Patient Care Funds

CIR residents recognize that advocating for patients also means ensuring there is adequate funding to provide cutting-edge medical technology, conduct research, and implement innovations that help save the lives of patients who would otherwise fall through the cracks.

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Info Sessions ➔

Patient care funds can be used to:

  • Purchase equipment,
  • Purchase educational materials, and
  • Cover patient safety quality improvement projects.

To find out if your hospital has negotiated this benefit, visit your hospital page here.

Some of the projects funded include:

  • Glidescopes, microscopes, simulation equipment (California)
  • Medication safety conferences, research fairs (New York)
  • Skateboard helmets for youth, pharmacy vouchers for indigent patients (New Mexico)
  • Developed program to treat hundreds of refugees from over 70 countries (Massachusetts)

Patient Care Funds give CIR residents a say in how best to provide for our patients.

Application Information:

NYC Health + Hospitals Patient Care Trust Fund

Information Sessions

Funding to advance environmental sustainability and climate resilience and racial equity, gender justice, and immigrant rights at NYC Health + Hospitals.

Children’s Joy + Justice Grant

Funding for Pediatric departments, subspecialties, and adjacents.

Proposals must contain two components: a holiday grant budget (up to $1,500) and a community programming budget to host an event, program, or initiative that promotes joy and justice for children and families in the hospital community. 

Application open: October 1, 2026
Application due: October 31, 2026
Applicant notified: November 13, 2026

Community Research and Action Grant

Research, educational, quality improvement, and advocacy initiatives that promote awareness and action on environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and racial equity, gender justice, and immigrant rights.

Application open: November 2, 2026
Application due: January 8, 2027
Applicant notified: March 5, 2027

Sustainable Hospitals and Health Equity Grant

Medical equipment, training devices, and other healthcare assets for departments and hospitals that will advance patient care goals while supporting climate resilience or environmental sustainability in their hospital and catchment area. Each department may submit one application only at each H + H site. 

Application open: December 1, 2026
Application due: February 28, 2027
Applicant notified: April 30, 2027

For more information, contact Leni Kreienberg, CIR Patient Care Trust Fund Program Coordinator, at lkreienberg@cirseiu.org. 

California

For access to applications for the following hospitals contact the respective organizer for that hospital:

  • Highland/Alameda County Medical Center
  • San Francisco General Hospital
  • Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center
  • Harbor UCLA
  • California Hospital
  • St. Mary Medical Center

Florida

This grant is designed to provide funds to projects that will lead to improvement in quality of patient care at Jackson Hospital.

Click here to apply.

  • Applicant and Organization Information
  • Project Proposal and Information
  • Cover Letter
  • Letter of Support signed by Program Director and Faculty (Project) Advisor
  • Itemized Budget

Massachusetts

If you are NOT a CIR member, a letter of support from a CIR member is required for your application to be reviewed. The letter should briefly explain how the CIR member believes the funding of your request will improve patient care.

NY Voluntary

Please contact the respective organizer for your hospital for information about this grant.

New Mexico

At UNM a resident-led committee manages an annual application process to allocate funding throughout the year. Previous projects have included an Accuvein vein finder for the NICU, a C-MAC for intubations in the ED, and therapeutic toys for the child psychiatry clinics.

Click here to apply.