PROUD SUPPORTER
1. BACKGROUND & PROGRAM INFORMATION
The QEII Patient Essentials Grant was created in 2021 by the QEII Foundation to provide funding that supports patients with urgent, essential needs during their care journey. The QEII Foundation recognizes that often, healthcare is not a one-time appointment for care but can span a long time for patients and families. During this time, patients may face more urgent needs that require immediate support in areas like pharmacy, transportation, and grocery or nutrition needs.
Through the QEII Patient Essentials Grant, healthcare staff at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and Nova Scotia community-based adult programs, will receive gift cards to distribute to patients who need it the most, with no delay in application processing.
As a registered charity, we rely on the generosity of our donors to fund these grants. All applicants and patients supported will be asked to share their feedback to support program improvements.
PROGRAM & PATIENT CARE PRIORITIES
The QEII Patient Essentials Grant prioritizes requests that respond to urgent and immediate needs that directly affect a patient’s ability to access and continue their care journey with dignity. We recognize that patients may face a range of barriers that can interrupt, delay or jeopardize their treatment.
We also value a deep understanding of the diverse needs that shape each patient’s experience, acknowledging that culture, language, accessibility requirements, identity, age, and rurality all play important roles in how care is accessed and experienced. We aim to support all patients receiving care and at times may prioritize the care areas for cancer, heart health, and mental health. Additional priority areas of care where prolonged treatment, financial strain, and systemic barriers can significantly impact well-being will also be considered. Finally, we prioritize applications that distribute gift cards in thoughtful, patient-centred way that meaningfully improve access to essential supports, strengthen dignity and choice, and contribute positively to a patient’s overall health and quality of life.
GIFT CARD TYPES
- Pharmacy/Personal care cards: convenient for replenishing needed toiletries and assistive devices, vital pharmacy retailers offer families multiple means of comfort for those late nights away from home or quick stops between appointments.
- Fuel cards: transportation expenses may be a significant cost for patients and families as they travel frequently throughout their care journey, whether to the QEII or to eligible community-based healthcare programs across Nova Scotia and beyond.
- Grocery cards: often patients have special dietary needs during their treatment and care, and families may struggle to afford those special diets. These nutritional limitations impact their recovery and overall well-being.
2. ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Eligible applicants include healthcare providers employed by Nova Scotia Health who work at the QEII Health Sciences Centre or in a community-based adult program in Nova Scotia. Applicants must use their @nshealth email address to submit a grant application.
Healthcare providers may include and are not limited to: case manager, social worker, nurse, nurse assistant, health services manager, physician, oncologist, therapist, counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, navigator, program administrator, dietician, physiotherapist, etc.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre campus includes the Bethune building, Camp Hill Veterans Memorial building, Centennial building, Charles V. Keating Emergency & Trauma Centre, Dickson building, Halifax Infirmary, Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre, Victoria building, Abbie. J. Lane, and the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre.
Nova Scotia community-based programs that are not supported by another foundation are eligible to apply. To ensure eligibility, please contact the grant officer at [email protected] before applying.
A manager or director’s signature will be required to sign off on the grant application upon submission for the application to be considered. Their involvement helps to ensure alignment within the department and avoid duplication of applications from the same department.
RECENT ADDITIONS
Successful applicants must pick up the grant package before the next grant allocation. If packages are not collected by this deadline, the application will be forfeited in accordance with our stewardship obligations. This ensures timely use of resources and equitable access for all applicants and patients.
Impact report and tracking forms will be submitted to [email protected].
FUNDING DETAILS & STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENTS
Grants are provided as gift cards in multiples of $50, up to a total value of $1,000 (20 gift cards x $50 or a combination totaling $1,000). The QEII Foundation will determine the retail partners. There is currently a grant limit of one $1,000 grant per eligible applicant per application period. The impact report and tracking form from any previous grant must be received before a subsequent grant application is eligible for funding.
As a registered charity, we are accountable to our donors and the regulations enforced by the Canada Revenue Agency. Therefore, all grant recipients must agree to become registered volunteers of the QEII Foundation and must agree to meet financial and stewardship obligations over the gift cards.
Each grant recipient will be required to ensure safekeeping of the gift cards and will be required to submit a short impact report and tracking form, included with the gift card package, to the QEII Foundation. This includes maintaining a list of gift card recipients who have received a gift card and returning the list and impact report form to the QEII Foundation by email to [email protected].
3. TIMELINE
Call for submissions will be made quarterly in 2026-2027 in April, July, October and January via:
- Network-wide email to Nova Scotia Health employees
- NS Health newsletter
- QEII Foundation Website
Application periods will be open for two weeks.
Adjudication of grant requests will take place in the four weeks following the deadline.
Grant decisions will be distributed to all applicants via email through Survey Monkey Apply.
Successful applicants will be notified when packages are ready.
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
Melissa Sullivan
Grant Officer, QEII Foundation
Phone: 902 430 0467
Email: [email protected]
5. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Click on each of the questions below to find the answer:
QEII Patient Essentials Grant Program Q2/2026
PROUD SUPPORTER
1. BACKGROUND & PROGRAM INFORMATION
The QEII Patient Essentials Grant was created in 2021 by the QEII Foundation to provide funding that supports patients with urgent, essential needs during their care journey. The QEII Foundation recognizes that often, healthcare is not a one-time appointment for care but can span a long time for patients and families. During this time, patients may face more urgent needs that require immediate support in areas like pharmacy, transportation, and grocery or nutrition needs.
Through the QEII Patient Essentials Grant, healthcare staff at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and Nova Scotia community-based adult programs, will receive gift cards to distribute to patients who need it the most, with no delay in application processing.
As a registered charity, we rely on the generosity of our donors to fund these grants. All applicants and patients supported will be asked to share their feedback to support program improvements.
PROGRAM & PATIENT CARE PRIORITIES
The QEII Patient Essentials Grant prioritizes requests that respond to urgent and immediate needs that directly affect a patient’s ability to access and continue their care journey with dignity. We recognize that patients may face a range of barriers that can interrupt, delay or jeopardize their treatment.
We also value a deep understanding of the diverse needs that shape each patient’s experience, acknowledging that culture, language, accessibility requirements, identity, age, and rurality all play important roles in how care is accessed and experienced. We aim to support all patients receiving care and at times may prioritize the care areas for cancer, heart health, and mental health. Additional priority areas of care where prolonged treatment, financial strain, and systemic barriers can significantly impact well-being will also be considered. Finally, we prioritize applications that distribute gift cards in thoughtful, patient-centred way that meaningfully improve access to essential supports, strengthen dignity and choice, and contribute positively to a patient’s overall health and quality of life.
GIFT CARD TYPES
- Pharmacy/Personal care cards: convenient for replenishing needed toiletries and assistive devices, vital pharmacy retailers offer families multiple means of comfort for those late nights away from home or quick stops between appointments.
- Fuel cards: transportation expenses may be a significant cost for patients and families as they travel frequently throughout their care journey, whether to the QEII or to eligible community-based healthcare programs across Nova Scotia and beyond.
- Grocery cards: often patients have special dietary needs during their treatment and care, and families may struggle to afford those special diets. These nutritional limitations impact their recovery and overall well-being.
2. ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Eligible applicants include healthcare providers employed by Nova Scotia Health who work at the QEII Health Sciences Centre or in a community-based adult program in Nova Scotia. Applicants must use their @nshealth email address to submit a grant application.
Healthcare providers may include and are not limited to: case manager, social worker, nurse, nurse assistant, health services manager, physician, oncologist, therapist, counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, navigator, program administrator, dietician, physiotherapist, etc.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre campus includes the Bethune building, Camp Hill Veterans Memorial building, Centennial building, Charles V. Keating Emergency & Trauma Centre, Dickson building, Halifax Infirmary, Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre, Victoria building, Abbie. J. Lane, and the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre.
Nova Scotia community-based programs that are not supported by another foundation are eligible to apply. To ensure eligibility, please contact the grant officer at [email protected] before applying.
A manager or director’s signature will be required to sign off on the grant application upon submission for the application to be considered. Their involvement helps to ensure alignment within the department and avoid duplication of applications from the same department.
RECENT ADDITIONS
Successful applicants must pick up the grant package before the next grant allocation. If packages are not collected by this deadline, the application will be forfeited in accordance with our stewardship obligations. This ensures timely use of resources and equitable access for all applicants and patients.
Impact report and tracking forms will be submitted to [email protected].
FUNDING DETAILS & STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENTS
Grants are provided as gift cards in multiples of $50, up to a total value of $1,000 (20 gift cards x $50 or a combination totaling $1,000). The QEII Foundation will determine the retail partners. There is currently a grant limit of one $1,000 grant per eligible applicant per application period. The impact report and tracking form from any previous grant must be received before a subsequent grant application is eligible for funding.
As a registered charity, we are accountable to our donors and the regulations enforced by the Canada Revenue Agency. Therefore, all grant recipients must agree to become registered volunteers of the QEII Foundation and must agree to meet financial and stewardship obligations over the gift cards.
Each grant recipient will be required to ensure safekeeping of the gift cards and will be required to submit a short impact report and tracking form, included with the gift card package, to the QEII Foundation. This includes maintaining a list of gift card recipients who have received a gift card and returning the list and impact report form to the QEII Foundation by email to [email protected].
3. TIMELINE
Call for submissions will be made quarterly in 2026-2027 in April, July, October and January via:
- Network-wide email to Nova Scotia Health employees
- NS Health newsletter
- QEII Foundation Website
Application periods will be open for two weeks.
Adjudication of grant requests will take place in the four weeks following the deadline.
Grant decisions will be distributed to all applicants via email through Survey Monkey Apply.
Successful applicants will be notified when packages are ready.
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
Melissa Sullivan
Grant Officer, QEII Foundation
Phone: 902 430 0467
Email: [email protected]
5. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Click on each of the questions below to find the answer: