Lesbian Health Fund Research Grants

The Lesbian Health Fund (LHF), a program of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), was established in 1992 to define, study, and educate lesbians and their health care providers about lesbian health issues. LHF's mission is to improve the health of lesbians and their families through investigation and research. Research goals include:

* Determination of rates and risk factors for cancers and other diseases among lesbians
* Issues of access to medical care for lesbians
* Study of mental health concerns of lesbians and their families
* Definition and investigation of lesbian family issues
* Methodologic exploration of diversity in the lesbian population

The deadlines for receipt of applications are May 1st and October 15st . Applications will be evaluated using the following 100 point scale:

* Research design - 40 Points
* Feasibility of accomplishing the project - 20 Points
* Investigators' qualifications - 15 Points
* Budget justification - 10 Points
* Significance of the project to the lesbian community - 15 Points

In general, investigators are notified by mail approximately two months from the application deadline of its approval for funding. Grants range from $500 to $10,000. Grant award checks will be made to the primary institution identified on the application cover page. You may not begin your proposed research until you have received funding from LHF. Grant money is NOT awarded for completed research or for projects in progress.

Interim and final reports are to be submitted by the principal investigator. Upon completion of the project the investigator will be expected to present the results at either the annual Women in Medicine conference or the Annual Conference of GLMA. Within six months of project completion, the investigator is expected to submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. A copy of the manuscript is to be sent simultaneously to the LHF Program Manager.

Grant Application Format

1. Cover Page

2. Abstract of the Project in 500 words or less

3. Detailed Plan of Project:

* maximum of six double spaced typed pages
* includes hypotheses, goals and specific objectives of the project, a brief discussion of relevant background information, the relationship of the proposed project to other work already accomplished in the field, methods, sample size calculation with power analysis, and the significance of the project to the lesbian community

4. Itemized Budget:

* supplies and expenses with justification (budget $500 for presentation at a conference)
* support from other resources for this project for this fiscal year
* total amount requested for the project from Lesbian Health Fund. The Lesbian Health Fund does not cover personnel costs (salary and benefits) for the Investigators or indirect institution costs.

5. Study protocol as approved or submitted to the Institutional Review Board of the investigator's institution if animals or humans are involved in the project

6. Curriculum Vitae of Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Investigator, and Faculty Supervisor if the PI is a student, and of any other project member mentioned by name in the application. If a faculty supervisor is involved, submit letter of support from that faculty member for supervising the project. Current LHF grantees may not participate in a new grant as PI or Co-Investigator until LHF receives their written Final Report.

7. Signed statement by the Investigator and, if applicable, by the Co-Investigator that:

* all publications resulting from the research conducted from the award will acknowledge that the project was funded by the Lesbian Health Fund of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
* the abstract of the grant will be publicized with the names of the Principal and Co-Investigator if the grant is funded

8. Evidence of the primary institution's tax exempt status

9. OPTIONAL: Articles or publications of direct relation to the proposed project.

Please number all pages and send 10 copies of each and every item to:

LHF Program Manager
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
459 Fulton St., Suite 107
San Francisco, CA 94102

Questions? Write lhf@glma.org.