HSVMA Offers Grants for Body Donation Programs at Veterinary Schools

October 26, 2010

HSVMA is offering a limited number of grants to assist with developing body donation programs, also known as educational memorial programs (EMP), at veterinary schools. HSVMA supports such programs as a means of securing ethically sourced cadavers for anatomy courses and surgical training of veterinary students.

Ethically sourced cadavers are donated animals who have either died of natural causes or have been euthanized for medical reasons. This avoids having to potentially euthanize healthy animals for training purposes. Some veterinary schools, such as Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, are able to meet their training needs for cadavers with body donation programs.

Grants are available up to $2,000 and can be used for the supplies or equipment needed to operate a body donation program, marketing materials, transportation needs for delivering cadavers to the veterinary school (if donated from off-site veterinary clinics), training of staff in embalming or other program procedures, and programs to commemorate the donated animals.

Grants can be used to start a new body donation program or expand an existing one. Veterinary students or faculty can apply for a grant by submitting a detailed description of the program that includes:

  • An overview of the school’s body donation program including how the cadavers are used in training
  • The status of the program (new or existing)
  • The specific program needs that the grant will cover
  • A detailed budget (including how other necessary funding for the program will be obtained)
  • Contact information for the staff or faculty director of the program.

Grant applications and inquiries can be submitted to Pam Runquist, HSVMA Director of Veterinary Advocacy or faxed to (530) 759-8116. Grant applications for the 2010-2011 academic year will be accepted through January 31, 2011, and will be considered in the order received. Grants will be issued to a non-profit organization affiliated with the university (i.e. a university foundation) to be used for the requested program.

More information on body donation programs is available here.