ABOUT
LOI is open now. Grant competition for $10,000 will open soon in 2019. Pay close attention to eligibility. No external research funding should have been received since receipt of the Ph.D.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites new researchers to submit proposals in competition for up to 10 research grants of $10,000 each.
The New Investigators Research Grant is designed to help further new investigators’ research activities by funding preliminary studies that could launch larger-scale research studies. Research, while not limited in topic, should be focused to match a one-year scope and should have clinical relevance to audiology and/or speech-language pathology.
Note for 2019: In preparation for the grant submission and review processes, the ASHFoundation requests that potential investigators complete an Intent to Submit Form by March 8 to provide information regarding their proposed studies. When investigators log in to the online submission system, they will be prompted to complete the Intent to Submit Form. This step must be completed before proceeding to the proposal submission process.
ELIGIBILITY
Investigators must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the New Investigators Research Grant.
- The investigator must have completed a PhD or equivalent research doctorate within the past five years (since 2014).
Note: Due to the availability of other student research grant and scholarship funds through the ASHFoundation, students currently enrolled in a degree program are not eligible for this research grant.
- The investigator must not yet have received external research funding since completion of the PhD; prior internal university funding is accepted.
- The proposal must be for research to be initiated, not currently in progress. The study should be completed in one year and the scope should align with the funding amount.
- The proposal submitted to the 2019 New Investigators Research Grant competition cannot be submitted to other 2019 ASHFoundation grant competitions. However, the investigator remains eligible to submit to other ASHFoundation grant competitions in the same year, if proposing to investigate a different topic.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
A review panel will evaluate the proposals based on the following five criteria:
- Significance: The potential for the study to advance the discipline of communication sciences and disorders and to impact clinical needs relevant to audiology or speech-language pathology. Its significance as an early step in a research area of concentration must be clear and viable.
- Approach: The merits of the design for accomplishing the specific aims of the study and, if applicable, the potential challenges of moving the study toward completion. The appropriateness and feasibility of a detailed account of the method, including measurement and data-analysis plans, will be considered relative to the award size.
- Investigator: The perceived ability to carry out the study in the specified time period, reflected by appropriate training, experience, and past accomplishments. The investigator outlines clear and detailed management and budget plans.
- Environment: The extent to which the investigator has access to needed scientific facilities, resources, personnel, and participants.
- Innovation: The refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, methods, or interventions leading to high impact on the discipline.
Reviewers will assign scores on a 1–9 scale for each criterion, as well as an Overall Impact score based on all five criteria. The Overall Impact score tends to reflect reviewers’ assessment of whether the proposed study will be completed competently, be disseminated appropriately, will advance the investigator’s research program for future funding, and has the potential to impact the discipline.
The five criteria contribute deferentially to the Overall Impact score to correspond to the goals and funding level of the grant competition. A tightly designed, feasible study is most appropriate for the New Investigators Research Grant competition.
For new investigators, for example, Approach would be more heavily weighted and Innovation would be less heavily weighted. The promise of the Investigator will be highly prioritized, but will be evaluated in comparison to other new researchers in the discipline based on the investigator’s ability to clearly describe the activities and timeline necessary to complete the study in one year.