2012 New Investigators Research Grant: Guidelines for Preparation of Proposal

Proposal text should be single-spaced and placed in ONE PDF formatted document containing all required proposal sections. No additional attachments will be accepted. Any other file format will not pass screening procedures, thereby resulting in a declined submission. Please use stated titles as section headers. Font size should be set at 12 point, non-compressed font with margins of at least 1 inch.

1. Investigator Letter (limit to 2 pages)
   Provide a letter of application addressed to "Grant Review Committee." Indicate briefly why you are pursuing the proposed study, the specific aims of the proposed research, and how the project fits into your career development plan. Include, as appropriate, information relative to your research interests and activities to date. Specifically indicate how your institution will support your research efforts.
   
   If this application is a revision of a prior submission to the ASHFoundation, the applicant is encouraged to provide a letter of no more than two pages, describing how the application is revised to respond to the prior set of reviews.
   
   
2. Abstract (limit to 1 page)
   Concisely describe the project’s specific aims, methodology and long-term objectives, making reference to the scientific disciplines involved. Address the relation of the project to clinical practice and its potential impact on speech-language pathology and/or audiology.
   
   
3. Research Plan (limit to 10 pages)
   
• Specific Aims: present the problem or issue to be addressed and the objectives of the proposed investigation. Include research questions and/or hypotheses proposed for the project.
  
  
• Significance of Research: outline the significance of the need which exists and the importance of the proposed project in understanding, remediating, or compensating for the problem. Address the potential impact of the project activities on the field of communication sciences and disorders.
  
  
• Design Methods, Procedures and Evaluation: provide both a description and a justification for the project design, including subjects, measurement techniques, instrumentation, data analysis, and evaluation procedures. Address ecological validity, if the type of research warrants this. This section should provide sufficient detail for reviewers to be able to make informed judgments about the soundness of the proposed research procedures.
  
  
• Facilities and Resources: describe the facilities, resources, personnel, and subjects available to the applicant for carrying out the proposed project. If appropriate, append letters of support from cooperating agencies at the end of the application.
  
  
4. References (limit to 2 pages)
   
   
5. Management Plan and Budget (limit to 2 pages)
   Research should be initiated upon disbursement of funds. Provide an outline of project activities and timelines. Incorporate ASHFoundation report deadlines into the management timeline. Justify budget items for direct expenses.
   
   (Note: Institutional overhead and indirect costs are not covered due to the size of the grant. In addition, funding may not be directed to travel costs for conventions or meetings.)
   
   
6. Brief Biographical Sketch (limit to 4 pages)
   Should include, but need not be limited to, professional interests, research experience and publications/papers. Section headers should include Education/Training, Positions and Honors, Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications, and Research Support. As a resource, see sample biographical sketch form [PDF].
   
   
7. Human Subjects (limit to 3 pages)
   If the project will employ human subjects, include consent form and copy of Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
   
   If the IRB approval is not available at time of grant submission, the investigator should explain the status of the IRB approval process and ensure that approval documents are mailed to the ASHFoundation as soon as IRB approval is granted, but not later than September 7, 2012. It is essential to start the IRB approval process early. A lack of IRB determination by September 7, 2012 will automatically disqualify the proposal from funding consideration. The investigator assumes full responsibility for meeting these requirements.
   
   The applicant should provide the following information if the IRB is unavailable until the deadline of September 7, 2012:
   
   
• Describe the characteristics of the subject population, including the anticipated number, age ranges, gender, ethnic background, and health status;
  
  
• Identify sources of research materials in the form of specimens, records, and/or data;
  
  
• Describe plans for the recruitment of subjects and the consent procedures to be followed (include copy of consent form to be used);
  
  
• Describe the potential risks to subjects (e.g., physical, psychological social, legal, or other);
  
  
• Describe the procedures for protecting against or minimizing potential risks to subjects, including risks to confidentiality; and
  
  
• Discuss why risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to the anticipated benefits and to the importance of the knowledge that may result.
  
  
8. Letter of Institutional Commitment
   Submit a letter from your current supervisor in your employment setting indicating that the proposed project will not present a conflict of interest with your current responsibilities and commitments.