Joy in Work Fund

At Southern Maine Health Care, our people are the key to making our vision a reality: the best care experiences, created together. This is why joy in work for our people – joy in work for YOU – is a key priority in our strategic plan. 

In the fall, all teams across the organization were asked to use their team engagement survey results to develop action plans around engagement and co-create meaningful solutions through improvement science principles. 

As Joy in Work is considered an integral part of Care Team engagement - we are excited to announce the introduction of the Joy Fund. The Joy Fund is a fund dedicated to helping teams carry out their team action plans to increase local level Joy in Work. Do you have an idea or solution for how to increase Joy in Work for your team that involves some financial resources? This is your opportunity to put those ideas into action! 

This fund is meant to enable you – all staff, physicians, students, and volunteers -- to bring your ideas to life and increase joy in work at Southern Maine Health Care.

The Joy in Work Steering Committee will evaluate each application based on the following criteria:

• Creativity: the proposed idea presents a unique and creative approach to solve impediments to Joy in Work at SMHC.
• Strategic impact: the proposed solution contributes to increasing Joy in Work for our people, toward achieving our vision of the best care experiences, created together.
• Feasibility: the proposed solution can be implemented within 4-6 months with one-time resources
• Budget: the proposed budget is sufficient to implement the solution and does not have any operational, recurring, or back-fill costs.
• Sustainability: the proposed idea is sustainable and provides opportunity for scalability
• Overall: the solution is well-organized and goals are clearly outlined

1. Who can submit an application to the Joy Fund? 
This fund is open to all teams. All staff, physicians, students, and volunteers are eligible to submit an application for funding. 

2. What kind of information do I need to include in my application?
In order to understand your proposed solution, we would like you to describe: your idea, what resources you would need, how it could be implemented, and an outline of costs it would take to implement your idea (please see application form for more details). 

3. Where do I submit my idea/ solution? 
Your application can be completed by answering the questions in the online submission form. You are also welcome to submit a video, presentation, photo, or another format of explaining your idea/ solution (use the bottom of the form to attach your files). 

4. When is the deadline to apply? 
All applications are due by September 30, 2023 at 11:59PM.

5. I need help completing the application form – who do I contact? 
Please contact Dan Rich, Wellness Program Coordinator at Daniel.Rich@mainehealth.org

6. What happens after I submit an application? 
Once the submission deadline has passed, the Joy in Work steering committee will review all initial applications and shortlist applicants. All shortlisted applicants will be invited to provide a short presentation to the committee around their idea/ solution. 

7. How will my application be evaluated? 
Successful applicants will be invited to prepare a brief presentation to the Joy in Work Steering Committee. The committee will evaluate each idea based on the following criteria:

• Creativity: the proposed idea presents a unique and creative approach to solve impediments to Joy in Work at SMHC. 
• Strategic Impact: the proposed solution contributes to increasing Joy in Work for our people, toward achieving our vision of the best care experiences, created together.
• Feasibility: the proposed solution can be implemented within 4-6 months with one-time resources
• Budget: the proposed budget is sufficient to implement the solution and does not have any operational, recurring, or back-fill costs.
• Sustainability: the proposed idea is sustainable and provides opportunity for scalability
• Overall: the solution is well-organized and goals are clearly outlined

8. Who is on the Joy in Work Steering Committee? 
The Joy in Work Steering Committee is made up of a multidisciplinary group of individuals across the organization who collaborate on and oversee work aligned with our Joy in Work strategic priority. 

9. When and how do I find out if my idea/ solution was selected? 
You will be notified by email on September 30, 2022 whether your idea/ solution had been shortlisted. If you’ve been shortlisted, you will also receive additional information/ details about the presentation to the committee. 

10. What happens if my idea/ solution gets funded?
All funded applicants will receive support in the planning and implementation of the idea/ solution. In addition, you will be asked to return to the Joy in Work Steering Committee in a few months to share your successes and learnings. 

11. How much money is available?
Each applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000 for one-time costs associated with implementing the solutions with a maximum of $30,000 disbursed. 

12. Where did this fund come from? 
This fund is dedicated toward achieving our strategic priority of Joy in Work for our people. Funds were raised through the 2020 employee appeal and went into a special purpose fund earmarked to improve experiences for all at SMHC through care team well-being, mindfulness, and resources.

13. What ideas do not qualify for the Joy Fund? 
The Joy Fund is unable to support ongoing costs or back-fill associated with your idea. 

14. How quickly do I need to implement my ideas/ solutions?
All ideas/solutions should be implemented within 4-6 months. 

16. Who can I contact for more information? 
Please contact Dan Rich, Wellness Program Coordinator at Daniel.Rich@mainehealth.org