This fund has been established by the Medical Staff to support the continuing education of GBMC Allied Professionals. It is dependent upon physician's donations via their dues or other individual contributions.

A. Criteria for Eligibility

• The applicant must be an Allied Health Professional with a minimum of one year's service to GBMC by the date of the conference. 
• The applicant must be attending a nationally recognized conference or convention applicable to their job description.
• The applicant must have met the Standard (3) on the last Performance Based Evaluation.
• An applicant, who requires attendance at a conference as the only means of attaining Certification, will be awarded over the other applications.

B. Application Process

• Applications are available in the Department Office.
• The form is to be completed in its entirety and submitted along with a copy of the conference brochure.
• The Allied health Professional will respond on the application with a proposal for financial self-support for attendance at the conference.
• Materials must be received prior to one of the committee meeting dates. Applications will be reviewed three times per year: February 28th, June 30th and September 30th.
• A contract will be made between the applicant and the Department stating the specific method of information sharing to be completed by the applicant on return from the conference.

C. Granting of Funds

• A recipient may receive funding only once in the fiscal year July to July.
• Monies will be granted for registration and/or travel and/or lodging with a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500) per person per conference.
• Monies will be granted prospectively, when possible, with the understanding that the monies will be returned if the Allied Health Professional does not attend the conference. There is a disclosure on the application stating that the department has the right to deduct a minimum of twenty dollars ($20.00) per week from the Allied Health professional?s payroll check until full reimbursement is made.
• Monies will be awarded contingent upon funds available.

D. Notification Process

• After the review, the Department will notify applicants of the decision and of the amount of the award.
• Checks will be issued by the Department.

E. Recipient's Responsibility Within 30 days after returning from the conference, the recipient must submit:

• A complete report of use of Educational Fund;
• A copy of the CEU certificate;
• Copies of receipts for expenses covered by the award; and,
• Report of mechanism for information sharing conducted by recipient with validation (signature of PDC rep., Clinical Manager, or attendee at presentation are examples).
• Failure to include validation by witness or manager will exclude Allied Heath Professional from future eligibility for an award.