MJFF plugging Parkinson’s campaign halfway toward $2.5B funding goal

A $2.5 billion fundraising campaign launched by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to accelerate the development of new treatments and ultimately find a cure for Parkinson’s disease has reached the halfway mark, and the nonprofit is plugging for new donations.

The multiyear campaign — dubbed “All Grit. No Quit.” — has already raised in excess of $1.75 billion from more than 276,000 donors since its launch in 2024, according to a foundation press release. The MJFF says meeting the funding goal will help in moving promising discoveries toward better treatments.

“Since our start, the Foundation has galvanized the field to transform Parkinson’s research — building deeper knowledge and stronger collaboration to move faster than ever toward a cure,” said Debi Brooks, CEO and cofounder of MJFF. “‘All Grit. No Quit.’ reflects our willingness to take bold risks when the science demands it, bringing the full strength of our community to realizing a world without Parkinson’s.”

The MJFF notes that the typeface used for “All Grit. No Quit.” is based on the handwriting of its founder, the actor Michael J. Fox. The foundation said the design reflects the MJFF’s emphasis on patient-centered research, and highlights the role of the Parkinson’s community in driving this work forward. The typeface is “a reflection of … Michael’s inspirational vision of a post-Parkinson’s world,” the release states.

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Parkinson’s is marked by the progressive dysfunction and death of nerve cells that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in controlling movement. The loss of dopamine signaling can lead to the disease’s motor symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, and slowed movement.

Campaign supported to date by Team Fox events, estate planning

While existing treatments can help manage both motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s, they do not address the underlying processes driving the disease and, therefore, cannot slow or halt its progression.

According to the foundation, the multibillion-dollar campaign comes at a time of growing scientific opportunity, with researchers gaining a better understanding of the complex biology underlying Parkinson’s and identifying new potential treatment targets. With it, the MJFF aims to bring together people with Parkinson’s, researchers, clinicians, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and philanthropic organizations, all to speed the development of new therapies.

The MJFF said the campaign will support research across the development process, from understanding Parkinson’s biology and identifying promising targets to advancing potential treatments. At its core, the initiative seeks to accelerate the path from scientific discovery to meaningful benefits for people living with Parkinson’s, the foundation stated.

“Our priority is ensuring the strongest ideas move forward without delay,” said Todd Sherer, PhD, the MJFF’s chief mission officer. “This Campaign will enable us to strategically fund at every stage and on parallel paths, shortening the distance between discovery and meaningful benefit for people with Parkinson’s.”

Being part of ‘All Grit. No Quit.’ is recognizing the power of community. Because when it comes to ending Parkinson’s, we’re all in this together.

To date, the campaign has been supported by more than 13,000 Team Fox events and fundraisers, as well as donations from more than 600 members of the foundation’s Legacy Circle, who have named the MJFF in their estate plans. Its website also features stories from members of the Parkinson’s community who are raising funds, organizing events, and helping drive research forward.

The foundation said it does not maintain an endowment or excess reserves, allowing donated funds to be directed toward research rather than held for future use.

“The science is what gives me hope for the future,” said Donna Krenicki, an MJFF patient council member and cochair of the campaign committee, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 15 years ago at age 49. “Being part of ‘All Grit. No Quit.’ is recognizing the power of community. Because when it comes to ending Parkinson’s, we’re all in this together.”