Setting Up a Grant

How to set up a placement grant in your region

Prerequisite: Your region has a clinical placement available for an occupational therapy student.
 

Planning Phase

1. Contact the clinical placement manager at your local university to advise of your interest in supporting a student placement and discuss the timeline for obtaining sponsorship prior to the grants being advertised to students at that university.

2. Commence with a meeting of the Hub or Regional Group and/or interested persons to develop a shared vision of the workings of the Placement Grant in your region.

3. At this meeting discuss and decide the amount of sponsorship required and the best mechanism to support a student in your particular location. You might consider the following:

  • provision of furnished accommodation
  • travel reimbursement equivalent to return air-fare to your centre
  • or other appropriate travel arrangements
  • weekly living allowance and
  • any other possible costs the student might incur.
4. Compile a list of potential sponsors to the placement grant scheme in your local community e.g.
  • businesses
  • service organisations
  • industry partners.
  • (see Potential/Useful Contacts P.13)
5. You may also wish to compile a list of possible incentives which could be offered by your group to the donors and supporters e.g. press coverage, education sessions for their staff / customers.
 

Approach Phase

6. Compose a letter requesting sponsorship to those organisations selected by the group.
  • enclose the Statement of Support from QOTFC (see P.12)
  • outline the benefits of the Placement Grant Scheme
  • outline any incentives available to sponsoring organisations
  • detail how and when donations could be made e.g. managed directly by the company "in house" (not tax deductible); or by payment to the university (tax deductible).
  • include donation information from the university.
The provided letter template may assist.

7. Consider whether a personal approach to put your case may be more likely to succeed i.e. delivering the letter and statement in person to explain the Placement Grant Scheme, outlining the benefits of the scheme (long term), and any incentives which might be offered (short term).

8. Arrange followup phone calls or letter if sponsors need time to consider the scheme.
 

Successful Grant Phase

9. Ensure that the placement is still available in your region. Advise the clinical placement manager at your local university of your ability to sponsor a student and request they include your centre in advertisements calling for student applications for regional grants. (see University Contact list)

10. Compose a letter of thanks to the sponsor and include details of the payment process e.g. information from the university. (See letter template)

11. Await advice from your university as to the success of your grant in attracting a suitable student for a regional clinical placement.

12. Liaise with the university re travel, accommodation and other requirements of the student.
 

Student Placement Phase

13. Advise sponsor by letter that the student is now on placement within the community e.g. name of student, and facility. (See letter template)

14. If any incentives were negotiated ensure these are delivered to the sponsor.