DEADLINE – January 31, 2025 by 5:00 pm
As part of our efforts to support the vision, creativity, ingenuity, and scholarly work of educators and educational researchers, we are pleased to offer project funding for members of Duke AHEAD. This competitive funding mechanism is intended to provide critical start-up funds for pilot research or funding for innovative projects that will generate new evidence, new ideas, and/or new approaches for improving health professions education. We will prioritize projects that are innovative and that illustrate the potential to positively transform the educational experience of learners and/or the learning environment in Duke Health.
In addition, we will prioritize projects that address the following areas:
- Innovative educational strategies and practices that apply adult learning theory
- social justice
- climate change and health
- community connections
- creating a supportive, healthy learning environment
Innovations may take the form of educational research, or pilot programs that allow for the creation, refinement, and/or assessment of “big ideas” in health professions education. Pilot programs might then be used to support recipients’ application for additional intramural and extramural grant proposals aimed at larger-scale implementation.
Project Scope: While we recognize the importance of innovations and research across the health system, Duke AHEAD is only able to support proposals that are in scope with our mission and this call for proposals. Examples of proposals that may fall out of scope include:
- Continuations of previously-funded projects
- Proposals focused on improving a narrow skill set in a tightly defined group of individuals
- Projects that would normally be seen as operational or a core part of a department/program’s functions
- Incomplete proposals
- Proposals not focused on teaching and learning in health professions education
Please consult Duke AHEAD’s website for examples of previously funded projects. Additional questions can be directed to our co-chairs of the Research and Innovations subcommittee (Megan von Isenburg megan.vonisenburg@duke.edu or Midge Bowers margaret.bowers@duke.edu).
Team Eligibility: This funding is limited to Duke AHEAD members. Each project team must have a School of Medicine, School of Nursing, or Watts College of Nursing regular rank faculty member designated as Principal Investigator or co-Principal Investigator. Project teams can include trainees, learners, and professional staff. The Principal Investigator and any Co-Principal Investigators must provide a letter of support from their department chair or equivalent chief of service or supervisor who directly oversees their career advancement.
Review Process & Important dates: Proposals are due by January 31st at 5:00 pm.
Proposal Assistance: Duke AHEAD will offer a session that may be helpful to applicants wanting more information related to education grant writing. In addition, office hours are available in which you can request assistance on project development from an individual who will not be involved in evaluating the grants.
Grant Preparation Workshop:
- January 17th - 12:00 - 1:00 pm virtually - register here
- Previous grant writing session - view the recording here
Office Hours:
Evaluation: Proposals will be reviewed by a committee that includes educators and prior grant recipients. Proposals will be evaluated for alignment with the mission and goals of Duke AHEAD and for these criteria, recognizing that not all will be relevant to a given proposal:
- organization and quality of proposal
- importance of outcomes
- potential impact, including collateral benefits beyond project participants
- rigor of assessment plan
- dissemination plan
- potential sustainability of project
- potential for scholarship
Funding: Projects will be funded at two levels: up to $5,000 or up to $10,000. Multiple projects will be funded. Support will be limited to resources and services necessary for project implementation, with up to 25% of the total budget allowed to go towards PI support, if strictly necessary. The grant review committee reserves the right to offer partial awards and/or redistribute funds based on the number of proposals awarded and the relevance of budgeted items.
Submission: The full proposal should be submitted electronically by January 31st at 5:00 pm. Please submit the final proposal here. A template of the submission can be found here. A budget template will need to be uploaded to the submission site. That template can be found here and on the submission site. The submission site will close at 5:01 pm on January 31st and no late submissions will be accepted. You will receive confirmation that your proposal was received. If you have not received confirmation within 24 hours, please email dukeahead@dm.duke.edu.
Notice of Award: Applicants will be notified about the status of the award with feedback the week of March 17, 2025. Grant awardees will be publicly announced at our annual Education Day on March 28, 2025, and PIs should plan to attend or designate a collaborator to attend to accept the award.