Background
The Nurse Innovator Award (NIA) was conceived by the RNFOO Honorary Life Members to design and build a mechanism to enable, encourage, support and celebrate nursing innovation. The initial fundraising campaign recruited:
- 124 Founding Donors, each of whom have pledged $2,500 over five years.
- 11 Friends and Supporters who generously contributed to the Nurse Innovator Award.
The award is for Ontario nurses with new and original ideas, methods, programs and/or services who can access financial support to create the changes they imagine. For this final year of this award, nurses who are either employed in organizations or who are in independent practice are encouraged to apply.
Innovation is defined as an idea that has not been tried before and one that will enhance nursing practice, nursing education, nursing work/life, and/or the patient experience and ultimately contribute directly or indirectly to the health of Ontarians.
To date, the NIA Committee has distributed $282,000 to innovative nurses in Ontario. Winners from previous years can be found through the NIA link in the Awards dropdown Menu, and clicking on the years that appear in the right sidebar.
For 2023, there is approximately $90,000 in total available funds to enable, encourage, support and celebrate nursing innovation. No one award will exceed $50,000 and every attempt will be made to fund at least one award in each category (employed and independent practice).
Existing Applicants
2023 Application Process
Applicants for the awards must be an RN, RPN, or NP currently registered in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and living or working in Ontario.
Applicants must choose only one category in which to apply: either the nurses employed in organizations or nurses in independent practice category (see details below). Based on this choice, you will be offered the appropriate pages on the form to complete.
There is a $30 non-refundable application fee.
It is expected that the innovation will be completed within twelve months of the winner receiving funding.
The RNFOO website will open for applications on April 3, 2023 and completed applications must be received no later than 5PM on June 5, 2023. Winner(s) will be notified no later than the end of September and should be prepared to attend the NIA reception to be held in person on November 7, 2023, in Toronto.
Awards will be distributed after the reception pending receipt of the signed agreement that will be provided by the RNFOO
Successful applicants will be required to provide a progress report (3-page maximum) six months after the commencement of the project and a final report (5-page maximum) upon completion.
RNFOO Nurse Innovator Award funding must be acknowledged in any publications or presentations that results from the innovation.
For further information about the application process, please contact Heather Jones.
Nurses Employed by Organizations
A webinar was held on March 13 for nurses employed in organizations who are interested in applying for a Nurse Innovator Award. The webinar was recorded and will be available to applicants soon.
There is a 2-step process for applicants:
STEP 1
In addition to basic contact information, and CNO Registration number, applicants must submit:
i) A letter of intent (3 page maximum) that must include:
- a title that clearly defines the innovation (maximum 10 words)
- a clear description of the uniqueness of the innovation
- the issue/gap in the system the innovation addresses including relevant background
- anticipated impact on nursing practice, nursing education, nursing work life, and/or directly or indirectly to the health of Ontarians
- target audience(s), stated aims, planned deliverables, and plan for implementation
ii) An abbreviated résumé (2-page maximum) that focuses on professional experiences, positions, education, and other pertinent information that is relevant to the focus of the application. In the event of a team application, a combined 2-page summary resume is required.
iii) Two supporting letters from people who can attest to the value and potential of the innovation and the applicant’s ability to execute the innovation.
Applications must be marked complete and submitted by June 5, 2023. Complete applications will be reviewed, and a short-list will proceed to the second step.
STEP 2
Applicants selected to go forward from Step 1 will be notified no later than the end of June. Short-listed applicants are asked to provide additional written information including the following:
i) A synopsis (50-word abstract) of the innovation
ii) Detailed outcomes, timeline, and specific deliverables for 2024 (2-page limit)
iii) What you will do to evaluate the project and disseminate the results of the innovation to others
iv) A detailed statement of funds requested including In-Kind funds provided by the organization where the innovation will be developed (download template).
v) A letter from an organizational sponsor who can champion the innovation, provide mentorship, and/or be a contact person for receipt of funds.
Short listed applicants from the Step 2 process will be invited to engage in a virtual question and answer session with reviewers.
In the event of similar reviews based on the overall application submission, consideration will be given to distributing opportunities to benefit from NIA funding geographically, and across different practice settings.
All Step 2 submissions are due by noon August 8, 2023
For further information about the application process, please contact Heather Jones or call 905-752-0700 ext 261.
Nurses in Independent Practice
If you are self-employed, and/or own or are in partnership in a business, you are eligible to apply in this category.
A webinar will be held on March 20, 2023 at 7 PM for applicants who wish to ask questions and seek clarification regarding the award and the application process. The webinar will be recorded and made available to applicants until the close of applications. Click here to view the recording.
There is a 2-step process for applicants:
STEP 1
In addition to basic contact information, and CNO Registration number, applicants must submit:
i) A proposal (3-page maximum) that must include:
- the purpose of the program and/or service and how it is innovative;
- a description of how the program and/or service directly or indirectly supports, provides or enables quality health care to Ontarians;
- how the program or service fills a current gap or unmet need;
- how that need was determined; and
- the amount of money you are seeking and a plan for how the funds will be specifically used. Your budget could include salaries, technical support, equipment and supplies, travel, etc.
ii) a current résumé (2–page maximum) that focuses on information relevant to the focus of the application.
iii) two supporting letters from people who can speak to the applicant’s potential and ability to achieve the stated goal(s). Referees should not be personal friends or family members. Complete applications will be reviewed, and a short-list of no more than 3 candidates will proceed to the second step.
Applications must be marked complete and submitted by June 5, 2023. Complete applications will be reviewed, and a short-list will proceed to the second step.
STEP 2
The applicants selected to go forward from Step One will be notified no later than mid-July and will be invited to meet with reviewers in virtual question-and-answer interviews of no more than 15 minutes, to be scheduled on August 10, 2023, beginning at 5PM.
In the meeting, reviewers will seek clarification and/or engage in further discussion about the applicant’s innovation and their potential to be successful in its implementation.
For further information about the application process, please contact Heather Jones or call 905-752-0700 ext 261.
