people living with rheumatic diseases in Canada.
A matched gift campaign is a special fundraising effort where a lead donor agrees to match donations made by others, dollar for dollar. That means your gift has double the impact. When you give $50, it becomes $100. In the Rally for Rheumatology campaign, Canadian rheumatologists and Board Members are stepping up as lead donors, offering to match gifts their patients, peers and the public.
All funds support CRAF’s core priorities:
- Research funding – CIORA or Designated Community Initiatives
- Training and educating the next generation – Summer Studentship, Resident Programs & Bursary Funding
- General Fund (unrestricted support)
When you donate, you may choose which of these areas you’d like your gift to support. If you choose not to specify, your gift will be directed to the General Fund, allowing CRAF the flexibility to invest where it can make the greatest difference.
Yes. All gifts to CRAF are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
Absolutely. This campaign was designed with grateful patients in mind. Your gift can honour a physician who has made a difference in your life. If you would like, you can include a message to your physician to let them know about your tribute gift.
Donors can choose whether or not to be publicly acknowledged. Tribute gifts in honour of a physician may be shared with them (unless requested otherwise).
Visit [crafoundation.ca/rally] to make a secure online donation, search for a matched gift host, or learn more about the impact of your gift.
We Make it Easy to Get Involved and Rally for Rheumatology
Do you have questions you don’t see listed? Please email us at info@crafoundation.ca.