Eligibility

How do I know if my organization is eligible to receive a Medical Education or Charitable Contribution grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb?

Please review the information on our website concerning our programs and application types to find out if your organization is eligible to receive a grant.

In addition, the BMS Foundation supports a broad range of programs designed to improve the health of our communities and the world at large. For more information on the BMS Foundation, please visit http://www.bms.com/sr/foundation/data/index.html

Can one organization receive multiple grants?

Yes. Grant requests for different educational activities are reviewed independently. Please note that all BMS sponsored programming must be primarily dedicated to promoting objective and balanced scientific education related to treatment options and not targeted to a specific Bristol-Myers Squibb product or other pharmaceutical product.

Do you make grants to individuals?

No, we only provide grants to eligible organizations as listed in our program guidance.

Can I submit a request for a topic that is not listed, but is of high medical value?

Yes, you can, but in general such requests receive low priority

Does my organization have to be an accredited CME provider to receive a grant?

No. Bristol-Myers Squibb will consider grant requests for both accredited and non-accredited continuing medical education; in the event the program will be providing credits, however, the accredited body must be the applicant.

My medical education agency employees engage in both independent medical education and promotional services to Bristol-Myers Squibb. Can I continue to provide both services to Bristol-Myers Squibb?

No. Requestors of unrestricted educational grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb must certify that they have not been involved in any activities related to the promotion of any Bristol-Myers Squibb products and that they do not have confidential information relevant to Bristol-Myers Squibb promotional activities which remains subject to a non-disclosure agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb. In these instances, a firewall certification may need to be obtained from Bristol-Myers Squibb (see Forms – Firewall).

Furthermore, agencies should be aware of the ACCME requirement that entitles providing independent medical education must be separated, at an entity level, from entities that provide promotion-related services. The ACCME requirement takes effect in August 2009, although BMS is considering adopting it earlier.

Terms and Conditions/Grant Agreement

How does this differ from the current educational grant agreements?

We currently fax a multi page educational grant agreement to the applicant once an IME proposal has gone through our grant review process and has been approved.

The new process is comprised of two (2) documents:

a. Terms and Conditions – these are posted on the Bristol-Myers Squibb Grant Website (http://www.bms.com/sr/medical_grants/content/data/forms.html) for applicants to read. These Terms and Conditions are non-negotiable. By submitting a grant request to BMS, the applicant represents and warrants that they have read, and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions.

b. Educational Grant Agreement: upon notification to the applicant of the approval of a grant request an Educational Grant Agreement will be sent out  

Please note that funding is not guaranteed until the applicant has received a copy of the Educational Grant Agreement signed by both applicant and BMS.

How do these changes affect my organization?

The authorized representative that is submitting a grant on behalf of the requesting organization must, on behalf of the organization, read and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions. By submitting a grant request to BMS, the authorized representative, on behalf of the requesting organization, represents and warrants that they have read, and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions. 

When does this take affect?

This change is effective on August 1, 2008.

What if I do not agree with the Terms and Conditions, can I change them?

No, the Terms and Conditions are non-negotiable. If the applicant will not agree to the Terms and Conditions the proposal will not be reviewed for funding support.

What if I do not agree with the language of the agreement, can I change it?

You may propose a change to the Educational Grant Agreement. Such changes will then be reviewed by BMS. Please remember that funding is not guaranteed until the applicant has received a copy of the Educational Grant Agreement signed by both applicant and BMS

Why are these changes being made?

The changes are being made in an effort to streamline the process, saving time and resources for both BMS and the applicant.

What about grants that have already been approved and an agreement has been executed. Does this affect them?

This does not affect previously approved requests where an Educational Grant Agreement has already been signed by both parties.

How do you know that an organization has read and agreed to the Terms and Conditions?

By submitting a grant application to BMS, the applicant represents and warrants that an authorized representative has read and agrees to the Terms and Conditions.

In addition, the Educational Grant Agreement incorporates, by reference, the Terms and Conditions. Execution of the Educational Grant Agreement is acceptance of the Terms and Conditions.

Application and Submission Information

What are the ideal System Requirements for interfacing with the Bristol-Myers Squibb grants website and application? 

The recommended System Requirements for best viewing/functioning of the site are:

Windows Operating System with a resolution of 800x600 (or higher)

Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser version 5.0 (or higher) with Javascript and Pop-ups enabled for this site in the browser settings.

Check spam filters, as correspondence will primarily be via email, and if this is enabled you may not receive important information from Bristol-Myers Squibb relative to your application

Where do I forward my proposal?

Once you have completed your application online, you will be prompted to submit it electronically via the internet. Once your application has been received, you will receive an acknowledgement at the e-mail address that you provided in your application within 2-3 days.

Can I get a copy of the application form?

When you are in the actual application, you can print a copy by clicking on “Printer Friendly Version” located at the top of the form. Otherwise, there is no paper copy of the application available. The entire process is online.

Do I have to complete the application in one online session?

No, you can start the application and choose to save and finish at another time. When you opt to do this, you will be asked to provide your e-mail address and create a password for future access to the application you are working on. Please remember your user name and password, as we will not know that information and cannot get you back into your application.

How do I return to an incomplete application that I saved, but have not yet submitted?

You will receive an e-mail notification confirming that your application was saved, along with the e-mail address and password required to access your saved application. This e-mail will also include the web address of the log in page. The following is the web address for the log in page: https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_492/?SA=AM

When will I be contacted about the status of my proposal?

After you submit your application, you will receive an e-mail confirmation from BMS. After an initial review, you may be contacted to provide additional information. All communications will occur via e-mail. After final review, you will receive a letter informing you of the disposition of your application.

When do you accept proposals?

We accept applications throughout the year. Also, please check back frequently as we post specific request for National Symposia and/or Industry Meetings throughout the year.

If I want to mail a copy of my request for review, to whom do I address it?

Please do not mail any grant requests, as we will not be able to accept them. Only online requests will be considered.

Application Procedures

How long does it take to review a proposal?

We generally process grant requests within 6 to 8 weeks of receiving a complete grant request with all required supplementary materials. PLEASE BE AWARE, HOWEVER, THAT BMS CANNOT COMMIT TO PROCESS ANY GRANT REQUEST WITHIN ANY SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD.

May I send the application directly to a Bristol-Myers Squibb representative or another contact at Bristol-Myers Squibb?

No, we are only accepting applications online. Inappropriate involvement with a representative from BMS sales or marketing will lead to the rejection of your application.

Whom should I contact if I have any questions?

Please e-mail your questions to medicalgrants.administration@bms.com or click on the contact us link to submit your question. Please allow 2-3 days for a response. You may also reach a Grant Administrator at 1-800-831-9008 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Users calling internationally may dial 1-609-897-6200 to reach a Grant Administrator.

If our grant or charitable contribution request is approved, may we use the BMS logo to list BMS as a sponsor for our program?

In order to use a Bristol-Myers Squibb logo, you must submit a request to your Grant Administrator after your grant has been approved.

Why didn't I receive the email notification from BMS? 

It is possible that the email from BMS was mistakenly filtered by your company's or provider's SPAM filter. Please check to ensure that this is not the case.

Also, any correspondence that is sent out is directed to the email address of the contact person that was provided in the application. If you were not listed as the contact person, you will not be receiving any correspondence from Bristol-Myers Squibb in regard to the application.

How can I obtain the BMS Logo for inclusion in materials associated with my program? 

Contact your Grant Administrator using the contact information they have provided you.

How can I acknowledge BMS’ support for my Medical Education program? 

If you want to acknowledge BMS’ support on materials associated with your program, please use the statement: "Supported through an educational grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb." If you would like to make use of our logo, please see the earlier question and answer regarding logos or call the IME and Charitable Phone Line at 1-800-831-9008.

What information will I receive from Bristol-Myers Squibb about my request?

After your grant application has been completely reviewed, you will receive correspondence concerning the status of your application.

Please do not consider any request approved or denied until you have received notification from a Bristol-Myers Squibb Grant Administrator.

I received notification that my grant request had been approved, but I have not received a check. When should I expect payment and whom should I contact if I have not received it?

If your grant request is approved, you should receive payment within 2-3 weeks after the full execution of the grant agreement. If you have not received payment after this time, please contact your Grant Administrator.

What items can I submit for Medical Education funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb?

The grant request must include a realistic and comprehensive budget for all the activities included in the program for which you seek support.

Grants may be issued to support only the costs associated with the development, delivery or evaluation of the educational program, resources, or materials.

Grants may not cover:

a. Travel, lodging or personal expenses for attendees
b. Compensation for attendees
c. Lavish venues
d. Other costs that are neither reasonable nor customary

I have monies left over after the completion of my original program. What needs to be done with them? May I apply these funds to another program?

No. The funds provided are to be used for the specific program to which the applicant was awarded monies. Unexpended funds cannot be applied to another program. Please return any unexpended funds back to Bristol-Myers Squibb, to the attention of your Grant Administrator.

Is a reconciliation required if all the grant funds were spent exactly as stated in the application? 

Yes. A reconciliation is required for all grants equal to or in excess of $50,000. Please submit your final Program Cost Form within 90 days after the end date of the program.

I am receiving email reminders to submit a grant reconciliation, but the program has not yet ended. What do I do? 

Reconciliations are triggered by the Program End Date listed in the grant application and are to be completed within 90 days after the end date. If you are receiving Reconciliation Reminders, then your submitted End Date has passed. If the program end date noted in your application has changed, please contact your Grant Administrator.

Last updated July 18, 2008.