Please contact the grants team if you have questions which are not answered below.
Nurses can play a key role in detecting unmet needs in their local community and working out service improvements to address those needs. This programme is looking to support nurses who want to:
- find out if there is an unmet need and if so, develop a plan to address it
- lead on development of ideas to improve access to hospice services.
Back to top.
A nurse who recognises an opportunity to improve patients’ experiences and uses their initiative to bring about change is demonstrating the leadership this grant programme is aiming to support.
Leadership is vital to engaging key people in areas of influence, such as local partners and users to:
- generate shared ownership
- ensure sustainability of the work
- achieve the goals of the proposed work.
Back to top.
We are looking for innovation in two ways:
- taking an idea that is working elsewhere and adapting it to the local need
- a project that addresses an issue in a way not done elsewhere. For example, this may involve:
- a new model of care
- a different approach to providing care
- a new way of team working.
Back to top.
Individuals and groups in society that are currently underrepresented within the services which the hospices offer may be so because of:
- their diagnosis
- their care setting
- their social circumstances
- how hospices are perceived by some parts of the community they serve.
Applications and enquiries received so far have included proposals looking at:
- black and minority ethnic (BME) groups
- people with dementia
- prisoners
- homeless people
- coronary heart disease
- transitional care for young people in adult hospices.
Back to top.
Seedcorn grants are to investigate what the issues are in an area and find out more about who is not accessing the hospice’s services and why.
Major grants are to test new ways of improving services for individuals and/or groups of people underrepresented within the hospice’s services.
Back to top.
We welcome applications from all nurses. There are different criteria for the seedcorn and major grants so your application will be assessed against those for the grant programme you apply for.
Whatever your role or stage in your career, it is essential to have the full support of your organisation to enable you to undertake the work. Therefore, the hospice’s chief executive, clinical director or equivalent is asked to write and sign a statement of support for your application.
Back to top.
Yes. As long as your project meets the criteria outlined for either the seedcorn or the major grants.
Back to top.
No. Only nurses working in one of the following organisations are eligible to apply for a grant:
- Independent adult hospices
- Children’s hospices
- Sue Ryder Care hospices
- Marie Curie Cancer Care
- NHS hospices.
Back to top.
No. Seedcorn grants are to gather the evidence to find out if there is a need. Once you have undertaken this piece of work you might find that there is specific work you would like to do to address it. You can then apply for a major grant to do this.
Back to top.
The aim of this programme is to support nurses in developing their leadership abilities by exploring an unmet need and leading on implementing a project.
The role of fundraiser could be to support the nurse applicant to complete the application form but they cannot be the main applicant.
Back to top.
No. We are looking for nurses who, having identified an unmet need, have the passion and the support to do something about it.
Back to top.
Read the information and criteria on our website, which provides more detail about the criteria of this particular programme. There are separate criteria for the seedcorn and major grants.
After that, call the grants team to discuss your ideas in more detail. Depending on your proposal, they may ask the practice development facilitator, Marie Cooper, to call you for a more in-depth conversation and further guidance on whether your proposal fits the criteria of the grant programme.
We also recommend that you have a look at our website to find out more about other projects we are supporting.
Back to top.
On the application form, we do expect you to describe in detail what you propose to do. However, if successful, the practice development facilitator will offer support to further develop, implement and evaluate projects.
Back to top.
Some knowledge is helpful but willingness and motivation to develop a greater understanding of practice issues, and to work in ways that enable the involvement of other people in development and change are equally important.
During your nurse training and clinical practice you were probably made aware of the principles of research and evidence-based practice and this programme will help you improve this.
In your application we ask you to demonstrate the support of a senior colleague in your organisation as they are essential in supporting your ongoing development in this area.
Back to top.
We provide written guidance for completing each question of the application form and you can also contact the grants team if you have any questions.
The fundraisers in your hospice are experienced at writing funding bids and will be able to help you ‘polish’ your application.
As you need the support of the chief executive or the director of nursing, we strongly advise you to arrange a meeting with them to discuss your application.
Back to top.
Successful applicants are encouraged to work collaboratively and inclusively with patients, staff and other organisations, as your proposed work is more likely to be effective if you involve others.
For seedcorn grants this does not need to be formal partnership working but might, for example, be a commitment to discussing the project with relevant organisations.
For major grants, we expect the proposed work to be developed and implemented in partnership with others and ask for signed letters of support from any organisations that you propose to work with.
The underrepresented people you are trying to improve access to services for, should also be meaningfully involved in the development and implementation of the work.
Back to top.
Our practice development facilitator, Marie Cooper, will provide ongoing support by telephone, email and site visits if necessary, which will be specific to your need.
There will also be project lead days where you will meet other members of the Help the Hospices team.
Back to top.
If successful you will be expected to actively communicate with our practice development facilitator to:
- identify the aspects of your project going well
- identify where you may benefit from facilitation and support
- advise us of any significant changes in the funded work.
You are also expected to attend project lead days during the life of your grant and submit a final written report for dissemination.
Evidence of expenditure in relation to the grant is required before it is released and this could be copies of paid invoices, receipts or salary slips.
There will be a programme level evaluation of the Widening access through nurse leadership grant programme. The external evaluators will contact you at various times for information and your co-operation with this evaluation process is a condition of the grant.
Back to top.
Yes. The project lead days which occur during the life of your grant are an essential part of the programme. As well as providing useful information, they will offer a valuable opportunity to network and share with other grant holders undertaking similar work.
Back to top.
Funding can be used for:
- backfill to allow the applicant time to develop and lead the project
- relevant training and development, eg leadership or change management skills
- costs associated with supporting the involvement of service users
- supervision or mentoring costs
- equipment
- networking opportunities
- promotional activities, eg conference attendance.
There are lots of ways of making the best use of the funding, and we suggest you try to be creative in financially supporting the project.
It cannot be used for anything that should be provided by your organisation such as statutory training and education or resources and equipment not connected to the work.
Back to top.
No. A key component of this project is to support nurses to develop a range of leadership skills, which could include writing reports.
Back to top.
