Bursary Program

Bridging the Funding Gap

ARBI receives funding from the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and the City of Calgary to deliver various services for individuals with an acquired brain injury. However, when individuals are not eligible for these programs or have reached their funding limits, the generosity of our donors makes a crucial difference. ARBI’s bursary program provides essential financial assistance to brain injury and stroke survivors in need, ensuring access to our neurorehabilitation services when no other funding is available. This vital support is made possible by the generous contributions of our community.

Bursary Program Funding

The Mel Laine Memorial Bursary and the Audrey Morrice Memorial Bursary provide funding for various ARBI services. Bursaries cover 50–80% of fees based on financial need, using the Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) scale. Applicants are responsible for paying the remaining fees not covered by the bursaries.

Rehabilitation Services: Covers up to 80% of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, recreation therapy and/or speech-language pathology service fees for a maximum of six months.
Recreation Programs: Covers up to 80% of registration fees for one recreation program group per semester (January–April, May–August, September–December).
Wellness Services: Covers up to 80% of related wellness service fees.

Honouring Our History

Mel Laine Memorial Bursary

This bursary celebrates the remarkable recovery of Mel (aka Mr. ARBI), who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) at the age of 26 after being critically injured by a hit-and-run driver in 1972. After eight months in a coma, Mel could only move his eyes when ARBI co-founder Audrey Morrice first met him in the hospital. Audrey dedicated six hours a day, six days a week, to helping Mel relearn how to talk, walk, think, and write. Her efforts allowed him to lead a full, meaningful life until he passed away in 2021 at the age of 75.

Eligibility: Available to young adult traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors aged 18–30 who require financial assistance.

Audrey Morrice Memorial Bursary

Named after ARBI’s co-founder, this bursary honours Audrey’s unwavering commitment to helping all ABI survivors. Audrey’s pioneering work in community-based brain injury rehabilitation has been recognized with numerous awards, including induction into The Alberta Order of Excellence and appointment to the Order of Canada.

Eligibility: Available to acquired brain injury (ABI) survivors aged 18 and older who require financial assistance.

How to Apply

To apply for our programs, please use the appropriate application form on our Apply Page. After submitting the form, an intake meeting will be booked to discuss your goals and assess your eligibility for ARBI’s programs. If you require financial assistance, the bursary application process will be discussed during your intake meeting with our team.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for ARBI’s bursary program, applicants must:

Meet ARBI’s eligibility criteria.
Have their rehabilitation goals and potential for progress assessed by ARBI’s Intake Team.
Be able to independently complete a home exercise program or have family and/or other supporters who are available to support exercises at home and committed to working collaboratively with staff and volunteers.
Not be eligible for other contracted services.
Have exhausted funding through other sources (e.g., AHS, insurance providers).
Demonstrate financial need based on the household income per Statistics Canada’s Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO).

Create Life-Changing Opportunities

Individual participating in ARBI's cooking program, chopping mushrooms on an adaptive cutting board. When you contribute to ARBI’s bursary program, you are creating life-changing opportunities for brain injury and stroke survivors. Your generosity provides access to specialized neurorehabilitation services that would otherwise be unattainable due to financial constraints. Donations directly fund ARBI’s Rehabilitation Services, Recreation Programs, and Wellness Services, equipping survivors with the tools and support they need to relearn essential life skills and foster meaningful social connections for a fulfilling life.

Donate today to help brain injury and stroke survivors rebuild their lives and achieve their fullest potential!

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