Community Recruitment & Retention Grants

The purposes of the community recruitment and retention grants program are to foster the development of: 

1. innovative program ideas to promote the recruitment and retention of rural physicians

2. project ideas for physician recruitment and retention targeted at the local level i.e.

• a comprehensive community recruitment and retention plan,
• materials required as part of the community recruitment and retention plan, such as pamphlets/information sheets/CDs, or other activities as outlined in the plan, or
• administrative support for the community recruitment and retention committee.

The grants are intended to provide one-time funding for a short-term project or seed funding for a long-term project i.e. establishment of a community recruitment and retention committee, or the development of materials or other resources that are determined to be required to support recruitment and retention.

The RPAP’s Community Physician Recruitment Consultants will facilitate and assist the development of an application for the recruitment and retention grant.  They will also support the approved project where appropriate.

Guidelines and Procedures

1. Grants will be awarded to community recruitment and retention committee, the "Applicant". The "Applicant" has to be an established community recruitment and retention committee, i.e. it is a cohesive body comprised of a minimum of 4 people, of which at least one is from the local hospital/health centre or the physician clinic (if not the doctor him/herself), involved in the committee. Further, the committee must have municipal support either through members participating on the committee or through financial or in-kind resources. And finally, the committee must reflect the diversity of the local community.

RPAP will look forward to cost-sharing of initiatives through an indication of AHS/Physician/Community financial contribution and the identification of support towards the recruitment and retention of rural physicians. Applications will be accepted anytime.

2. Each application shall:

• provide a brief synopsis of the committee - its development, its members, its work plan (where are its efforts being placed generally and why), and where in the community is there support for this work.
• outline how the RPAP grant will be used to support/operationalize components of the recruitment and retention plan, i.e. how does the committee plan to use the funds?
• outline how will the committee determine if their activity was successful? How will it measure success?
• Indicate the "Applicant's" agreement for RPAP to be able to use their committee as an example of community recruitment and retention efforts, if appropriate.
  

3. Proposals should be submitted for projects for which no other financial support is available; meaning that resources (financial and in-kind) should first be gathered from the local community/region to support the project with RPAP being a potential funder of last resort.

Grant amounts are limited and each community is eligible for one grant in a three year period.

4. The award must be returned if not expended in the intended manner.

5. Each award recipient shall account to the RPAP for funds received in a brief written report containing an account of expenses documented by receipts. The RPAP shall receive such a report no later than three months following the completion of the proposal or as requested by the RPAP.

6. The contribution of the RPAP is to be acknowledged, in a manner satisfactory to the RPAP, on all material for public distribution developed through this grant. The acknowledgment should read: “Funding for this project/publication was provided by The Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan.” The RPAP “funded-by” logo is available from the RPAP office to accompany this acknowledgment.

Application Review Process

1. Applications will be accepted throughout the year.
2. RPAP’s Community Physician Recruitment Consultants – South and North are available to provide advice and assistance in preparing the application. 
3. The Executive Director shall review every application for clarity and completeness. 
4. The Executive Director shall consider the applications and make grants according to merit, eligibility and available funding. Funding availability and priorities can be a limiting factor on the size and number of awards granted. 
5. Applicants will receive a letter indicating the decision regarding the application, upon completion of the review process. 
6. To be considered for a grant, send a copy of the completed application by postal mail, e-mail or fax to the RPAP office.

Send the completed application by postal mail, e-mail or fax to the RPAP office. Refer to Contact Us for the coordinates