Parkinson's research has entered a new era. Propelled by recent breakthroughs, more therapies are advancing into late-stage trials, drawing increased investment from biotech startups to major pharmaceutical companies.
This progress is catalyzed by our community. Last year, 144,440 supporters gave to The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) — nearly half of them for the first time. With a median gift of $51.50, these contributions underscore the power of broad, collective action. And over the past decade, the number of people who contribute has nearly doubled — matching the momentum in the science and accelerating progress toward a cure.
Here we answer your questions about how every gift makes an impact, featuring real voices from partners in this mission to end Parkinson's.
What Happens to My Donation?
- At MJFF, speed and efficiency are how we deliver on our promise to people and families with Parkinson's. Donations are put to work quickly — we hold no endowment or excess reserves.
- Our in-house team of 24 PhD neuroscientists and strategists evaluates and funds high-impact projects in real time, guided by global collaboration and direct input from patients. Through surveys, panels and community engagement, we prioritize research that addresses the most urgent unmet needs.
How Does My Donation Speed Real Progress for People with Parkinson's?
- We bring academia, industry and patients together to solve problems collaboratively. And importantly, everything we build — data, biosamples, insights — is shared openly because patients can't afford silos, and progress can't afford delays.
- When MJFF launched in 2000, Parkinson's research focused narrowly on motor symptoms, and patient voices were largely absent. With donor support, we've transformed that model, ensuring patients help guide research grounded in real-world experience. Since our start, treatment options have increased by 200 percent, addressing motor and non-motor symptoms, as well as bothersome side effects. In the past decade alone, nearly two dozen treatments have been approved with more on the way.
"I want a cure in my lifetime. But until then, I'm grateful for research innovations that help people live better today, while we continue fighting for future generations."
— Jessica Krauser, person with Parkinson's, co-founder of Changing Parkinson's
Why Is Now a Critical Time to Give?
- When Michael J. Fox set out to cure Parkinson's, he was told: "The science is ahead of the money." Today, we're working to ensure funding keeps pace. In its first 25 years, the Foundation deployed more than $2.5 billion to research, and in 2026 alone we aim to fund $600 million. Research is at a tipping point as breakthroughs accelerate the rate of discovery. Your support today can turbocharge a wide range of projects and propel our mission forward toward our biggest goal — curing Parkinson's.
"One of the things you feel at the Fox Foundation when you walk through the door is this idea that we need to move fast and we need to get things done."
— Ken Marek, MD, Distinguished Scientist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders
You can help us fund critical Parkinson's research. Donate today.