Overview

To assist chapters in pursuing extraordinary state public policy initiatives that are aligned with ACEP’s national priorities, ACEP has established a budgeted state public policy grant program.  This program allocates up to $50,000 annually to chapters that meet strict criteria and demonstrate a significant commitment to pursuing an exceptional effort to enact state policy changes that are highly meaningful to emergency medicine.

The maximum amount of grant funds available for any single state public policy initiative can not exceed one-fourth of the total amount budgeted for this program in that fiscal year. To qualify for this program, chapters must commit their own funds and/or other resources, amounting to a dollar-for-dollar match of the funds being requested from ACEP, as described in the criteria below. 

In addition to supporting extraordinary public policy efforts initiated by state chapters, this program may also be utilized by ACEP to initiate and support exceptional multi-chapter efforts to pursue significant public policy initiatives identified by the Board of Directors. 

Procedures

Chapters interested in applying for state public policy grant funds through this program must submit a written request to ACEP, providing the information described in the state public policy grant program criteria. 

All grant requests should be submitted to the Chapter and State Relations Department at ACEP.   This department will maintain copies of the State Public Policy Grant Application form which can be used by chapters to assist them in developing a grant application.

All requests for state public policy grants will be reviewed by the State Legislative/Regulatory Committee.  The committee will provide a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether a grant request should be approved.  The committee’s recommendation will be based on the criteria established for the grant program and the amount of funds available in the program. The Board of Directors will make the final decision on all state public policy grant requests.

Chapter applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis in each fiscal year. If all budgeted funds are allocated at any point during the fiscal year, no additional grant requests can be approved during that fiscal year.

In the event the ACEP Board of Directors authorizes funding from this program to support an exceptional multi-state effort identified by the Board, ACEP will establish criteria and guidelines specific to the project and distribute funds to relevant state chapters to support the identified effort, pursuant to the chapters’ agreement to utilize the funds in the manner prescribed by the Board. 

Criteria

• Grants will only be awarded for state public policy efforts that are aligned with a national ACEP priority objective.

• Grants will only be awarded for extraordinary public policy efforts undertaken by a chapter that exceed the scope of typical advocacy activities (such as lobbying, PAC fundraising, support for state candidates, etc.) and that would significantly enhance the emergency medicine environment in the state or advance a national ACEP public policy objective/initiative.

• Grants will only be awarded to those chapters that demonstrate a significant chapter and member commitment to the public policy effort.  This commitment must include at least a dollar-for-dollar match of chapter funds to the grant amount being sought from ACEP, or the chapter may provide a substantial amount of in-kind services to support the project.  The estimated value of these in-kind services (which may include staff and volunteer time specifically dedicated to the grant project, as well as other project-related materials and services) should reasonably correspond with the amount of unmatched grant funds requested from ACEP.  

• Individual chapter grants may not exceed one-fourth of the total amount budgeted for this program in any fiscal year. Grants may be awarded to the same chapter for the same project in subsequent years, but only if the chapter can demonstrate that progress was made on the project as a result of the previous grant and that there is a reasonable chance that a subsequent grant could result in the successful completion and fulfillment of the original goals of the project.

• Chapters must demonstrate that grants from ACEP would have no taxable impact on ACEP and would comply with all applicable legal requirements.

• Grants cannot be provided to chapter PACs. 

• Chapters seeking grants must submit a request in writing outlining the project and detailing how the request meets all the criteria established in this program.  Chapters may use the State Public Policy Grant Application form in preparing their submission.

• Grant requests must include:

• • a detailed breakdown of how grant funds would be spent.
  • a description of the public policy effort, including strategies, tactics, allies, adversaries, and the political climate as it applies to the possible success of the effort.
  • information on other organizations (if any) involved in the advocacy effort and the level of commitment provided by those organizations.

• Grant requests will be reviewed by the State Legislative/Regulatory Committee which will provide a recommendation to the Board of Directors.  The committee will develop its recommendation based on the criteria established for this program and the availability of funds budgeted for the program.  The Board of Directors will make the final decision on all state public policy grant requests.

• All grant requests should be submitted to the Chapter and State Relations Department at ACEP.

• Successful grant awardees are expected to provide the State Legislative/Regulatory Committee with updates at least every six months on the progress of their project.  At the completion of the project, awardees should provide a brief written summary of their grant project detailing results and any lessons learned, supply a copy of all work product related to the project, and summarize their project in a presentation to the State Legislative/Regulatory Committee at its meeting during Scientific Assembly or the Leadership and Advocacy Conference.

 ACEP State Public Policy Grant Application