Australian Midwifery Scholarship Foundation
History
At its inaugural meeting in Adelaide in 1979, the National Midwives Association, now the Australian College of Midwives. (ACM), resolved to establish a fund to encourage research by its members in midwifery. In 1983, the first two grants were made to assist two midwives in their research activities.
In 1984, the 20th International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Congress was held in Sydney. This Congress provided the stimulus for concerted action locally to vigorously promote research into midwifery practice and, owing to its outstanding financial success, the necessary resources to support the reinvigorated and strengthened research objectives of the ACM. A substantial contribution was also made to the ICM for its ongoing activities throughout the world.
The balance of the proceeds from the Congress enabled a significant contribution to be made to the research fund of the ACM and the establishment of the Australian Midwifery Scholarship Foundation. The founders of the trust were Margaret Peters and Pamela Hayes.
Objectives
The purposes of the Foundation are:
To provide scholarships for Registered Midwives to undertake research under the auspices of the Trustees of Funds and the promotion of education and practice of midwifery generally.
To provide financial and other support to assist attendance of midwives at national and international conferences in midwifery and related fields, and the undertaking of study tours to investigate trends in midwifery overseas.
To provide financial assistance for the sponsorship of visiting midwives to attend midwifery conferences or to undertake study tours within Australia.
To provide provision of financial assistance for projects directed at public education in the field of maternal and child health.
The annual income generated from investment of the capital fund of the Foundation is dispersed in accordance with the terms of the Trust. The Trust Deed appoints the Board of Directors of the College as Trustees of the Foundation.
The Selection Committee for the determination of grants of assistance from the Foundation comprises the Board of Directors of the Australian College of Midwives. The Board of Directors has the power to co-opt members of the Branch Executive Committees and to appoint independent consultants to assist in its deliberations.
Criteria for Assistance
Assistance is available to any member of the Australian College of Midwives upon written application to the Board of Directors in the form prescribed by the Committee before the prescribed closing date. Copies of the application form and information to assist in the completion of submissions is available from the Secretary of the Foundation. Applications for assistance are required to set out the amount of money or other benefit sought and the purposes for which the money or other assistance will be applied.
The Board of Directors, on receipt of an application for assistance, will consider within reasonable time whether and of what amount assistance will be given.
The timetable for decisions on progress of applications, the eligibility of a particular application, and the amount, if any, granted to an applicant are at the absolute discretion of the Board of Directors.
In considering an application for assistance from the Foundation, the Board of Directors may take into consideration all matters that it considers to be relevant to its decision including, but not necessarily limited to, the following:
- the nature of the research project proposed by the submission;
- the number and nature of other submissions made to the Board of Directors in the current financial year;
- any grant previously made to the applicant of a submission that it is currently considering;
- the extent of monies available for distribution from the Fund and other assets of the Fund.
The decision of the Board of Directors as to the making of a grant to any applicant shall be final and conclusive, and the Board of Directors is not required to provide reasons for any of its decisions to an applicant or any other person.
Should the Board of Directors decide to make a grant in respect of any particular submission, that grant may be on such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors in its absolute discretion thinks fit.
The Board of Directors may consider the making of a grant to any member of ACM or association of midwives affiliated with the College, notwithstanding that no submission has been made to it in accordance with the provisions of the Australian Midwifery Scholarship Foundation.
General Information
Applicants may be invited to attend an interview after initial consideration of their written proposal. Interviews will be held in the applicant's home State. The cost of attendance at an interview will be the responsibility of the applicant.
The amount of assistance granted in any year and the number of projects amongst which the available monies will be distributed is at the absolute discretion of the Board of Directors.
Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their proposal before the end of September. The decisions of the Board of Directors relating to applications received will be final and reasons for decisions will not be given to applicants.
If a project is expected to extend over a period of more than six (6) months, recipients of assistance will be required to submit a written progress report six months after commencement of the project and at six monthly periods thereafter.
A final report on the completed project must be submitted to the Foundation within a period of three (3) months of completion.
All reports submitted to the Foundation will be retained by the Australian College of Midwives Inc. Copyright in all project material will remain with the author.
Closing Dates for Applications
Written submissions on the prescribed application form must be received by the Secretary of the Australian Midwifery Scholarship Foundation no later than June 30.
Download an application form