The Scholarly Activity Scholarship Program (SASP)

A dedicated funding stream covering conference presentation and attendance, publication support, research support costs, abstract fees and educational presentations, at up to $5,000 per member per cycle. The eligible-cost schedule, the requirement to declare alternative funding, the PLSP sole-source caveat, the postactivity report and the approval route are set out below.

Eligible Activities and Fundable Costs

• Conference presentation – Registration fees; economy airfare or ground transportation; accommodation (up to four nights); per diem meals; poster printing
• Conference attendance as speaker or invited panellist – Registration fees; economy airfare; accommodation; speaker preparation costs
• Publication support – Article processing charges for open-access publication; page fees for peer-reviewed journals; professional medical illustration or figure preparation; statistical analysis support
• Research and project support – Research assistant or coordinator wages (time-limited); ethics application fees; survey platform fees; transcription services; data analysis software
• Abstract submission – Abstract submission fees to peer-reviewed conferences or symposia
• Educational presentation – Out-of-pocket costs for invited presentations at regional or national education events, including CME sessions and grand rounds at other institutions

Award Parameters

• Maximum $5,000 CAD per applicant per funding cycle. A member may be funded for more than one activity within a cycle provided the total does not exceed the cap.
• Awards are subject to the availability of departmental funds, and the overall programme budget may be adjusted at the start of each fiscal year.
• Partial awards may be granted at the discretion of the approving authority.
• Applicants must be the primary author, co-investigator or lead presenter of the qualifying activity.

Member Eligibility

• Membership – Member must be in good standing (privileged member or credentialed medical provider)
• Relevance – Project addresses needs of VCH and the health system (embedded research)
• Activity Type – Research, evaluation, QI and innovation projects
• Other Funding – Eligible where the specific clinical time or activity is not yet funded from a source external to the Department.