FAQ
Does the Alliance provide direct services?
The Brain Injury Alliance does not provide direct services. There are brain injury associations throughout the Province that you can contact for more information about services and supports in your area. Most of these are listed on the Alliance Member Organizations page.
Health Authorities may provide services for people with brain injuries. Find your health authority by community
What is the Alliance, and when was it formed?
The Brain Injury Alliance is a province wide organization in British Columbia composed of individuals and organizations working together for the improvement of the quality of life for people with brain injury and their families.
The Alliance was formed in 2014 to correct a serious health funding disparity that caused a dramatic reduction in the quantity, and quality, of charitable community non-profit brain injury services in British Columbia.
The Brain Injury Alliance has only two functions; the acquisition of funding to support community non-profit brain injury associations and groups, and to provide Government with an unbiased peer driven mechanism for accountable funding disbursement.
Where does the Alliance get its funding?
Since 2015, the Brain Injury Alliance has addressed the funding disparity to non-profit brain injury service agencies with the assistance of grants from the Province. These grants, established the Brain Injury Fund (BIF) to help support brain injury societies across the province.
In 2015, The Alliance was also charged with overseeing and distributing the funds from a $1,000,000 endowment in the name of the late Dr. Gur Singh, a noted neurosurgeon and a dedicated advocate for people who have suffered a brain injury.
The Alliance also accepts accepts donations, bequeaths and other sources of funding for distribution to the brain injury community of British Columbia. However, as the Alliance is not a registered charity; it is unable to provide charitable tax receipts.
Who can join the Alliance?
The Alliance membership is limited to eligible charitable community brain injury associations in British Columbia. Individuals are not eligible for membership in the Brain Injury Alliance.
As an individual, can I apply for a grant directly from the Brain Injury Alliance?
No. If you require assistance for educational or employment related training, you may quality for a Dr. Gur Singh Memorial Education Grant. Please contact a brain injury association near you, who will apply for a grant on your behalf if you qualify. If you are not aware of services near you, please let us know where you are located, and we will inform you of whom to contact in your area.
What grants are currently available through the Brain Injury Alliance?
Currently three grants are available; Brain Injury Alliance Community Program Grants, and Dr. Gur Singh Memorial Education Grants for individuals and organizations. Full details about the current grant opportunities are available on this website.
My organization includes services to people who are living with a variety of disabilities, and some also have a brain injury. Can we apply for a Brain Injury Alliance grant?
No. At present, Alliance funds are available only to registered non-profit brain injury associations with registered charity status, whose programs are designed for, and utilized primarily by, people who are living with an acquired brain injury. However, your organization may eligible to apply for a Dr. Gur Singh Memorial Education Grant.
Can we just print out the applications, fill them out, sign them, then mail or fax them to the Brain Injury Alliance?
No. The Brain Injury Alliance does not have a physical address or fax. Please follow the detailed instructions on how to submit your completed applications to the Brain Injury Alliance.
How much money can we apply for?
The allocation of the funds is based on many factors, including, but not limited to:
- The area served
- The regional or community population
- The other services that are available for people with brain injury in your community or region
- The capacity and stability of the applicant organization
- The number, size, etc. of the communities being served
- The services that are currently being provided
- The number of unique individuals receiving services
- The plan as outlined in the proposal
Please note that there is no limit to funds applied for, but it is recommended to think of the “median” grant as being $50,000. If you are part of a tiny organization in a small community, it may be advisable to apply for less than the median. If your organization has “satellites” in 4 or 5 communities, or if you live in a huge community, you might choose to ask for more than the median. If you provide only one service, and that’s all that your community needs, it is suggested that you apply for an amount that realistically reflects your needs.
Does the grant have to be used to fund actual services?
No. The Alliance recognizes that your existing funders might place strict rules on what you can spend your money on. So, be honest about your needs, provide research, and prove your point. However, if your existing funding will only pay for hard services, but won’t allow you to use “their” money to keep the lights on, you might be really struggling. Ask for money to help pay the rent and the utilities, etc., if that is best for your organization and the people you serve.
Can we apply for funding for multiple programs.
Absolutely.
Can we apply for funding to increase staff wages?
Possibly, but make your case carefully. If you just say you want $10,000 to increase staff wages, and don’t provide any other information, you will not be successful in your request. Justify your application.
Can we apply for funding for staff training?
Possibly, but you will need to make a strong case as to how the funding will benefit your clients, and tell us why you are not hiring people who already have the skills you need.
Can we request funding for client recreation activities?
Possibly, but you are more likely to be successful if you apply for funds to build or improve ‘hard’ services, such as case management, education and support groups.
Can we apply for funding for injury prevention?
Yes. The Alliance considers injury prevention a really important service provided by community brain injury programs.
We are writing our proposal for a community program grant, but time is running out, and we have questions that need answers fast! How can we get our questions answered?
Email us and we will respond as quickly as possible. Regardless, you MUST GET YOUR APPLICATION IN ON TIME. However, depending on the issue, the Alliance may permit some amendments to a proposal after the deadline.
How do I contact the Brain Injury Alliance?
The Brain Injury Alliance does not have a telephone number or physical address. To contact the Brain Injury Alliance, please email us.
Glossary of Terms
- UNIQUE: refers to a single individual with an acquired brain injury who is listed as a user of the applicant’s services. Though many brain injury service providers consider family members as clients or users of service in their own right, in this proposal the word INDIVIDUAL or the word UNIQUE will refer ONLY to the individual living with the acquired brain injury.
- PRIMARY INJURY: refers to the injury that has resulted in significant disruption in the individual’s life and that the individual believes to be their most disabling. In many instances this is the first actual acquired brain injury however in many instances it is a second injury or even a third injury that alters the individual’s life path.
- CONTRACTED: a service where a third party payer is paying directly for that service to that unique individual. We anticipate that this may refer to contracts with ICBC, the health authority, WorkSafe etc. Note: one individual may receive some contracted services in addition to services that are available to all of the individuals served by the organization.
- INDIVIDUAL SERVICES: any service provided to one unique individual or on behalf of one individual at any one time. This includes services to family members, employer of a unique individual; services can include case management, life skills, community support work.
- GROUP SERVICES: includes any service that is intended to serve groups of three or more individuals who are living with an acquired brain injury, even if on some occasions fewer than three individuals are actually participating. Note that support groups are not listed as a discrete event; some support groups will fit into the “education event” category while others will fall into the ‘social event’ category.
- Education events: where the intention of the event is educational. Some support groups will fall into this category of service.
- Training events: where the intention is to teach practical life skills or employment related skills. (cooking, etc.)
- Social: where the intention of the event is social and/or recreational. Events such as pot-lucks, parties, bowling events etc. Some support groups will fall into this category of service.
- COMMUNITY EDUCATION: events that are intended to teach groups of community members about brain injury and its effects.
- INJURY PREVENTION: events that are intended to teach groups of community members (including school children) strategies to prevent injury.
- COMMUNITY-LED: for all purposes related to the Alliance this term refers to organizations that have a board of directors and management that resides in and operates out of the community where services are provided. (note that in some cases the organization may also offer services in nearby communities)