Conditions of the Award

Financial Administration: University of Colorado Denver will make the Practice Change Fellows program award to the home institution on behalf of the Fellow. The total of each award is $90,000 ($45,000/year for two years). The award total includes Direct Costs, and may include Indirect Costs, not to exceed 10% of the Direct Costs. The first award disbursement will be made in September 2010 in the amount of $22,500. Subsequent disbursements will be made based on satisfactory progress reports and financial reports. The home institution is responsible for administering the funds in accordance with its prevailing procedures and policies, and the procedures and policies described on this website and in the PCF application brochure.
Use of Program Funding: Practice Change Fellows applicants must submit a line-item budget for approval. Practice Change Fellows may use funding to support:
  • Portions of their time devoted to participation in the Practice Change Fellows program including, but not limited to, the design and implementation of the proposed project and attendance at each of the tri-annual meetings.
  • Portions of time from individuals assisting in the design and implementation of the new aging-related program or geriatric service line. This might include an assistant to collect data, a data analyst, or an external consultant with expertise related to design and implementation of the new program.
  • Tuition and travel support to attend a local or national leadership-training program matched to the Practice Change Fellow's needs as articulated in the learning contract.
  • Other expenses, subject to approval by the National Program Office.
Travel to the tri-annual meetings will be covered by the National Program Office and does not need to be included in the proposed budget.
Institutional Commitment:

Practice Change Fellows' home institutions must commit to supporting the Fellow's participation in the program throughout the two-year appointment. Fellows are expected to dedicate approximately 20% of their full time effort to participating in Practice Change Fellows program activities and designing, implementing, and evaluating their new geriatric programs or service lines. Activities related to the Practice Change Fellow program and the Fellow's project are expected to be integrated within the Fellow's daily responsibilities and not viewed as an extraneous activity or an "add-on". Fellows are expected to remain full time at their current position throughout the two year program and are not expected to take time away from their home organizations, with the exception of attending the three annual meetings.

Home institutions will be expected to make a monetary or in-kind contribution, acknowledging that the Fellows' career development and project adds value to their respective organizations. The home institution's monetary or in-kind contribution is expected to amount to $45,000 over the two-year program.

The Practice Change Fellows program recognizes the funding that accompanies this award may or may not completely compensate the Fellow for his or her salary and benefits. Thus examples of in-kind support may include the home institution's contribution to covering the difference in costs to support the 20% full time equivalent salary and benefits, the time the Fellow's supervisor invests in helping design and execute the learning contract, the proposed project, and mentoring. Additional examples of in-kind support include the costs associated with data acquisition, consultation from local experts, and providing timely access to relevant clinical and financial data to support the design, implementation and evaluation of the new geriatric program or service line.

The National Program Office anticipates that between cash and in-kind contributions, Practice Change Fellows' home institutions will be able to meet this requirement without undue hardship. Practice Change Fellows may pursue additional financial or in-kind resources to support their projects from funding sources outside of their home institutions; however, this is not required.
Semi-Annual Financial Reports: The home institution must maintain a separate financial record for the Practice Change Fellow, and this account must be available for audit by the National Program Office or its designee. Semi-annual expenditure reports will be required and a reporting schedule will be supplied to successful applicants. Failure to submit reports may result in withheld disbursement(s).
Semi-Annual Progress Reports: Semi-annual progress reports discussing the Fellow's research must be submitted to the National Program Office. Guidelines and a reporting schedule for submitting these reports will be provided. Failure to submit reports may result in withheld disbursement(s).
Final Report: Practice Change Fellows will be required to submit a final report that details the progress they made in achieving the goals of their learning contract. This report will be due within 30 days of completing the two-year program.
Expectations for Sharing and Confidentiality:

The success of the Practice Change Fellows program is predicated on case-based learning and sharing of experiences, both positive and negative. These experiences further contribute to the formation of a cohesive national peer network.

Practice Change Fellows, national Mentors, the Advisory Board, and the National Program Office are all expected to participate in case-presentations and contribute to the discussions. Doing so requires sharing information regarding the details of new programs and services lines with accompanying clinical and financial outcomes. All participants should understand that discussions of organizational business practices and clinical decision-making must remain confidential. Shared learning can only occur in an environment of trust.

Publicly accessible documents will be developed by the National Program Office as part of the Practice Change Fellows Program. These documents will not include proprietary practices, materials or ideas without permission. For example, following each of the tri-annual meetings, the National Program Office will produce a Practice Change Bulletin, which will be available to the public via the program website.

Program Publicity: Practice Change Fellows' names and organizational information will be displayed on the program website and in promotional materials.
Program Termination: If the home institution or the Fellow wishes to terminate the award before its completion, an agreement between the institution and the National Program Office will be arranged. The National Program Office reserves the right to terminate Fellows who are not actively participating in program activities or whose behavior reflects poorly on the Practice Change Fellows program. Termination will occur with the understanding that all unexpended funds will be returned to the National Program Office and any unpaid balance of the award will be cancelled.
Disclaimer: The National Program Office reserves the right to modify the content or conditions of the Practice Change Fellows program as needed to preserve and promote the overall goals of program.