What if, why not? As you go through your day in a clinic, serving at a pro bono clinic or non-profit, learning in or out of the classroom, caring for your children, travelling the world, working in an office, or walking the streets, have you ever thought what if or changed a why to a why not? These questions spark amazing, out-of-the-box ideas that turn into outstanding innovations for a healthier world one rippling touchpoint and thought at a time.
But, there are no buts here only possibilities to actualize good innovative ideas for access to care. The Move Together Pro Bono Incubator (PBI) program provides three core avenues of support to help your what if, why not to increase the quality and access to care become a reality.
The what if, why not has forward momentum with a mission, vision, plan, and budget and is in need of funding. Move Together has annual grant funds available to support a variety of pro bono clinic/program innovations offering an increase in access and quality of care within the United States. The grant cycle runs July to June with applications open in March and April. The current application process concludes on April 30, 2018, with a total of $10,000 being granted for the 2018-2019 grant cycle. You can download the application here and learn more about the grant timeline on the Pro Bono Incubator page.
Are you unsure of the readiness to apply for grant funding? Are you just getting started and looking for guidance on conceptualizing the idea? Do you already have a functioning clinic/program but struggling with staffing, finances, etc.? Would you like to enhance or expand a clinic/program and want some feedback and insight from a fellow passionate pro bono mentor? The PBI program offers mentorship with a diverse pool of passionate mentors to guide in actualizing your what if, why not so hesitate no longer and take that intentional step to be connected with a Move Together PBI Mentor.
Not sure where to start or looking for some additional resources, information, and ideas. Then look no further than the Move Together Pro Bono Playbook, a guide to enhance your knowledge about the multiple facets of developing and sustaining a pro bono clinic/program. No matter if you are just starting, in the implementation phase, or already part of a clinic/program, the Playbook offers insights and resources applicable to all phases and triggers new what if, why not ideas. Topics include but are not limited to logistics, leadership personnel, legal matters, and finances. The Playbook provides models of pro bono clinics as well as pro bono resources and references.
Every good idea to promote access to rehabilitative care deserves to be pursued and supported no matter how out-of-the-box it may seem. And that is how the Move Together Pro Bono Incubator supports the what if, why not to actualization. Therefore, the PBI Mentor pool is rich in diversity of experiences from university pro bono clinics to community programming and from recent graduates to highly experienced rehabilitation specialists. PBI grant recipients exemplify a variety of new approaches and creative innovations and represent a multitude of rehabilitation programs and needs. The 2017-2018 grant cycle funded six innovative programs, and we are excited to fund another group of creative and brilliant programs for 2018-2019.
A quick glance at some of the 2017-2018 PBI Grant Recipients:
What if, instead of prescribing opioids for pain management, we provide awareness of the impacts of opioid use and present alternative pain management techniques; thus, the development of No Opioid-use through Education (NOPE) program by the Briar Cliff University Physical Therapy students, alongside a multi-disciplinary team of PTs, educators, researchers, pharmacists, and yoga instructors. They are now recruiting participants in Sioux City, Iowa area to partake in NOPE.
Why not, people with neurological conditions often struggle to re-engage with the community or feel confident to step back out into the world; thus, Destination Rehab developed a 10-person cohort with neurologic conditions. The cohort participates in group activities and reflection meetings to not only experience the world around them but be encouraged and supported by others with similar conditions, family, and friends. They engage in the community, and these community experiences open doors to collaborative community initiatives and increase awareness and access to activities for neurologically challenged individuals. For example, people participate in a local painting class and learn about posture or work on balance as they walk through the park or over a bridge.
To increase quality and access to rehabilitation services facilities need equipment to provide services and also show patients how to use things at home to continue therapy after leaving the clinic walls. Therefore, the 2017-2018 grant funds helped support a variety of organizations to increase access and quality to care through equipment funding.
No buts and no time to pause! It is time to take intentional action on making your what if, why not a reality like these folks. Download the application, reach out to Ciara for mentorship, review the Pro Bono Playbook, and start completing the process for funding and networking with the Move Together Pro Bono community.
Ideas are just ideas until action is taken and action leads to rippling impacts. Just take a look at PT Day of Service that started with a what if and now transcends the PT profession for a local impact for a global effect with engagement from all 50 states and 55 countries in 2017.
If you have any questions about the grant application or would like to be connected with a mentor to assist in the application process or support to actualize the innovation funded or not, reach out to PBI Director, Ciara Burgi. We cannot wait to hear, learn, assist, and see your what if, why not innovations become a reality for healthy movement for healthier communities!