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| Donations & Funding |
The Virginia Tech Rescue Squad receives most of its funding from the University through Student Health Services. We are allocated a yearly budget that we use to purchase medical supplies, maintain our vehicles and station, and to purchase new equipment.
The money budgeted to VTRS by the University is not enough to purchase major items and does not carry over at the end of the fiscal year. The VTRS has a separate account, which is funded by donations and from fundraisers, which is used to help with the purchase new ambulances or radio equipment. VTRS also receives help from the Virginia Tech Motor pool who help with the purchase and maintance of our vehicles.
In 2004 the VTRS was given Auxiliary status on campus and applied for and received an additional budget including money for member???s uniforms and training.
Donate to the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad
The Virginia Tech Rescue Squad maintains a foundation account with Virginia Tech with which to make large "big ticket" purchases. These funds are usually used to purchase new defibrillators, computer equipment, radios, rhythm simulators, CPR manikins, and new vehicles. Money in this account does not come from Virginia Tech, it comes primarily from donations and fundraising efforts.
Donate Online
If you are interested in donating directly to our organization, you may do so online by clicking the DONATE logo below. You will be sent to the University's official donation page. Under "Gift Information" please make your contributioin under "Other Designation" and type in "Virginia Tech Rescue Squad" under the amount.
Donate by Check
Or if you prefer to donate by check please make it out to "Virginia Tech Foundation" and mail it to our address below.Virginia Tech Rescue Squad
Military Building, Barger St (0245)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Donate to the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad Life Member and Alumni Association
The Virginia Tech Rescue Squad Life Member and Alumni Association (LMAA) is a seperate organization from the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad. However, the LMAA was created to directly support the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad and to recognize its past active members. The LMAA helps provide technical and financial assistance to the Squad for special projects, seminars, and programs, and helps provide human and physical resources for various projects and programs of the Squad and the LMAA. You can donate to the LMAA by clicking the "Click to Pledge" logo below.
Rescue Squad Assistance Fund
Description
Each semester, the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad (VTRS) applies for grants through the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund (RSAF), which is administered by the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (VAOEMS). Before we apply for the grant, the officers decide what we would like to request. We may request as many as three items within one grant cycle. In the past, we have received funds to help us purchase defibrillators, handheld radios, and ambulances. After we decide what we would like to purchase, we determine how much it will cost. In most cases, we buy all of our grant items from state contractors, which allows us to obtain equipment at the lowest price.
Application Process
After we determine the specifications and cost(s) for our grant application, the president begins the grant-writing process. The VAOEMS provides a computer program that each squad must use when applying for grants through the RSAF. This program compiles information about our membership, financial status, call statistics, and the item(s) we are requesting. There are two different types of grants for which agencies may apply. The first is a 50/50 matching grant, which requires that the agency or its locality match any funds that the Commonwealth of Virginia promises for the purchase of requested items. The second grant is an 80/20 grant, also known as a hardship grant, which allows squads with limited funding and difficult financial situations to request more assistance from the VAOEMS. This grant allows the agency to request that the Commonwealth contribute 80% of the funds required to purchase the grant item(s). The VTRS applies for an 80/20 grant each cycle due to our limited budget.Review
Once the VAOEMS receives our grant application, we schedule an appointment with the RSAF Grant Review Committee. During this appointment, we present our case, provide any additional information about our application, and answer any questions the committee members may have. In our case, the members normally have questions about our financial status and our previous RSAF grant purchase. At the end of this meeting, the members rank our request based on our need and the item(s) we are requesting. We leave the meeting knowing how they rank us for each item, with a score of one being the most favorable.Award Process
After these steps are completed, we wait until the award letter is sent to us in the mail. In most cases, we apply for as many as three grant items and the award letter states that VAOEMS will grant us one of the following:
- each of the items at the 80/20 funding level
- each of the items at a reduced funding level (50/50)
- one of the items at the 80/20 funding level
- two of the items at the 80/20 funding level
- one of the items at the 50/50 funding level
- two of the items at the 50/50 funding level
- none of the items
If we receive an award letter that presents us with a reduced funding level, which we are unable to afford, we may decline the grant. We may also apply for a grant extension if we show financial hardship and cannot purchase the grant item within the allotted time period
Fundraising Efforts
Station Expansion
Current Status: In
Planning Goal: UnsureThe Virginia Tech Rescue Squad is located in the Military Building. In 1983, the mailroom was converted into a station for VTRS with two bays, office and living space for the rescue squad. Over the years, VTRS has been growing with the University and acquiring additional equipment for training and expanding services. VTRS has outgrown the current space and to continue to match the growth of Virginia Tech and provide the level of care the community has come to expect, the station that VTRS uses must be expanded.
Planning and proposals are currently being conducted by the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad. Funding sources and options are also being explored.
Current Fundraising Events
Grants
The Virginia Tech Rescue Squad attempts to supplement many purchases with monies allocated from grants. The main grant applied for every year is the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund, however if other sources are available, we follow up with those also. More information about grants and how we use them is on the Grants page.
Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign
The Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (webpage) is a program for employees of the Commonwealth to donate money from their paycheck to registered organizations. Our organization code is 3171. If you are an employee of the Commonwealth and have not already investigated the CVC, we ask that you take a look and complete a donor card for us.
Two for Life
The Virginia Office of EMS is funded through the Two for Life program. This program takes two dollars from every vehicle registration to support the Emergency Medical Services of Virginia. VaOEMS returns 25% of this money to the agencies serving the counties where the vehicles were registered. Recently, the Virginia Legislature voted to increase this funding from $2 to $4. However, the budget cuts have caused the legislature to reverse this decision. Write your local congressman in support of this program.Other Ideas
If you or your organization would like to find out more about how you can help with our fundraising efforts, please contact us at (540) 231-7138.
Military Building, Barger St. (0245)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Web Developer: Johnny Wen
Phone: (540) 231-7138
Fax: (540) 231-6254
Email: vtrescue@vt.edu
