Education Research Award Policy

Purpose The purpose of the Education/Research Fund is to enhance the scholarship, clinical practice and research capabilities of Gerontological Nursing Association Ontario members of the province of Ontario.

Award There will be two yearly awards for financial assistance; one each in the categories of education and research. The awards in both categories are for the pursuit of educational or research initiatives directly related to gerontological nursing practice. The amount of the award will be decided upon at the discretion of the Provincial Board executive.

Eligibility Criteria To qualify to apply for the award the applicant will:
• Have a current GNAO membership and have been a GNAO member for a minimum of three (3) years within the last ten (10) years, including the year of application.
• Have a minimum of three (3) years professional experience in gerontological nursing
• Be participating in an educational or research activity relevant to knowledge and practice in the field of gerontological nursing

Educational Award Educational activities occurring at some point between September 1st and August 31st within the year of application will be considered for funding, such as:
• Certificate programs, Gerontological Nursing Certification Exam course work at a recognized college or university where the topic is related to gerontological
nursing practice

Research Award Research activities occurring at some point between September 1st and August 31st within the year of application will be considered for funding, such as:
• Pilot projects
• Research related to graduate studies
• Statistical analysis of previously acquired data sets
• Applied clinical research within work settings

Application Requirements Applicants will electronically submit the entire application comprised of:
• Completed Education/Research Award Application Form
• Current Resume/curriculum vitae, including educational background, professional nursing experience and professional /volunteer activities

For research award applications: a summary outlining the purpose, methods, subjects/population, ethical considerations, justified budget, letters of support and list of references (7 – 10 pages maximum).

For educational award applications: an essay outlining professional benefits of the educational endeavor (500 – 1000 words maximum). A copy of the course outline from an academic calendar or copy of the course, seminar, or workshop brochure, and proof of registration may be sent in the mail to:

• If using the PDF application provided, please print and fill out the form, then surface mail back to the GNAO address below.

Chair, Education and Research Award Committee
Gerontological Nursing Association Ontario
P.O. Box 368 Postal Station ‘K’
Toronto, Ontario M4P 2E0

Deadline for applications received – no later than September 1st of the year of application

Review Process The Provincial Board of the Gerontological Nursing Association Ontario will annually appoint a Chair to assemble a team of three (3) reviewers to assess the applications. In the case of the research awards, two (2) of the reviewers will be senior nurses who have a background in conducting research and the academic credential to evaluate research proposals. The Chair will prepare the applications in both categories for BLIND REVIEW. The Awards Committee will score each applicant based on the review criteria listed below. The Awards Committee will make recommendations to the Provincial Board executive on the applicants who should be the recipient of the awards. In keeping with its mandate to promote excellence in practice, education and research in gerontological nursing, the executive reserves the right to withhold making an award if there are no candidates evaluated as deserving.
Review Criteria – Education:
• Is the relevance of the educational initiative to the applicant’s professional practice clearly stated?
• Is the relevance of the educational initiative to the applicant’s individual professional development clearly stated?
• Is the educational initiative itself clearly described (course/workshop/seminar objectives)?
• Is there opportunity for evaluation of the educational initiative to demonstrate successful completion?
• Weighting will also be given to each applicant’s years of active GNAO membership, community organization membership positions, employment, committee membership positions, etc.
Review Criteria – Research:
• Is the relevance of the research proposal to gerontological nursing education, knowledge and/or practice clearly outlined?
• Are the goals of the proposal clear, realistic and relevant?
• Is the methodology sound and in keeping with the identified research question?
• Will the proposal pose possible ethical problems and if so, are these addressed adequately?
• Is there a reasonable budget?
• Is there a plan for dissemination of results?
• Weighting will also be given to each applicant’s years of active GNAO membership, community organization membership positions, employment, committee membership positions, etc.

Administration of Funds Once an applicant has been selected by the review process to be awarded an educational or research bursary, and either written confirmation of acceptance and registration in the approved course of study, or documented evidence of ethics approval has been received, the following will occur:
• The full amount of the award will be transferred to the successful applicant

Final Report A brief final report, summarizing the activities made possible by the fund and the results of those activities will be submitted, no later than three (3) months after the end of the program of study or completion of the research initiative, to the President, Gerontological Nursing Association Ontario, at admin.gna@gmail.com

Please note that scholarships and bursaries are subject to income tax.