Rare Disease Day Fund 2025

GlobalSkin is offering grants for the second time to support our members’ 2025 Rare Disease Day campaign efforts. Rare Disease Day is the official international awareness-raising campaign for rare diseases which takes place on the last day of February each year. The main objective of the campaign is to raise awareness amongst the public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients' lives. 

We invite grant applications from Full and Associate Member organizations that demonstrate how they will raise awareness of their rare disease(s), support their patients, and strengthen the work of their organizations. 

Proposals that fall into one or both of the following categories can be funded up to $500 CAD.

Grants funded in this category will support the development and/or purchase of marketing materials that raise awareness of the activities you have planned for Rare Disease Day. Examples of activities that could be funded include paid social media, traditional media buying, graphic design and printing materials such as flyers or brochures.

Grants funded in this category will support hosting activities related to Rare Disease Day. Activities can include virtual and in-person events. Examples of activities that could be funded include webinars, ask-the-expert sessions, e-learning opportunities, and town hall events. Funds can be used towards the cost of using online meeting/presentation platforms or in-person events.

Please note that GlobalSkin will review and approve 15 applications for the 2025 Rare Disease Day Fund. Applicants will be informed of the decision by Friday, January 10, 2024

• Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.
• All applicants will receive GlobalSkin's funding decision by Friday, January 10, 2025.
• GlobalSkin will review and approve or decline all applications. All funding decisions are final.
• GlobalSkin will review and approve 15 applications for this Fund.
• Only one application per GlobalSkin Member organization will be funded in 2025. 
• This fund offers reimbursement grants to be paid after Rare Disease Day.

• Applicant is a GlobalSkin Full or Associate Member (Affiliate Members do not qualify to apply to the GlobalSkin Rare Disease Day Fund as they are not patient-led dermatology organizations).
• Applicant is a GlobalSkin Member that supports patients living with a rare skin disease.
• Project aligns with Rare Disease Day Fund categories.
• Project raises awareness and builds community.
• Project reporting must be submitted following the completion of your project to receive funding.
• Project does not violate any of the exclusions outlined below.

• Funds may not be used to pay for meals for health care providers or policymakers.
• Funds may not be used to provide honoraria or any other type of payment to health care providers or policymakers.
• Funds may not be used to purchase alcohol.Funds may not be used to cover costs of travel for individuals but may be used to support the attendance of patient community members at in-person events hosted by your Member organization.
• Funds may not be used for items for which a receipt cannot be issued.

If your proposal is funded, we will need to see evidence of how you used your funds before distributing reimbursement. Within two weeks of Rare Disease Day, we will ask you to provide us:

• A Grant Payment Form (template provided by GlobalSkin) totaling the pre-approved grant amount.
• A completed Rare Disease Day Report Form (provided by GlobalSkin). This report will include, but is not limited to:
  • A short narrative summary of how the funds were spent.
  • Images of how the funds were used (e.g., screenshots of social media, advertising materials, YouTube video, etc.).
  • Data showing event impact on your patient community (number of participants, social media reach etc.).