Health Services Grants

The American Pediatric Surgical Association Foundation (APSAF) desires to encourage the
enrichment of members of the American Pediatric Surgical Association by providing support
for proposals which will broaden the horizon of the recipient in a fashion not otherwise
readily achieved and for which funds may not be available from usual current sources. The
APSAF welcomes proposals for support of projects that encompass the humanities, medical
ethics, education, clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, health care delivery, computer
sciences, as well as clinical or laboratory research as they relate to the surgical sciences or to
the delivery of pediatric surgical care and may include traveling fellowships or special
scholarships. Projects should be supplemental to but not a part of an ongoing clinical,
laboratory, educational or administrative obligation of the applicant but could have some
relevant connection to ongoing activities of the applicant and should provide an extra
dimension that will enhance or enrich the recipient, an institution, a community, children or
society in general.

Who May Apply

Individuals eligible to apply for an APSAF grant include regular members of APSA, a
current pediatric surgery resident in training verified by the training program director and
sponsored by an APSA member, or those individuals that have completed an ACGMERRC
or Canadian Royal College of Surgeons accredited pediatric surgery residency
training program and are either candidate members or have applied for full or candidate
membership in APSA. Individuals in these latter two applicant categories must also be
sponsored by an APSA member.

Application Due Date

The deadline for receipt of applications in the APSAF office is March 1, 2009 to be
considered for receipt of the award at the APSA meeting in May, 2009. FAX copies of the
application forms and support letters are not acceptable.

Amount and Duration of Grant

This year APSAF will award two $25,000 grants. APSAF grants are usually approved for
one year but may under special circumstances be renewable for up to two years. When
warranted by the special nature of the project, awards may be approved for a shorter duration
in a set block of time or may be interrupted for periods of variable duration.

APSA Headquarters
111 Deer Lake Road, Suite 100
Deerfield, IL 60015
Phone: 847-480-9576
Fax: 847-480-9282
E-mail: eapsa@eapsa.org

Public Health Practice: Evaluating the Impact of Quality Improvement

Deadline: Dec 16, 2008

Program Area:
Public Health

Purpose:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to increasing the successful application of quality improvement (QI) methods in health departments. We believe that the use of QI will enable local, state, tribal and territorial health departments to improve their performance and their ability to protect, promote and preserve health in the communities they serve. Additionally, in preparation for national public health accreditation, many health departments are looking at QI as a means of improving performance to meet accreditation standards. Currently, however, there is little published evidence on the value and impact of QI in public health, and only preliminary evidence exists about the factors that promote the successful implementation and spread of QI efforts in governmental health departments.

RWJF seeks to build the evidence regarding the:

scope and nature of QI efforts in governmental health departments;
value of QI efforts to improve public health processes, service delivery and health status outcomes;
QI techniques best suited for different types of processes and outcomes;
data sources and methods required to evaluate QI efforts;
barriers that impede health departments’ efforts to apply QI, and the factors that enable the successful application of QI; and resources and/or conditions needed for QI efforts to yield meaningful improvements in the delivery and impact of public health services.

The University of Minnesota, School of Public Health is managing this solicitation and seeks proposals from local, state, tribal and territorial health departments to evaluate and document the effects of QI efforts conducted by health departments. All health departments must identify an evaluator, either internal or external to the health department, who will conduct the evaluation. The University of Minnesota will offer assistance in identifying qualified evaluators, if needed, and all selected health departments will be offered technical assistance on designing and implementing their QI efforts and evaluations.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:
To be eligible for grants provided as part of this solicitation, applicants must:

be a local, state, tribal or territorial health department in the United States or one of its territories;
have prior experience in conducting quality improvement processes;
initiate a new QI project that can be implemented immediately after the grant period begins and completed within one year or have a QI initiative currently in progress that will continue through the first year of the grant award period;
have a plan for identifying a qualified evaluator or, if a potential evaluator has already been identified, provide a letter of support and curriculum vitae for that evaluator (who may be internal or external to the health department); and
be willing to publish and present findings to help increase the successful application of QI in health departments across the nation.
Examples of eligible QI efforts include, but are not limited to:

increasing the efficiency of public health services to lower costs, increase value of services, volume of people served, impact of services and customer satisfaction;
implementing and assessing the effectiveness of evidence-based practices and approaches to improve the conditions that make people healthier, including prevention activities (e.g., immunizations, increased access to areas for physical activity, reduced exposure to environmental toxins); and/or
improving health status indices for the populations served by the health department or reducing disparities in health outcomes between different populations in the community.
Potential areas for evaluation include, but are not limited to:

costs and benefits of implementing the QI effort;
applicability of different QI methods for different types of targets (e.g., capacity, process or health outcomes);
health department personnel attitudes towards and knowledge of QI before and after the QI effort;
stakeholder satisfaction with the QI implementation experience; or
enabling and limiting factors to the successful application of QI in the health department.
A panel of experts in public health QI and evaluation will review the brief proposals and select a subset to proceed to the full proposal stage. Selection criteria include:

alignment of ongoing or proposed QI efforts with the definition of QI provided in this CFP;
degree to which the proposed target area for QI has an indirect or direct link to improving population health status;
potential for the evaluation of the QI effort to increase understanding of how to successfully apply QI to improve health department processes and outcomes;
potential for the evaluation of the QI effort to demonstrate the value of QI for increasing the impact of public health services;
an outline of the evaluation plan and qualifications of evaluator (if the evaluator has been identified); or
proposed evaluation targets and actions for identifying an evaluator for the project (if the evaluator has not been identified).

Key Dates:
November 14, 2008 (2:30 p.m. ET)—Informational Web conference call will be held to provide an overview of the solicitation and offer an opportunity for potential applicants to ask questions. Registration is required. Click here to register.
December 16, 2008 (3 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of brief proposals.
Early February 2009—Applicants notified if invited to submit a full proposal.
March 4, 2009 (3:00 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of full proposals.
June 15, 2009—Start of grants.

Total Award:
Approximately 15 to 20 projects of between $120,000 and $160,000 for up to 24 months will be funded through this solicitation. Funds will be awarded directly to the selected health departments.

Contact:
Tim Crowley
info-QIPublicHealth@rwjf.org

Communities as Partners in Cancer Clinical Trials Call for Implementation Partners Application Deadline: Friday, December 5th at 8 pm EST

Background:
Less than three percent of all adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials. The accrual rate is even lower among people of color, older people, and the medically underserved, who tend to have higher cancer mortality rates than the population as a whole. These low numbers compromise the value of clinical research and raise important questions about access to quality care and social justice for all communities affected by cancer.

In recent years, a number of reports have called for the inclusion of public representatives in research design and implementation to address low accrual and improve research outcomes. Communities as Partners in Cancer Clinical Trials: Changing Research, Practice and Policy, a national federally funded initiative spearheaded by the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT) and Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH), released a report in October 2008 that makes recommendations for improving multi-site, phase III cancer clinical trials through the use of community-based participatory research principles and approaches.1 Communities as Partners is the first national report to detail how the cancer clinical trial process can involve communities affected by cancer – from trial design to implementation to dissemination of results -- with a focus on community engagement strategies. With input from a diverse group of stakeholders, the report includes research, practice and policy-related recommendations for improving accrual rates and addressing persistent disparities in phase III therapeutic cancer trials. More information about the project, including a link to the report, is available at www.communitiesaspartners.org.

Through this “Call for Implementation Partners” we seek to support the implementation process of a number of these recommendations in a variety of settings. In December 2008, we will award one-year seed grants of up to $8000 and provide technical assistance to up to six implementation partners to begin to implement one or more of the recommendations contained in the report.

Major Funders Include:
* Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
* The National Cancer Institute
* California Breast Cancer Research Program
* American Society of Clinical Oncology
* Genentech
* GlaxoSmithKline
* Lance Armstrong Foundation
* Univ. of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
* ICC/EDICT
* The Wellness Community

For more information, contact:
Stacy Collins, MSW
Project Coordinator
ENACCT
1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 770
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Stacy.collins@enacct.org
301-562-2778 (Direct)
301- 562-2774 (office)

Request for Applications: Basic & Clinical Research in Autism

Deadline for letters of intent is January 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST).

Autism Speaks supports all areas of basic and clinical research that will advance its biomedical research mission, including but not limited to: human behavior (language, communication, social interaction), neurobiology (anatomy, development, neuroimaging), neurocognition, neuropathology, neurotoxicology, human genetics/genomics, immunology, endocrinology, molecular and cellular mechanisms, and studies employing model organisms.
Proposals on the following topics are particularly encouraged: Gene discovery and genetic risk assessment; gene-environment interactions, environmental risk factors; animal models and other model systems; in vivo methods for defining pathophysiology; synaptic function and neuroplasticity; signaling pathways; biomarkers or clinical phenotypes that potentially index autism subtypes/response to treatment; translational research; early detection/screening (including studies in low-income regions); underrepresented and underserved populations; diagnosis of ASD in adults and the developmental course of ASD with aging; development of efficient and valid diagnostic instruments; pilot prevalence studies; and services and dissemination science research.
Note: The relevance of the proposed research to ASD must be explicitly stated.

Awards

Autism Speaks will make a limited number of basic and/or clinical research grants determined by its available financial resources. Each research grants will be for a period of up to three years in an amount not to exceed $150,000 per year. An amount not to exceed 10% of direct costs may be used for Sponsoring Institution's indirect (overhead) costs. The total award including indirect costs cannot exceed the annual maximum award allowed.
Applicants are restricted to one proposal per review cycle as Principal Investigator.

Eligibility
Investigators holding full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty appointments or equivalent fulltime non-tenure track appointments at accredited academic, medical or research institutions are eligible to apply. Postdoctoral fellows and medical residents in their last year of training are eligible to apply, but must provide documented evidence of appointment to full-time, tenure track faculty position.

Electronic submissions are mandatory. No paper or e-mailed applications will be accepted for upload. For any related inquiries, please contact us at:

Adam Liebling, Grants Manager
Autism Speaks
2 Park Avenue South, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10016

Phone: (917) 475-5071 | Fax: (917) 475-5072 | aliebling@autismspeaks.org

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Purpose

The goal of the Postdoctoral MHSAS Fellowship Program is to encourage and facilitate the postdoctoral development of psychologists who maintain a professional focus on research related to mental health and substance abuse services for ethnic minorities. The program seeks to accomplish the following objectives:

* Improve the research, clinical, and policy base for culturally competent mental health and substance abuse
* Increase the number of ethnic minority mental health and substance abuse service clinicians, researchers, and policy-makers focusing on ethnic minority populations, and
* Increase knowledge and awareness of issue related to ethnic minority mental health and substance abuse treatment.

About the Minority Fellowship Program

The American Psychological Association MFP's mission is to increase the knowledge of, and research related to ethnic minority mental health and to improve the quality of mental health and substance abuse services delivered to ethnic minority populations. We do this by providing financial support, professional development activities, and professional guidance to students pursuing doctoral degrees in psychology. Our mission is consistent with Health People 2010, the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, and other federal initiatives to reduce health disparities.

About the MFP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Postdoctoral Program

Funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the MFP has created the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services postdoctoral fellowship to support the training of early career doctoral recipients who have primary interests in research, delivery of services, or policy related to substance abuse and its relationship to the mental health or the psychological well-being of ethnic minorities.

An MFP fellowship is more than a simple scholarship that only provides financial support. An MFP fellowship is a professional appointment into a community of students and professionals who hold similar professional interests. Indeed, the MFP provides stipends, or living allowances, to individuals who hold the fellowships. However, we also facilitate professional development and provide professional guidance with the aim of moving our recipients towards high achievement in areas related to ethnic minority mental health research, services, or policy.

Basic Eligibility

* Applicants must be American citizens or permanent resident aliens with an alien registration card (I-151 or I-551). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
* A conferred doctoral degree in psychology in the last five years
* The ability to demonstrate support from an established sponsor
* African American, Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students are especially encouraged to apply.

MFP Benefits

* Financial Support (2 years maximum. Must be renewed annually)
* A small budget for travel and related expenses
* Invitation to MFP's annual workshop for mentors and fellows
* Opportunities for mentoring and networking with leading ethnic minority psychologists
* Access to information and resources
* Lifetime network of professional association with psychologists interested in ethnic minority mental health and
services

The following items must be completed and submitted online:

1. Applicant Packet
2. Sponsor Packet
3. 3 Recommendation Letters and Forms (including sponsors)

Applications are accepted in the fall and must be submitted by January 15 of the year in which support is being sought. For more information, contact:

APA/MFP
Postdoctoral MHSAS Application
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: (202) 336-6127
Fax: (202) 336-6012

The Hartford Geriatrics Health Outcomes Research Scholars Awards Program

Application Deadline:
December 5, 2008
Start of Grant:
July 1, 2009
Amount:
$100,000 per year for two years
Number of Awards:
Up to 4 awards will be made in 2009.

AWARD OVERVIEW

The John A. Hartford Foundation and the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
Foundation for Health in Aging are pleased to announce The Hartford Geriatrics Health Outcomes
Research Scholars Awards Program. This program supports physician-scientists committed to
improving the health care of older adults during the
critical transition from junior faculty to independent
researcher. The John A. Hartford Foundation wants
to invest in scholars with leadership potential and
who aspire to improve health care for older adults.
For the purposes of this grant, outcomes research
is defined as the study of functional status,
impairments, perceptions, social opportunities, and
health services utilization that are influenced by
disease, injury, treatment, or health policy, including
etiology, diagnosis, and intervention. Research must
be focused on older adults and may address clinical
strategies and effectiveness, innovative outcomes
measures, and quality of life.

Hartford Outcomes Scholars must have a research
sponsor who has a strong background in training and
outcomes research, as well as expertise and interest
in the outcomes research that is being proposed.
A Selection Committee, comprised of distinguished
academic physicians will review the applications and
select up to four candidates to receive the award.

The Hartford Geriatrics Health Outcomes Research Scholars Awards Program is a
career development program aimed at junior level physician-scientist faculty at US
academic medical (allopathic or osteopathic) institutions. To be eligible, the applicant
must:
• have a MD or DO degree;
• hold a full-time faculty appointment at the level of assistant professor in a
clinician-scientist track, for no more than two years at the time the grant becomes
effective. (For applicants who are in the process of securing a faculty position, a
letter from their future Department Chair or Division Head must accompany the
application asserting the institution’s commitment to the applicant and when the
faculty position will become effective.)
• demonstrate the motivation and ability to devote the majority (75%) of his or her
time to conduct outcomes research related to improving the care of older adults
with the goal of devoting his/her research career to this area;
• be either:
• a geriatrician or geriatric psychiatrist who has completed all of the
requirements to be eligible to sit for a Geriatric Medicine Certification Exam by
the time the award commences (July 1, 2009); or
• a general internist, family physician, neurologist, or subspecialist of internal
medicine who is pursuing a career devoted to aging research and who has
completed all the requirements to be eligible to sit for Board Certification in
his/her discipline;
• have at least two years of prior experience which includes:
• at least one year of clinical experience at an accredited US institution; and
• at least one year of research training at an US academic institution.

The applicant must:
a. Demonstrate a strong commitment to an academic career devoted to improving
the care of older adults.
b. Plan to devote 75% of professional time to research efforts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Visit www.healthinaging.org
The American Geriatrics Society
Foundation for Health in Aging
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 801
New York, NY 10118

Mentored New Investigator Research Grant to Promote Diversity

Competition objectives

The Mentored New Investigator Research Grant to Promote Diversity (MNIGD) is a three-year award intended to be a research-based and mentoring investment in the process of closing the health disparities gap between diverse and non-diverse investigator populations. The Alzheimer’s Association feels strongly that the mentoring and involvement of diverse researchers in independently funded Alzheimer’s research is a pressing need. The MNIRGD is intended to enhance the capacity of diverse and non-diverse scientists to conduct basic, clinical and social/behavioral research.

The MNIRGD competition has the following general requirements:

* foster mentoring relationships between experienced researchers and those not previously funded or considered new investigators (under 10 years post degree);
* increase the diversity presence of scientists conducting research on Alzheimer’s and related dementias;
* enhance the research skills and scientific visibility of junior faculty from diverse backgrounds;
* support mentoring relationships that will establish enduring research careers of diverse researchers.

The purpose of this competition is to provide underrepresented new investigators with mentored funding that will allow them to develop preliminary or pilot data, to test procedures, and to develop hypotheses. The intent is to support early-career development through mentorship that will lay the groundwork for future research grant applications to the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and other funding agencies and groups, including future proposals to the Alzheimer's Association. All applications submitted to the Mentored New Investigator Research Grant to Promote Diversity program must target defined areas of focus for fiscal year 2009 to be considered responsive to the program announcement.

Mentor's statement required for MNIRGD

The mentor should be experienced in conducting Alzheimer’s and related dementia research and in mentoring investigators. The application must include a statement from the selected mentor that includes information on his/her research qualifications and experience as a research supervisor. The application must also include information to describe the mentor's research support relevant to the applicant’s research plan and the nature and extent of supervision and training that he/she will provide during the period of the award. The primary mentor must agree to provide annual evaluations of the applicant’s progress for the duration of the award, as required for the yearly progress report.

Mentoring relationships may include early-career researchers and/or fostering the recruitment of mid-career scientists into Alzheimer’s and related dementia research. The applicant and proposed mentor must specify a mechanism for assuring effective mentoring. The application should contain a plan for and an evaluation strategy of the mentoring process for enhancing diversity in the professional research workforce. Specific benchmarks are outlined below and considered by the Alzheimer’s Association as critical for the development of early-career investigators. A successful mentorship plan should include some of these benchmarks but should not be limited to these alone. Mentor's statement will be limited to one page.

Required MNIRGD benchmarks:

* Attendance at an Association-sponsored luncheon for mentors and new investigators at the Association’s International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD)
* Acceptance of an abstract at ICAD
* Mandatory documentation of hours spent on face-to-face mentoring
* Citation of specific exercises of mentorship such as supervision of manuscript writing and submission, grant writing and submission
* Specific instances of the facilitation of networking, introductions to colleagues and/or inclusion in discussions at scientific meetings
* Submission of a proposal to an Alzheimer’s Association grant program or submission of a grant proposal to the NIH or NSF
* Submission of an application to the NIA’s Summer Institute (suggested but not required)

General requirements for MNIRGD

Funding and award period: The Alzheimer’s Association anticipates funding up to five NIRGD/MNIRGD awards total under this competition. Each MNIRGD award is limited to $170,000. A total of $150,000 will be awarded for costs related to the proposed research for up to three years (direct and indirect costs). Requests in any given year may not exceed $60,000 (direct and indirect costs). Indirect costs are capped at 10 percent (rent for laboratory/office space is expected to be covered by indirect costs paid to the institution). The Principal Investigator must commit to a 50 percent effort toward the proposed project over the three-year funding period.

The remaining funds, $10,000 to the applicant and $10,000 to the primary mentor, will be awarded upon successful completion of the three-year program. These additional funds are to be applied to sustaining ongoing research in the Alzheimer’s field and will be awarded through the applicant’s and mentor’s institutions. Successful completion of the program includes, but is not limited to, reaching all of demonstrable benchmarks listed above.

Eligibility: Eligibility for this grant competition is restricted to investigators who have less than 10 years of research experience after receipt of their terminal degree. Eligible applicants are faculty members who have been determined by the grantee institution to be underrepresented on faculty in biomedical and behavioral research on a national or institutional basis, such as individuals from racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities. Nationally underrepresented groups in biomedical research careers include but are not limited to African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Young investigators currently funded through other mentored awards (federal or other) are ineligible to apply for this award.

The 10-year period applies to the date of submission of the grant application. Adjustments for career interruptions can be made. These would include, but are not limited to, family leave, military service and major illness or injury. It is the responsibility of the applicant to point out and document such interruptions. In general, postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply for an MNIRGD grant. The only exception is the special case in which an applicant can provide a letter indicating they will have a full-time faculty position, such as an assistant professorship, by the application deadline. The letter of employment must be on hiring institution letterhead and must indicate that the position will be activated by the grant award date. If the anticipated position is not activated by the award date for any reason, any offer of funding will be withdrawn.

Deadlines and award dates: Letters of intent must be received by 5:00 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME, December 1, 2008. Letters of intent will not be accepted after this date. No exceptions will be made.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. EASTERN STANDARD TIME, January 8, 2009. Scientific and technical review will be conducted from February through May 2009.

The second-level review by the Medical and Scientific Advisory Council will be conducted during June 2009. Funding will be awarded by July 2009.

Mechanism of award, reporting requirements and allowable costs: The mechanism of the award is the individual research grant. The maximum allowable duration is three years. Annual progress and financial reports are required. Continuation of the grant over the awarded duration is contingent upon the timely receipt of scientific and financial reports as well as a mentor’s report outlining progress toward meeting MNIRGD benchmarks.

Allowable costs under this award:

* It is required that most of the funds awarded under this program be used for direct research support.

Allowable costs under this award include:

* Purchase and care of laboratory animals
* Small pieces of laboratory equipment and laboratory supplies
* Computer equipment if used strictly for data collection
* Travel (up to 1,000 per year)
* Salary for the principal investigator, scientific (including post-doctoral fellows) and technical staff (including laboratory technicians and administrative support related directly to the funded project)

Costs not allowed under this award include:

* Tuition
* Computer hardware or software for investigators
* Rent for laboratory/office space
* Construction or renovation costs

Budget: A “budget summary” for the proposed research project is required and must be submitted with the application and within the allowable page limits. However, if the application is to be awarded, a more detailed budget will be required and must be approved prior to the disbursement of funds. Your budget must not exceed the maximum amount of the award ($150,000 for MNIRGD).

Investigator-Initiated Research Grant

The Investigator-Initiated Research Grant (IIRG) forms the backbone of the Alzheimer’s Association grant program. To be considered responsive, the research grant application must address a question or questions relevant to the 2009 areas of focus or a compelling issue in Alzheimer research pertinent to the applicant’s special interest or expertise.

The Alzheimer’s Association recognizes the need to increase the number of scientists from underrepresented groups in the research enterprise. Researchers from these groups are encouraged to apply.

Funding and award period: The Association anticipates funding 55 awards under the IIRG program. Each total award is limited to $240,000 (direct and indirect costs) for up to three years. Requests in any given year may not exceed $100,000 (direct and indirect costs). Indirect costs are capped at 10 percent (rent for laboratory/office space is expected to be covered by indirect costs paid to the institution).

Eligibility: Researchers with full-time staff or faculty appointments are encouraged to apply. IIRG applications from post-doctoral candidates will not be accepted.

Deadlines and award dates: Letters of intent must be received by 5:00 p.m. EASTERN STANDARD TIME, December 1, 2008. Letters of intent will not be accepted after this date. No exceptions will be made.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. EASTERN STANDARD TIME, January 8, 2009. Scientific and technical review will be conducted from February through May 2009.

The second-level review by the Medical and Scientific Advisory Council will be conducted during June 2009. Funding will be awarded by July 2009.

Mechanism of award, reporting requirements and allowable costs: The mechanism of award is the individual research grant. The maximum duration of award is three years. Annual progress and financial reports are required. Continuation of the grant over the awarded duration is contingent upon the timely submission of interim scientific and financial reports.

Budget: A “budget summary” for the proposed research project is required and must be submitted with the application and within the allowable page limits. However, if the application is to be awarded, a more detailed budget will be required and must be approved prior to the disbursement of funds. Your budget must not exceed the maximum amount of the award ($240,000 for IIRG).

Allowable costs under this award

It is required that most of the funds awarded under this program be used for direct research support.
Other allowable costs include:

Purchase and care of laboratory animals
Small pieces of laboratory equipment and laboratory supplies
Computer software if used strictly for data collection
Salary for the principal investigator, scientific (including post-doctoral fellows) and technical staff (including laboratory technicians and administrative support related directly to the funded project)
Travel to scientific and professional meetings, not to exceed $1,000 per year
Costs not allowed under this award include:

Tuition
Computer hardware or standard software (e.g., Microsoft Office) for investigators
Construction or renovation costs
Rent for laboratory/office space
Construction or renovation costs

Alzheimer's Association National Office 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601

Wellstone Fellowship

The Wellstone Fellow plays an integral role in the work of Families USA’s Minority Health Initiatives Department. The Wellstone Fellow’s primary responsibilities include assisting in the organization of trainings for community leaders and journalists; drafting policy briefs, fact sheets, and other publications; and developing content for the minority health pages of the Families USA Web site and for the department’s monthly e-newsletter. During the year, the Fellow will learn about Medicare, Medicaid, efforts to achieve universal coverage, minority health, and other important health policy issues. Specifically, the Fellow will learn how these issues play a role in reducing racial and ethnic health disparities and in improving the health of communities of color. At the same time, the Wellstone Fellow will learn about conducting health care campaigns through communication and collaboration with our network of state grassroots advocates and organizations. For more information about The Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice, please see our Web site at http://www.familiesusa.org/wellstone.

The Fellowship will last one year, from August 2009 through July 2010, and Fellows will receive a compensatory package that includes an annual salary of approximately $35,000 and excellent health care benefits. One Wellstone Fellow is selected each year.

Qualifications and Procedures

The Wellstone Fellowship is designed to increase the number of low-income, black/African American, Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Native American social justice leaders. Candidates seeking consideration for the Wellstone Fellowship must demonstrate an interest in health care policy as a tool for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. Applicants should also demonstrate a commitment to contributing to social justice work following their year of hands-on experience as a fellow. While there is no bias in favor of any specific academic discipline, a college degree is preferred. There is no minimum GPA to qualify for consideration.

Please follow the application directions carefully.

Candidates must submit the following:

* A completed application form;
* A personal essay; and
* A resume.

Candidates must have both of the following sent by others:

* An official copy of her or his most recent college or graduate school transcript (not required for applicants who have not been enrolled in a degree program after January 2006) sent directly from the school’s registrar’s office. No annotated transcripts, please.
* Three letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional references and/or references who can attest to the applicant’s community involvement, sent directly from the references themselves. Letters can be e-mailed if the letter is an attached pdf of a signed original letter sent from the reference’s professional e-mail account.

All application materials can be sent by mail to: Families USA, Wellstone Fellowship, 1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005 or e-mail to: wellstonefellowship@familiesusa.org.

All materials must be postmarked on or received by February 6, 2009. Application materials that are postmarked after that date will not be considered.

Letters of recommendation or transcripts sent by the applicant or in an improper format will not be accepted.

Finalists for the position will be contacted for an interview. The final decision will be made some time in April 2009. If selected as a finalist, the applicant’s references will be contacted.

Nursing Research Grant
The NAPNAP Foundation awards up to two grants annually for $2,500 to support and stimulate NAPNAP members to conduct relevant and innovate research on children and youth. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2009.

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
20 Brace Road, Suite 200, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-2634
tel: (856) 857-9700 | fax: (856) 857-1600