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Philanthropy as a Source of Funding for Nursing Initiatives Ruth M. Kleinpell, PhD, RN, FAAN, FCCM; Rachel Start, MSN, RN, NE-BC; Erik McIntosh, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC; Sophia Worobec, MA; Jane Llewellyn, PhD, RN, NEA-BC Nurse leaders are challenged with ensuring that research and evidence–based practices are being integrated into clinical care. Initiatives such as the Magnet Recognition Program have helped reinforce the importance of advancing nursing practices to integrate best practices, conduct quality improvement initiatives, improve performance metrics, and involve bedside nurses in conducting research and evidence–based practice projects. While seeking research funding is an option for some initiatives, other strategies such as seeking funding from grateful patients or from philanthropic resources are becoming important options for nurse leaders to pursue, as the availability of funding from traditional sources such as professional organizations or federal funding becomes more limited. In addition, more institutions are seeking and applying for funding, increasing the pool of candidates who are vying for existing funding. Seeking alternative sources of funding, such as through philanthropy, becomes a viable option. This article reviews important considerations in seeking funding from philanthropic sources for nursing initiatives. Examples from a multiyear project that focused on promoting a healthy work environment and improving nursing morale are used to highlight strategies that were used to solicit, obtain, and secure extension funding from private foundation funding to support the initiative. Key words: funding, philanthropy, philanthropy in nursing
P
URSUING PHILANTHROPY as a source of funding for nursing initiatives is an option that nurse leaders should consider. Seeking philanthropic dollars to promote recognition of and excellence in nursing practice, education, and research is a strategy to
Author Affiliations: Department of Internal Medicine (Mr McIntosh), Center for Clinical Research & Scholarship (Dr Kleinpell), Rush University Medical Center (Ms Worobec and Dr Llewellyn), Chicago, Illinois; Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois (Drs Kleinpell and Llewellyn and Mr McIntosh); and Rush Oak Park Hospital, Chicago Illinois (Ms Start). The authors declare no conflict of interest. Correspondence: Ruth M. Kleinpell, PhD, RN, FAAN, FCCM, Rush University College of Nursing, 600 S. Paulina St, Ste 1062B, Chicago, IL 60612 (Ruth_M_ [email protected]). DOI: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000064
be considered in today’s competitive funding environment. Traditional sources of funding such as professional nursing organizations or federal funding through entities that include the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, or the National Institute of Nursing Research offer opportunities for a range of research and demonstration project work. However, more institutions are seeking and applying for this funding, and combined with budgetary reductions in funding overall, seeking support from philanthropic organizations is an obvious alternative resource. Although philanthropy in health care settings is common, seeking funding through philanthropy for nursing-specific project work has not always been actively pursued. Yet, obtaining funding through philanthropy is E1
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advantageous to advance the professional excellence of nursing and the quality of patient care.1 In today’s competitive funding environment, more institutions are seeking and applying for funding. As a result, seeking alternative sources of funding, such as through philanthropy, becomes a viable option. PHILANTHROPIC SOURCES OF FUNDING Philanthropic sources of funding have supported nursing education and continuing education (Hartford Foundation) as well as campaigns to promote nursing as a career (Johnson & Johnson Foundation). Moreover, specific partnerships between philanthropic funders and nursing organizations have led to initiatives to improve health care, promote interdisciplinary research, enhance the training and education of nurses, or support specific project work. Examples include philanthropic funders such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Kellogg Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Betty Irene Moore Nursing Initiative), and Northwest Health Foundation (Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future). While these initiatives are well known to the nursing community, taking steps to solicit funding through philanthropy for individual hospital, network, or system initiatives is not something that many nurses have pursued. In the current era of shrinking operating margins, the role of philanthropy has increased in significance and is often now considered a strategic imperative.2 More hospitals are incorporating explicit expectations of fundraising into financial planning as an alternative source of capital funds or for research or special project work.2-4 A growing number of sources for philanthropic funding exist. The Table outlines several resources that have been identified for funding nursing research and related project work. However, consulting experienced fund-raisers or individuals working in philanthropy is most beneficial to identify potential matches, as many foundations and private funders have specific priority areas that they
Table. Examples of Funding Resources for Nursinga Aetna Foundation Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Alzheimer’s Association American Association of Critical-Care Nurses American Association for the History of Nursing, Inc American Association of Nurse Practitioners American Association of Neuroscience Nurses Neuroscience Nursing Foundation American Association of Occupational Health Nursing Foundation American Cancer Society American Diabetes Association American Geriatric Society Foundation for Health in Aging American Heart Association American Holistic Nurses Association American Lung Association American Nurses Foundation American Organization of Nurse Executives American Psychiatric Nurses Association American Society of Diabetes Educators Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Arthur Vining Davis Foundation American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses Baxter Foundation Cardinal Health Carnegie Institution The Coleman Foundation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Centers for Disease Control Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science Community of Science David and Lucile Packard Foundation Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Eastern Nursing Research Society Emergency Nurses Association Foundation Ford Foundation Foundation Center Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Continues)
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Table. Examples of Funding Resources for Nursinga (Continued) Table. Examples of Funding Resources for Nursinga (Continued) Harvard Macy Institute Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation International Transplant Nurses Society Irving Health Foundation Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation John A Hartford Foundation John D. and Catherin T. MacArthur Foundation Johnson & Johnson Lilly Foundation March of Dimes Metropolitan Life Foundation Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Midwest Nursing Research Society National Patient Safety Foundation National Research Council National Cancer Institute National Institute of Nursing Research Neuroscience Nursing Foundation Oncology Nurses Society Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute PEW Charitable Trusts Retirement Research Foundation Robert Wood Johnson foundation Rockefeller Foundation Russell Sage Foundation Ronald McDonald House Charities Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Society of Critical Care Medicine Southern Nursing Research Society State Scholarships and Grant Programs The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation The Commonwealth Fund The Hearst Foundations The John Merck Fund The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation The Lalor Foundation The Lupus Research Institute The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Continues)
The Nursing Economic$ Foundation Western Institute of Nursing Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society a This
is a sample listing, not a comprehensive listing, of all funding entities. From American Nurses Foundation (http://www.anfonline.org/MainCategory/Nursing ResearchGrant.aspx); the American Nurses Association, 2014 (http://nursingworld.org/research-toolkit/Research -Funding); American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2014 (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/faculty/fundingopportunities); The Foundation Center.
support. Organizations such as the Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org), the Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership Center (http://pnlc.rollins.edu), or the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy offer a number of resources for locating possible sources of funding. As outlined in the Table, individual funding entities such as the American Nurses Foundation, professional organizations that offer funding (such as the American Organization of Nurse Executives), as well as specialty nursing organizations that provide funding (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and Emergency Nurses Association), are also sources of funding for nurse-based initiatives. SEEKING PHILANTHROPY IN NURSING: KEY CONSIDERATIONS When considering philanthropy as a source for funding nursing initiatives, it is important to understand the fit between the project or research goals and the funding entity. Many private foundations have identified specific areas for funding initiatives. They often require that requests for funding match their priority areas. Some foundations will only fund projects in a specific geographical area or state. A letter of inquiry can be the first step for assessing a project’s fit with the foundation. Colleagues in the medical center or hospital’s office of philanthropy can be invaluable
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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in offering insight into past and future priorities for a given foundation. Often, private foundations will not accept proposals or requests for funding directly from the project team but require the assistance of a philanthropy liaison. PHILANTHROPIC EXEMPLAR At a Midwest University academic medical center, funding was sought for a nursing initiative to focus on promotion of a healthy work environment and improvement of nursing workplace morale. The medical center had previously received funding from several professional organizations for clinical nursing initiatives targeting best practices. The institution was affiliated with a college of nursing where faculty often received ongoing federal funding for specific clinical and research projects. In this case, the intent was to pursue philanthropic funding to support a multiyear initiative that would focus on enhancing the work life of the clinical nursing staff. At this institution, the Office of Philanthropy assists to identify potential sources of funding, contacts the foundation or private funder, and works with the project team to complete a submission for funding consideration. A private foundation that had funded several medical center projects previously was contacted to assess interest in providing funding for the nursing-focused project work. This foundation proved to be a good fit with the proposed project, as one of its stated areas of interest was “projects that improve morale among health care providers.” Over a series of several months, a formal proposal was submitted to the foundation. The foundation officer visited the medical center and met with the project team to discuss specific components of the project plans. The Office of Philanthropy initially contacted and then continued to work with the foundation to pursue funding. Funding was granted for the 2-year project for the development and then implementation of strategies for improving the morale of hospital staff nurses. During year 1, the
project team used initial funding to convene a series of grand rounds, lectures, and participatory forums with national experts on nursing workplace issues including satisfaction, morale, recruitment, and retention. Nurses from all levels came together to brainstorm strategies for mitigating stress. The forums provided a mechanism for discussion and identification of strategies to enhance workplace morale. The nursing shared governance model provided a framework for facilitation of project work. The professional nursing staff model used the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses “Standards for Establishing and Maintaining Healthy Work Environments.”5 to shape and frame priorities and goals to support these core philosophies. By underscoring the importance of a healthy work environment, it was highlighted that nurses can lead and benefit from respectful, empowering relationships with each other and the interdisciplinary team and enhance patient safety, thereby creating engagement and retention along with heightened morale within the health care team. Education on the healthy work environment standards was provided to clinical staff, and committee chairs were encouraged to structure committee goals based on the 6 standards. As an ongoing component of year 1 project work, qualitative analysis of the forum discussions led to the identification of several common themes among staff nurses. There were concerns about staffing, communication, supplies, facilities, education, recognition, seniority/promotions, benefits, safety, patient care, and recruitment and retention. As a result, a Work Life Committee was formed to evaluate the formation of the healthy work environment standards throughout the organization in year 2 of the funding. A code of conduct was developed to reinforce the emphasis on respectful communication and expected professional behavior (Figure 1). Key components of this code of conduct identified that professional behavior, integrity, and ethical behavior were an expectation. Truth, honesty, communication, and
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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Figure 1. Developed nursing code of conduct. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
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cooperation with other health care providers are expected along with respect and regard for their dignity. Development of the professional code of conduct helped reinforce the importance of professional behavior to other health care clinicians, patients, and family members. In response to clinical staff reports that some staff members were not taking rest or meal breaks, a descriptive survey was conducted to assess nurses’ perceptions and practices related to taking a break during their shift work schedule. The guiding principle for the survey was that everyone had the right, and should have the opportunity, to take a break. Breaks are vital to nursing engagement, patient outcomes, and general well-being of the mind and the body. A total of 750 nurses responded to the survey that included 681 responses from inpatient clinical areas in addition to outpatient clinic areas. The results revealed that a significant number of clinical nurses (27.3% reported “sometimes” and 7.7% reported “never”) identified that they were unable to take sufficient meal breaks during their work shifts. Identified strategies to assist nurses included having the charge nurse facilitate breaks for all staff members; planning ahead with a coworker to schedule breaks; delegating tasks to another staff member to enable time for breaks; and promoting a unit culture that supported the importance of taking breaks. A Meal Break Guiding Principles statement was created, and a toolkit was developed that could assist units in creating a culture that encouraged rest periods (Figure 2). A respite room was also created to provide a dedicated space for clinicians to take breaks away from the clinical care areas. Additional projects included an initiative to address staff resilience and development of an educational tool to assist staff in resourcing quick, realtime solutions to safety and distressing issues (Figure 3). These initiatives were beneficial in promoting a culture focused on improving the work environment for clinicians. Annual reports on the status of the project components were provided to the founda-
tion. The foundation officer was invited to attend clinical grand rounds where results of the project work were highlighted. An abstract was submitted and accepted at a national conference where a poster presentation was facilitated by 2 of the clinical nurses who were key project leaders. After completing the project components, the team petitioned for, and was granted, an extension in the third year of funding from the foundation. The extension funding helped support several clinical research projects. Clinical nurses and nursing students were empowered to conceptualize and undertake their own research on nursing workforce issues and evidence-based practice. Under the auspices of a newly developed Center for Clinical Research and Scholarship, this entity continues to exist to help facilitate evidencebased practice projects, clinical research, and scholarship activities, such as poster presentations, slide development for oral presentations, manuscript development, assistance to submit research proposals to the institutional review board, clinical project support, liaison support to the nursing research taskforce, and support to the Magnet Program director. The philanthropic funding was instrumental in spearheading clinical initiatives that resulted in ongoing project work as well as clinical research projects. Since receiving this funding, the institution has been successful in obtaining other sources of funding for ongoing clinical project work. Philanthropy has enabled the medical center to advance the state of clinical nursing care, accomplish several specific initiatives to improve workplace morale, and provide exemplars of project work that could be used in the Magnet Recognition Program redesignation materials. One result has been recognition for the clinical nurses at regional and national venues. CONCLUSIONS Philanthropic funding partnerships present important opportunities for nurse leaders. At the same time, nurse leaders can have an important role in working with philanthropy to
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Figure 2. Healthy work environment guideline. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
spotlight nursing leadership and impact the grant-making agenda of regional and national foundations.3 Seeking alternative sources of funding through philanthropy is an option that should be considered by nurse leaders.
A growing number of sources for funding from professional organizations, private foundations, and state grants exist that can be used to supplement other sources for provision of alternative source of capital funds
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Figure 3. Healthy work environment resource tool. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
or for research or special project work.6-8 The role of philanthropy in nursing has taken on increased significance in the current environment. Nurse leaders pursue philanthropic funding to maximize support for nursing ini-
tiatives, while creating opportunities to improve clinical care, promote interdisciplinary research, enhance the training and education of nurses, and support novel scholarshiprelated activities.
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Figure 3. Healthy work environment resource tool, continued. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
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REFERENCES 1. Hitchings KS, Capuano TA, Herzog ME. Friends of nursing: a community of caring to promote excellence in nursing practice, education and research. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2012;43:211-217. 2. Haderlein J. Unleashing the untapped potential of hospital philanthropy. Health Aff.2006;25:541-545. 3. Henderson TM, Hassmiller SB. Hospitals and philanthropy as partners in funding nursing education. Nurs Econ. 2007;25:95-100, 109. 4. McBride A. Nursing and Philanthropy: An Energizing Metaphor for the 21st Century. Indianapolis IN: Sigma Theta Tau International Publishing; 2000. 5. American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work
Environments. Aliso Viejo, CA: American Association of Critical Care Nurses; 2005. http://www.aacn.org/ WD/HWE/Docs/ExecSum.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2012. 6. Brewer EW, Achilles C. Finding Funding: Grant Writing From Start to Finish. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press; 2007. 7. Johnson V. Grant Writing 101: Everything You Need to Start Raising Funds Today. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill: 2011. 8. Holtzclaw B, Kenner C, Walden M. Grant Writing Handbook for Nurses. Washington, DC: American Nurses Association; 2008.
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Nurs Admin Q Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. E1–E10 c 2014 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Copyright
Philanthropy as a Source of Funding for Nursing Initiatives Ruth M. Kleinpell, PhD, RN, FAAN, FCCM; Rachel Start, MSN, RN, NE-BC; Erik McIntosh, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC; Sophia Worobec, MA; Jane Llewellyn, PhD, RN, NEA-BC Nurse leaders are challenged with ensuring that research and evidence–based practices are being integrated into clinical care. Initiatives such as the Magnet Recognition Program have helped reinforce the importance of advancing nursing practices to integrate best practices, conduct quality improvement initiatives, improve performance metrics, and involve bedside nurses in conducting research and evidence–based practice projects. While seeking research funding is an option for some initiatives, other strategies such as seeking funding from grateful patients or from philanthropic resources are becoming important options for nurse leaders to pursue, as the availability of funding from traditional sources such as professional organizations or federal funding becomes more limited. In addition, more institutions are seeking and applying for funding, increasing the pool of candidates who are vying for existing funding. Seeking alternative sources of funding, such as through philanthropy, becomes a viable option. This article reviews important considerations in seeking funding from philanthropic sources for nursing initiatives. Examples from a multiyear project that focused on promoting a healthy work environment and improving nursing morale are used to highlight strategies that were used to solicit, obtain, and secure extension funding from private foundation funding to support the initiative. Key words: funding, philanthropy, philanthropy in nursing
P
URSUING PHILANTHROPY as a source of funding for nursing initiatives is an option that nurse leaders should consider. Seeking philanthropic dollars to promote recognition of and excellence in nursing practice, education, and research is a strategy to
Author Affiliations: Department of Internal Medicine (Mr McIntosh), Center for Clinical Research & Scholarship (Dr Kleinpell), Rush University Medical Center (Ms Worobec and Dr Llewellyn), Chicago, Illinois; Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois (Drs Kleinpell and Llewellyn and Mr McIntosh); and Rush Oak Park Hospital, Chicago Illinois (Ms Start). The authors declare no conflict of interest. Correspondence: Ruth M. Kleinpell, PhD, RN, FAAN, FCCM, Rush University College of Nursing, 600 S. Paulina St, Ste 1062B, Chicago, IL 60612 (Ruth_M_ [email protected]). DOI: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000064
be considered in today’s competitive funding environment. Traditional sources of funding such as professional nursing organizations or federal funding through entities that include the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, or the National Institute of Nursing Research offer opportunities for a range of research and demonstration project work. However, more institutions are seeking and applying for this funding, and combined with budgetary reductions in funding overall, seeking support from philanthropic organizations is an obvious alternative resource. Although philanthropy in health care settings is common, seeking funding through philanthropy for nursing-specific project work has not always been actively pursued. Yet, obtaining funding through philanthropy is E1
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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advantageous to advance the professional excellence of nursing and the quality of patient care.1 In today’s competitive funding environment, more institutions are seeking and applying for funding. As a result, seeking alternative sources of funding, such as through philanthropy, becomes a viable option. PHILANTHROPIC SOURCES OF FUNDING Philanthropic sources of funding have supported nursing education and continuing education (Hartford Foundation) as well as campaigns to promote nursing as a career (Johnson & Johnson Foundation). Moreover, specific partnerships between philanthropic funders and nursing organizations have led to initiatives to improve health care, promote interdisciplinary research, enhance the training and education of nurses, or support specific project work. Examples include philanthropic funders such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Kellogg Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Betty Irene Moore Nursing Initiative), and Northwest Health Foundation (Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future). While these initiatives are well known to the nursing community, taking steps to solicit funding through philanthropy for individual hospital, network, or system initiatives is not something that many nurses have pursued. In the current era of shrinking operating margins, the role of philanthropy has increased in significance and is often now considered a strategic imperative.2 More hospitals are incorporating explicit expectations of fundraising into financial planning as an alternative source of capital funds or for research or special project work.2-4 A growing number of sources for philanthropic funding exist. The Table outlines several resources that have been identified for funding nursing research and related project work. However, consulting experienced fund-raisers or individuals working in philanthropy is most beneficial to identify potential matches, as many foundations and private funders have specific priority areas that they
Table. Examples of Funding Resources for Nursinga Aetna Foundation Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Alzheimer’s Association American Association of Critical-Care Nurses American Association for the History of Nursing, Inc American Association of Nurse Practitioners American Association of Neuroscience Nurses Neuroscience Nursing Foundation American Association of Occupational Health Nursing Foundation American Cancer Society American Diabetes Association American Geriatric Society Foundation for Health in Aging American Heart Association American Holistic Nurses Association American Lung Association American Nurses Foundation American Organization of Nurse Executives American Psychiatric Nurses Association American Society of Diabetes Educators Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Arthur Vining Davis Foundation American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses Baxter Foundation Cardinal Health Carnegie Institution The Coleman Foundation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Centers for Disease Control Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science Community of Science David and Lucile Packard Foundation Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Eastern Nursing Research Society Emergency Nurses Association Foundation Ford Foundation Foundation Center Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Continues)
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Table. Examples of Funding Resources for Nursinga (Continued) Table. Examples of Funding Resources for Nursinga (Continued) Harvard Macy Institute Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation International Transplant Nurses Society Irving Health Foundation Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation John A Hartford Foundation John D. and Catherin T. MacArthur Foundation Johnson & Johnson Lilly Foundation March of Dimes Metropolitan Life Foundation Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Midwest Nursing Research Society National Patient Safety Foundation National Research Council National Cancer Institute National Institute of Nursing Research Neuroscience Nursing Foundation Oncology Nurses Society Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute PEW Charitable Trusts Retirement Research Foundation Robert Wood Johnson foundation Rockefeller Foundation Russell Sage Foundation Ronald McDonald House Charities Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Society of Critical Care Medicine Southern Nursing Research Society State Scholarships and Grant Programs The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation The Commonwealth Fund The Hearst Foundations The John Merck Fund The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation The Lalor Foundation The Lupus Research Institute The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Continues)
The Nursing Economic$ Foundation Western Institute of Nursing Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society a This
is a sample listing, not a comprehensive listing, of all funding entities. From American Nurses Foundation (http://www.anfonline.org/MainCategory/Nursing ResearchGrant.aspx); the American Nurses Association, 2014 (http://nursingworld.org/research-toolkit/Research -Funding); American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2014 (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/faculty/fundingopportunities); The Foundation Center.
support. Organizations such as the Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org), the Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership Center (http://pnlc.rollins.edu), or the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy offer a number of resources for locating possible sources of funding. As outlined in the Table, individual funding entities such as the American Nurses Foundation, professional organizations that offer funding (such as the American Organization of Nurse Executives), as well as specialty nursing organizations that provide funding (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and Emergency Nurses Association), are also sources of funding for nurse-based initiatives. SEEKING PHILANTHROPY IN NURSING: KEY CONSIDERATIONS When considering philanthropy as a source for funding nursing initiatives, it is important to understand the fit between the project or research goals and the funding entity. Many private foundations have identified specific areas for funding initiatives. They often require that requests for funding match their priority areas. Some foundations will only fund projects in a specific geographical area or state. A letter of inquiry can be the first step for assessing a project’s fit with the foundation. Colleagues in the medical center or hospital’s office of philanthropy can be invaluable
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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in offering insight into past and future priorities for a given foundation. Often, private foundations will not accept proposals or requests for funding directly from the project team but require the assistance of a philanthropy liaison. PHILANTHROPIC EXEMPLAR At a Midwest University academic medical center, funding was sought for a nursing initiative to focus on promotion of a healthy work environment and improvement of nursing workplace morale. The medical center had previously received funding from several professional organizations for clinical nursing initiatives targeting best practices. The institution was affiliated with a college of nursing where faculty often received ongoing federal funding for specific clinical and research projects. In this case, the intent was to pursue philanthropic funding to support a multiyear initiative that would focus on enhancing the work life of the clinical nursing staff. At this institution, the Office of Philanthropy assists to identify potential sources of funding, contacts the foundation or private funder, and works with the project team to complete a submission for funding consideration. A private foundation that had funded several medical center projects previously was contacted to assess interest in providing funding for the nursing-focused project work. This foundation proved to be a good fit with the proposed project, as one of its stated areas of interest was “projects that improve morale among health care providers.” Over a series of several months, a formal proposal was submitted to the foundation. The foundation officer visited the medical center and met with the project team to discuss specific components of the project plans. The Office of Philanthropy initially contacted and then continued to work with the foundation to pursue funding. Funding was granted for the 2-year project for the development and then implementation of strategies for improving the morale of hospital staff nurses. During year 1, the
project team used initial funding to convene a series of grand rounds, lectures, and participatory forums with national experts on nursing workplace issues including satisfaction, morale, recruitment, and retention. Nurses from all levels came together to brainstorm strategies for mitigating stress. The forums provided a mechanism for discussion and identification of strategies to enhance workplace morale. The nursing shared governance model provided a framework for facilitation of project work. The professional nursing staff model used the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses “Standards for Establishing and Maintaining Healthy Work Environments.”5 to shape and frame priorities and goals to support these core philosophies. By underscoring the importance of a healthy work environment, it was highlighted that nurses can lead and benefit from respectful, empowering relationships with each other and the interdisciplinary team and enhance patient safety, thereby creating engagement and retention along with heightened morale within the health care team. Education on the healthy work environment standards was provided to clinical staff, and committee chairs were encouraged to structure committee goals based on the 6 standards. As an ongoing component of year 1 project work, qualitative analysis of the forum discussions led to the identification of several common themes among staff nurses. There were concerns about staffing, communication, supplies, facilities, education, recognition, seniority/promotions, benefits, safety, patient care, and recruitment and retention. As a result, a Work Life Committee was formed to evaluate the formation of the healthy work environment standards throughout the organization in year 2 of the funding. A code of conduct was developed to reinforce the emphasis on respectful communication and expected professional behavior (Figure 1). Key components of this code of conduct identified that professional behavior, integrity, and ethical behavior were an expectation. Truth, honesty, communication, and
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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Figure 1. Developed nursing code of conduct. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
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cooperation with other health care providers are expected along with respect and regard for their dignity. Development of the professional code of conduct helped reinforce the importance of professional behavior to other health care clinicians, patients, and family members. In response to clinical staff reports that some staff members were not taking rest or meal breaks, a descriptive survey was conducted to assess nurses’ perceptions and practices related to taking a break during their shift work schedule. The guiding principle for the survey was that everyone had the right, and should have the opportunity, to take a break. Breaks are vital to nursing engagement, patient outcomes, and general well-being of the mind and the body. A total of 750 nurses responded to the survey that included 681 responses from inpatient clinical areas in addition to outpatient clinic areas. The results revealed that a significant number of clinical nurses (27.3% reported “sometimes” and 7.7% reported “never”) identified that they were unable to take sufficient meal breaks during their work shifts. Identified strategies to assist nurses included having the charge nurse facilitate breaks for all staff members; planning ahead with a coworker to schedule breaks; delegating tasks to another staff member to enable time for breaks; and promoting a unit culture that supported the importance of taking breaks. A Meal Break Guiding Principles statement was created, and a toolkit was developed that could assist units in creating a culture that encouraged rest periods (Figure 2). A respite room was also created to provide a dedicated space for clinicians to take breaks away from the clinical care areas. Additional projects included an initiative to address staff resilience and development of an educational tool to assist staff in resourcing quick, realtime solutions to safety and distressing issues (Figure 3). These initiatives were beneficial in promoting a culture focused on improving the work environment for clinicians. Annual reports on the status of the project components were provided to the founda-
tion. The foundation officer was invited to attend clinical grand rounds where results of the project work were highlighted. An abstract was submitted and accepted at a national conference where a poster presentation was facilitated by 2 of the clinical nurses who were key project leaders. After completing the project components, the team petitioned for, and was granted, an extension in the third year of funding from the foundation. The extension funding helped support several clinical research projects. Clinical nurses and nursing students were empowered to conceptualize and undertake their own research on nursing workforce issues and evidence-based practice. Under the auspices of a newly developed Center for Clinical Research and Scholarship, this entity continues to exist to help facilitate evidencebased practice projects, clinical research, and scholarship activities, such as poster presentations, slide development for oral presentations, manuscript development, assistance to submit research proposals to the institutional review board, clinical project support, liaison support to the nursing research taskforce, and support to the Magnet Program director. The philanthropic funding was instrumental in spearheading clinical initiatives that resulted in ongoing project work as well as clinical research projects. Since receiving this funding, the institution has been successful in obtaining other sources of funding for ongoing clinical project work. Philanthropy has enabled the medical center to advance the state of clinical nursing care, accomplish several specific initiatives to improve workplace morale, and provide exemplars of project work that could be used in the Magnet Recognition Program redesignation materials. One result has been recognition for the clinical nurses at regional and national venues. CONCLUSIONS Philanthropic funding partnerships present important opportunities for nurse leaders. At the same time, nurse leaders can have an important role in working with philanthropy to
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Figure 2. Healthy work environment guideline. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
spotlight nursing leadership and impact the grant-making agenda of regional and national foundations.3 Seeking alternative sources of funding through philanthropy is an option that should be considered by nurse leaders.
A growing number of sources for funding from professional organizations, private foundations, and state grants exist that can be used to supplement other sources for provision of alternative source of capital funds
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Figure 3. Healthy work environment resource tool. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
or for research or special project work.6-8 The role of philanthropy in nursing has taken on increased significance in the current environment. Nurse leaders pursue philanthropic funding to maximize support for nursing ini-
tiatives, while creating opportunities to improve clinical care, promote interdisciplinary research, enhance the training and education of nurses, and support novel scholarshiprelated activities.
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Figure 3. Healthy work environment resource tool, continued. Reprinted with permission from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
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Environments. Aliso Viejo, CA: American Association of Critical Care Nurses; 2005. http://www.aacn.org/ WD/HWE/Docs/ExecSum.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2012. 6. Brewer EW, Achilles C. Finding Funding: Grant Writing From Start to Finish. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press; 2007. 7. Johnson V. Grant Writing 101: Everything You Need to Start Raising Funds Today. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill: 2011. 8. Holtzclaw B, Kenner C, Walden M. Grant Writing Handbook for Nurses. Washington, DC: American Nurses Association; 2008.
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