American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization focused on diabetes, founded in 1940 and headquartered in the United States. Its mission is to prevent and cure diabetes—including type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes—and to improve the lives of all people affected by it.

The ADA operates at significant scale, supported by more than 565,000 volunteers, a professional society of nearly 12,000 healthcare professionals, and over 400 staff members. Its work spans three core pillars: funding scientific research (including over $4.8 million in 2024 Pathway to Stop Diabetes® grants), federal and state-level advocacy (such as supporting a $35 monthly insulin cost cap), and community education and program development.

The organization addresses a substantial public health challenge: 155 million Americans are living with diabetes or prediabetes. In 2024, the ADA expanded its scope by launching a new Obesity Association division to address prevention and treatment gaps in obesity care. Financially, the ADA holds a four-star Charity Navigator rating and an A− from Charity Watch, spending $18 to raise every $100.

Innovations in diabetes management, treatment technology, and preventive care are directly relevant to the ADA, as it actively funds translational and clinical research and advocates for broader patient access to emerging therapies.