MTF Community Service Grant Program

The Massage Therapy Foundation advances the knowledge and practice of massage therapy by supporting scientific research, education, and community service.

Objectives

• Awards are granted to provide therapeutic massage and bodywork to communities or groups who may have little or no access to such services and who are in some way(s) marginalized by society, with the intention of enabling such communities to achieve their health potential. Awards may also be granted to provide therapeutic massage and bodywork in more mainstream contexts where it is not yet available. These awards are designated to promote working partnerships between the therapeutic massage and bodywork professions and community based organizations.
• The Massage Therapy Foundation defines massage as “the application of manual techniques, and adjunctive therapies, with the intention of affecting the health and well-being of the client.” Applicants must ensure compliance with state or local regulation of therapeutic massage and bodywork practice.

Funding Information

• Grants will be awarded for a 12-month period; the value of the Community Service Grants will be between $500 and $5,000 and must be used in the specific time period for which they have been awarded.
• Any unspent funds must be returned to the Massage Therapy Foundation.
• Funding needed to support the continuation or completion of the project beyond either the designated completion date or the budgeted amount of the original grant must be requested in a new application.

Eligibility Criteria

• Community Service Grants are available to organizations or affiliates of organizations which:
  • Have been in existence for at least one year in the respective State or Province;
  • Are tax-exempt under schedule 501(c)(3) in the U.S., or a non-profit charitable organization in other countries;
  • Currently provide some therapeutic or other service programs to the community (the Community Service Grant must be used to provide therapeutic massage and bodywork in conjunction with these programs);
  • Have designated a qualified staff member (herein known as the Project Leader) and a qualified practitioner (herein known as the Massage Therapy Coordinator) to oversee this program.
  • Projects should not duplicate services already provided by applicant organization, and should demonstrate sustainability after the grant award period has ended.
  • Practitioners must provide proof of professional liability insurance coverage.
• Community Service Grants are not awarded to individuals. Community Service Grants will not be awarded to organizations which employ or otherwise have an ownership or contractual relationship with officers or trustees of the Massage Therapy Foundation, members of the Community Service Proposal Review Committee (“Review Committee”), or any spouses, domestic partners, children, descendants, spouses of descendants or any other individuals related to any officers or trustees of the Massage Therapy Foundation or to members of the Review Committee.

Conditions 

• The applicant organization must retain adequate accounts and records of all Massage Therapy Foundation Community Service Grant funds received and disbursed. Records and accounts must be sent to the Massage Therapy Foundation every 90 days until the termination of the award period, and such records must be retained for two (2) years following the termination of the award period.
• Community Service Grant Recipients shall prepare and maintain appropriate records of all community service project activities, duration and extent of services provided, demographics of participants, and the duration and extent of participation. Such records must be sufficient to enable the Massage Therapy Foundation to qualitatively evaluate or measure the community service project’s functions and determine whether all project activities have been and will continue to be consistent with the project’s objectives and anticipated goals. The Project Leader is responsible for submitting this information in quarterly reports to the Massage Therapy Foundation. Reports should include photographs and, video material showing or describing use of the Grant funds.
• Procedures for maintaining confidentiality of client records must be specified.
• Applicant Organizations must submit documentation showing that all reasonable measures will be taken to assure the safety and health of the participant(s) in the community service project according to guidelines set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, as well as any other laws, rules or regulations enforced by any state or local government agencies, including but not limited to privacy laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Such records must be sent to the Massage Therapy Foundation every ninety (90) days until the completion of the award period, and retained for two (2) years following the completion of the award period.

For more information, visit MTF.