Call for Applications

Steps and Instructions:

All payments must be received by Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Applications without payments will not be reviewed. Please plan your applications accordingly.

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   American Nurses Foundation Nursing Research Grants Program for 2019

   The purpose of the American Nurses Foundation (Foundation) Nursing Research Grants (NRG) Program is to encourage the research career development of all nurses. Each year, through our NRG Program, the Foundation provides funds to beginning and experienced nurse researchers to conduct studies that contribute toward the advancement of nursing science and the enhancement of patient outcomes. Many past grant recipients have gone on to receive subsequent funding and expanded their programs of research based on findings from their Foundation funded studies. Beginning in 2019, in alignment with the Foundation�s strategic priorities, the Foundation is encouraging research proposals related to nursing leadership and the health of nurses.

2. Eligibility and Grant Size

   In all award categories, the principal investigator must be a licensed registered nurse who has obtained at least one degree, either a baccalaureate degree or higher, in nursing. Beginning and experienced nurse researchers are encouraged to apply. However, it should be noted that some awards specify the level of researcher eligible to apply. Co-investigators and other team members may be non-nurses as long as the proposal is a nursing research project. Grants range from $5,000 to $30,000. Final determination of an applicant's qualification for either research category is made by the Nursing Research Review Committee based on the information provided in the application.

   Beginning researcher: A nurse who has had no more than $15,000 in extramural funding in one research area. Note that other funds obtained in support of this project submitted to the Foundation for funding consideration will not be considered in the $15,000 limitation.

   Experienced researcher: A nurse who has received more than $15,000 as principal investigator in research funding since his or her last degree.

   American Nurses Foundation grant recipients are eligible to apply again to the Nursing Research Grants Program three years from the date the last grant was funded. The Foundation will accept applications for masters' theses or doctoral dissertations only if the thesis/dissertation topic has been approved by the principal investigator�s thesis or dissertation committee. If the topic has not been successfully defended, the application will be considered ineligible.

   Only one PI can be designated as the principal investigator.

   Principal Investigators need to indicate which of the funding organizations they are a member of. See the 2019 Available Grants list for a current listing of funders and their specific requirements regarding membership as a criteria for receiving funding.

3. Project Expenses

   Only expenses essential to the conduct of the proposed research will be considered for funding. Expenses must be incurred within the one-year grant period or approved no-cost extension deadline. The American Nurses Foundation will not consider requests or assume responsibility for any costs incurred prior to the award date. Unexpended funds will be returned to the Foundation when the funding period terminates.

   Consultant/Expert fees must be limited to $250 per day, plus travel & lodging (not to exceed 20% of the total budget applied for). Calculate travel and lodging expenses based on government per diem rates.

   Requests to purchase specialized equipment with a unit cost of more than $500 will be considered. Justification for this expense must be documented. The Committee will make the final determination on such expenses. Supplies and equipment remain the property of the affiliated institution at the close of the grant period.

   Up to 10% of the total proposed budget can be charged as indirect costs, but this must be included as a line item in the proposed budget.

   Prohibited Expenses include principal and co-investigators' salaries, educational assistance such as tuition, textbooks, or dissertation/thesis preparation. All PI and Co-PI travel, including traveling to meet with his/her thesis or dissertation committee, presentation of papers or conference attendance, publication and purchase of computers are all prohibited expenses.

   A prior written request and justification must be directed to the American Nurses Foundation (givetonursing@ana.org) before any funds can be moved or reallocated. Budget changes must be preapproved by the Foundation. Permission may be granted to move funds from one budget category to another as long as no additional expense to the Foundation is involved. The Foundation may grant permission to transfer funds to a different institution in the event of a change in the investigator's institutional organization. A written request should be directed to the Foundation's Executive Director, or designee, before the change is to occur. Adjustments of line item expenses to purchase equipment in the latter stages of the grant period will not be permitted.

4. Basis for Awarding Grants

   Proposals are judged on scientific merit with critiques based on the following criteria, which should be explicitly addressed in the proposal:

   Significance (20%): Is the study important to nursing practice and to the development of nursing knowledge? Does it address a gap in what we know? Does it lead to enhanced patient or population outcomes? If it is a clinically based study, how will the results be used to inform current practice?

   Approach (20%): Are study aims logical, and appropriately conceptualized? Do study design, sample, instruments, procedures, and data analysis allow specific aims to be accomplished?

   Innovation (20%): Is the study novel or innovative in approach, perspective or line of inquiry?

   Strength of Investigator and Research Team (10%): Is the primary investigator versed in the theory and supported by co-investigators versed in study design and practice?

   Environment (10%): Are available resources and research environment adequate to support the research?

   Plan for Dissemination and Next Steps (10%): Has the principal investigator provided examples of conference presentation possibilities, publication intent, and/or next research?

   Justified Budget (10%): Are purchases explained, including the need for particular materials, software and equipment? Are opportunities explored to use other resources to support the study?

5. Application Fee

   A nonrefundable application fee of $100.00 is required to apply. If the Principal Investigator is submitting more than one research proposal and the research is not the same, it will be counted as a separate proposal and an additional $100 fee will be required. All payments must be received by Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Applications without payments will not be reviewed.

   Application fees are paid online via Visa or Mastercard only.

6. Online Application Deadline

   Applications MUST be completed online by 11:59pm (EST) on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Incomplete applications after this date will not be considered.

7. Review Process

   The Nursing Research Grants Reviewers committee (NRGR) is comprised of doctorally prepared experienced nurse researchers. Each grant application is initially reviewed and scored in Round One by three reviewers.

   The Nursing Research Review Committee (NRRC) is also composed of doctorally prepared nurse researchers. Grants that receive a high score in Round 1 and meet the cut-off point for acceptance will move to Round 2. The NRRC committee reviews and re- scores these applications to determine the grants that are recommended to be funded.

   Applications will be reviewed between May and August.

8. Award Notification

   All principal investigators will be notified of the disposition of their application. Applications are treated as privileged communication and are restricted to the Nursing Research Review Committee, the Nursing Research Grants Reviewers, the Foundation staff, and the external funding organizations. Notification with critiques will be sent out by September 2, 2019, to all applicants whether awarded a grant or not. Under no circumstances will more than the specified maximum funding be awarded.

9. International Applicants

   There are no citizenship restrictions for Principal Investigators. Non-US nurses are eligible. However, when a study involves human subjects, IRB approval from a United States university or agency, or country of origin is required and, if applicable, from each site where the study or portions of the study will be conducted. Studies involving animals require similar Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval from a United States university or agency, or country of origin. All documents must be in English.

10. Required Online Application Information

    The online application is a step-by-step submission process in which you must complete all the required information at each step before the online system will allow you to advance to the next step. At any point in the online submission process, prior to the deadline, you can return to a previously completed step, simply by clicking the step name in the "Application Control Panel" (left frame) within the online application system. IRB approval pending applications are acceptable; however, approval will be needed before awarded funds are released.

    Before beginning your submission, we recommend that you review the list of required information. Click on each hyperlink below to see more detail. The forms accessed through a hyperlink are identical to those provided in the application process. You may download and fill out these forms prior to beginning your submission, and then simply upload them when requested in the application process.

    *NOTE- For any listed materials not showing a hyperlinked form, you will simply upload your own document.

    1. Applicant name and contact information
    2. Academic and/or employment affiliation, RN licensure information, research society membership information, and all proofs of membership, including membership in the American Nurses Association.
    3. Paraphrase your abstract into lay language in 3 to 4 sentences that answers the question, "Why is this research important?" This step can be found under "Narrative Response" on the title page of the application.
    4. Principal Investigators must include a narrative biography of no more than 300 words to be used by the Foundation and funding organizations for marketing and communications. (This is included on the Principal Investigator page during the application process).
    5. Principal Investigators must upload photos (one head shot and one photo of PI engaged in work related to the research proposed). By submitting your electronic photo, the Foundation reserves the right to send your photo to the external funding organizations after the award is made. Note, the reviewers will not see the photo during the review process.
    6. Research abstract (upload file during submission process). The abstract should be 450 words or fewer and single-spaced, and include:
       • - Purpose
       • - Significance
       • - Methods (including Design, Setting/Sample, Procedures, Instruments if applicable, Analysis plan)
       • - Nursing Implications.

    • Advisor Evaluation Form (as applicable)
      • � Under "For DNP Capstone Projects or Scholarly Projects", please provide a written approval statement from the chair stating that the proposed project can be completed within a year, as proposed. During the upload process, the Advisor letter selection can be used.
    • Biographical Sketches (as applicable):
      • � Biosketches are required for: Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, Consultants, and an Academic Advisor, for students only. We accept NIH-style biosketches: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm
      • � All biosketches must be scanned and uploaded to the system in one inclusive document.
    • Budgets
      • � There is a two-page form for you to complete and describe your budget.
      • � If additional funding is needed to complete the proposed project, please describe what you will be able to accomplish with the Foundation funding if other funds are not obtained.
      • � If other funding has been obtained or is being sought please indicate.
    • Documentation of IRB/IACUC Approval (as applicable)
      • � IRB and IACUC approvals will be accepted after funding has been offered. However, funds will not be distributed until this document is received by the Foundation.
    • Research Instruments (upload file during submission process):
      • � Copies of all instruments should be provided. If the instrument is not in the public domain, you must include documentation of permission to use the instrument.
    • Letters of Support From Consultants (as applicable, upload file during submission process.)
      • � All letters of support should be scanned and uploaded into one document.
      • � Include documentation of availability from consultants who will be utilized during the project. This documentation should be in the form of a signed letter from the consultant verifying availability and willingness to participate and clearly delineating how she/he will be involved in the study.
    • Letters of Support From Organization (as applicable, upload file during submission process).
      • � Letters of support from organizations include outside organizations/agencies that the applicant is working with to complete the study.
      • � This documentation should be in the form of a signed letter.
      • � All letters of support should be scanned and uploaded into one document.
    • Letters of Support From Offsite Facility (as applicable, upload file during submission process).
      • � Letters of support from off-site facilities refer to universities, associations, conference centers, etc. where you are conducting meetings, focus groups, etc.
      • � Letters must be signed by the individuals administratively responsible for access to potential subjects and other resources in settings where the study is conducted.
      • � All letters of support should be scanned and uploaded into one document.
    • Project Narrative (upload file during submission process)
      • Must not exceed 5 single-spaced typed pages (not including references). Do not use type print smaller than 12 Times New Roman. Use 1" top, bottom and side margins.
      • The investigator must prepare the project narrative according to the following:
      • • � Significance
        • � Approach/Methods (including Design, Setting/Sample, Procedures, Instruments if applicable, Analysis plan)
        • � Innovation
        • � Strength of Investigator and Research Team
        • � Environment
        • � Plan for dissemination of research project and next steps
      • The review committee will consider the information provided as an example of the investigator's ability to conduct the proposed research. Principal investigators can use either numbered (e.g., superscript or other numbered format) or author/year (e.g., APA) format for reference citations.
    • Documentation of Tax-Exempt Status from institution that will accept the grant award (as applicable, upload file during submission process):
      • � Attach a copy of the U.S. Department of Treasury/Internal Revenue Service form which verifies that the institution is exempt from federal income tax.
    • Translated Abstract � Not confidential, this should be written for the lay person and to be used on the Foundation's website, with the funding organization, etc.
    • Official name and contact information
      • List the name and title of official from affiliate organization responsible for administration of funds and submission of final financial report.
      • Important: Please confirm the address with your Office of Sponsored Programs or Finance Department to ensure that your funds are sent to the appropriate address if your proposal is funded.
      • When your submission is complete, the system will send an email message to the official you identify below (after the Confirmation Step), asking him/her to endorse the application by completing an acknowledgement statement which MUST be completed by Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Please ensure that the email address you provide for this person is a working email address. Please inform this official that he/she will be asked to submit an endorsement online, and that Nursing Research Grants will provide him/her via email with the necessary password and Web page address.
      • Once the official has submitted his/her endorsement online, you will receive a confirmation email that an endorsement was received by the Nursing Research Grants online system. Please note, sometimes universities and/or institutions block these confirmation emails, mistaking them for spam. By periodically accessing your submission and clicking the "Official" step in the Application Control Panel, you will be able to see the status of your endorsement.
      • � Note: You must complete the confirmation step of the application in time for your official to review and endorse your application by the May 1st deadline or your application will not be considered submitted.

11. Need Support?

    If you run into any problems with the online submission process, please email your questions or comments using the hyperlink to "Report a Technical Problem", which also appears in the Application Control Panel. Technical support may also be obtained by calling (401) 334-0220 between 8:30 a.m and 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday - Friday.

    For non-technical question and information pertaining to the American Nurses Foundation Nursing Research Grants Program, please contact Elizabeth Franzino GiveToNursing@ana.org or by calling (301) 628-5305.

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