Comfort & Care Grant Guidelines

The QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grant program was established in 2005 to provide funding to enhance health care for Nova Scotia patients and their families. Comfort & Care grants are intended for projects that typically would not receive funding through operating or capital budgets.

Each year, QEII Foundation donors provide $100,000 for eligible Comfort & Care grants. The call for applications typically takes place in April and provides grants of up to $5,000 (excluding tax, installation and shipping) in the areas of:

• Patient comforts
• Patient/family furnishings
• Patient/family education
• Patient recreation/activities

The QEII Foundation has provided over $2.25M in funding for various initiatives since the inception of the grant.   

ELIGIBILITY

• An employee of Nova Scotia Health (NSH) and 
• Works at the QEII Health Sciences Centre or
• A community-based adult/senior program, clinic or location within Nova Scotia

Current community-based programs, clinics, or locations associated with a privately owned/for profit health care centre or a Foundation are ineligible for a QEII Comfort & Care grant. If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact the QEII Foundation Grant Officer:

Melissa Sullivan
Phone: 902 430 0467
Email: [email protected]
www.QE2Foundation.ca

KEY DATES & TIMELINES

• Call for submissions – Monday, June 1, 2026 via:
  • Network-wide email to NSH Central Zone staff
  • NSH Newsletter
  • QEII Foundation Website
• Deadline for submissions – midnight, Monday, July 27, 2026
• Adjudication committee meeting for application approval – September 2026
• Grant decision letters distributed to all applicants via email – September 2026
• Grant awards posted on the QEII Foundation website – October 2026

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will only be accepted electronically by visiting apply.QE2Foundation.ca beginning Monday, June 1, 2026 with a deadline of midnight Monday, July 27, 2026.

Visit the application website to register for an account or log in to a previously created account.  Only applicants with a @nshealth.ca email addresses will be accepted.

The Application is broken up into key sections:

• Contact Information
• Application Summary Information
• Project Details
• Budget & Vendor Quote (Mandatory) 

• Approval from Director or Health Services Manager 

To submit the application, each section must be marked as complete. By completing all sections prior to approval from your Director or Health Services Manager, the application will be automatically submitted, and the applicant will receive a confirmation email.  If you do not receive the confirmation email your application has not been completed.

NS HEALTH PROCUREMENT PROCESS 

Some commonly requested items will not require an initial quote to be included in the application.  However, a new quote must be obtained from an approved vendor if the grant is awarded before placing the order for the item with Nova Scotia Health procurement.

• Blanket Warmer – small: $4,800
• Blanket Warmer – large: $5,224
• iPad and case:  $1,337

Guidelines for Prices – NS Health Procurement

All other items require a standard quote from an appropriate Nova Scotia Health approved vendor. Contact Nova Scotia Health procurement for direction on approved vendors: [email protected].

APPLICATION EVALUATION   

Grant eligibility will initially be determined by the Grant Officer in accordance with the Comfort & Care guidelines and the QEII Foundation’s mission and values. Grants will be awarded for projects that demonstrate direct benefit or enhancement of care to patients and/or families within Nova Scotia. All eligible grants will be reviewed and scored by the Adjudication Committee while considering the following questions:

• Will funding this project make a positive impact on the QEII or community patients and/or their families? 

• How many people will be affected by this project? 

• Is there urgency to this project? 

• Does this request have other sources of funds available?   

• Is the project fundamental to patient care, in which case, should it be funded by a different health care operating or capital budget? i.e. operational in nature 

• Will there be clear outcomes if this project is funded? 

• Is this project appropriate for partial funding if the total request cannot be granted? 

• Has the submission been presented in a clear and concise manner? 

• Is the submission complete, with all necessary information provided? 

• Have mandatory quotes been included except for pre-approved items? 

INELIGIBLE ITEMS

• Electronics
  • Computers, including service connection fees/charges; internet sticks; gaming systems; smart watches as these items are hard to secure in the care area
  • Televisions that require cable connection due to Nova Scotia Health’s compatibility and installation directives. However, applications will be considered for televisions that have an educational need and do not require a cable connection
  • DVD players cannot be approved for patient rooms due to connection compatibility – consideration will only be given for Family Rooms or Clinics
• Operational
  • Operational equipment including scales, examination tables/lights, stretchers, geriatric chairs, commodes, pressure pumps, air-conditioning, privacy curtains, cork bulletin boards (consideration will be given to white boards for patients), wheelchairs
  • Ice machines may be considered if location and connection to water and electrical service are outlined in the application
• Memberships & Subscriptions
  • Renewable or ongoing costs including registration fees, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, tv/video streaming services, music/podcast apps, etc.
• Renovations & Décor
  • Structural items including window coverings, room painting, flooring or floor repair as these items would include involvement of maintenance
  • Décor items including artwork and plants as they require approval and cleaning services
• Financial Assistance
  • Operating funds, research projects, honorariums 
  • Financial assistance for patient support, including transportation. Please refer to the QEII Patient Essentials grant
  • Workshops, related materials, compensation to facilitators or staff; educational video proposals, staff education or replacement costs
• Other
  • Interpreter on Wheels (IOW)
  • Broda and glider chairs
  • Sara Stedy and safety items (ie: grab bars)
  • Clothing, including volunteer attire
  • Fridge/freezer for family waiting room
  • Children’s items
  • Vein finder 
  • Refreshments

ACCESS & ALLOCATION OF AWARDED FUNDS

• All applicants will be notified via email by the QEII Foundation (add [email protected] to your safe senders list to ensure emails are not rerouted to a Junk folder)
• The QEII Foundation will fund the applicable HST, shipping and setup costs.
• All purchase requests using a Comfort & Care grant must be directed to Nova Scotia Health procurement and follow standard purchasing procedures. Purchasing procedure information will be provided with grant award letters
• All Comfort & Care grants must be accessed by March 1, 2027 and provide an impact report to [email protected]
• All unused grants will be returned to the QEII Foundation