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Grant Application Instructions

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Type and page formatting: Please read all instructions thoroughly before preparing your proposal. Following all instructions will avoid delays and prevent application return without review. All information must contain clear and legible print. Only a 12 point font size in Helvetica or Ariel is acceptable. No more than 6 lines of type per vertical inch are allowed. Use black ink to ensure clear copies. Page formatting requires one-half inch margins on all sides. All pages should be single sided and single spaced. Conformity with the formatting criteria ensures equality across the applications.

All proposals must be written in English. Avoid using jargon. For terms not universally known, please spell out the first time of usage and provide the abbreviation in parentheses. Subsequent references can then use the abbreviation.

Non-compliance with instructions including type and page formatting will result in the return of the application without review. The Board of Directors of the International Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy Research Foundation (IMDTRF) reserve the right to make the final determination of legibility of all submitted proposals and has the authority to return applications.

Page limitations: All applications must adhere to the specified page limitations per section provided in Table 1. Each proposal must be self-contained, i.e. the reviewer cannot be directed to a website for further clarification. Note that there is no minimum page requirement for each section. Use only the number of pages necessary to thoroughly yet concisely describe the proposed project. Exceeding the page limits in any section will result in the return of the application without review.

Table 1. Page limits.

SECTION 1

Cover Page:

Title: The title should succinctly describe the proposed research project. Do not be too general. The title should be unique to this application. A total of 60 characters are allowed including spaces between words and punctuation.

Revised applications should retain the original title unless the specific aims and working hypotheses have significantly changed.

Principal Investigator: The principal investigator (PI) is the one person strictly responsible to the IMDTRF for the proposed research project. IMDTRF will only conduct business with the PI.

New investigator: A new investigator is defined as a person who has not previously served as a PI on an externally granted project.

Degree(s): Indicate academic degrees and pertinent clinical certificates or specializations. Only list clinical considerations that are the result of an awarded certificate or diploma related to a testing mechanism. Do NOT list continuing education certificates.

Organization and department: Identify the PI’s employer such as a hospital or university. Identify the organizational section such as physical therapy.

Mailing address: Provide complete postal information to allow delivery of mail. All written correspondence will use this address.

E-mail, telephone, and fax: Provide day-time contact information.

Proposed project dates: Only one year of support can be requested. Grants will not be able to start sooner than December 1 of the application year.

Total funding request: List the total monies requested for the performance of this project as identified on the “Budget” page.

Human subjects: Check “Yes” if human subjects are used in any phase of the proposed project. If “yes”, then the “Research exempt” and “IRB/Ethical Committee approval” boxes must also be completed. Check “No” if human subjects are NOT involved in any phase of the proposed project. Do not complete the “Research exempt” box.

Research exempt: Check “Yes” if the procedures of the proposed research plan meet the criteria of exempt status as defined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) found at www.hhs.gov/ohrp/policy.

For all other conditions involving human subjects, check “No.” It is expected that the majority of proposals utilizing human subjects will NOT be exempt.

IRB/Ethical Committee: Approval for the proposed research project must be obtained from the appropriate regulating agency such as an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee by November 1 of the application year. The applicant must submit a copy of the letter of approval to IMDTRF. This letter must include the project title, name of the PI, date of approval, and signatures of members of the regulating agency. The application will not go forward nor will monies be allocated without this approval letter.

Funding rescission: Check “Yes” if the PI has ever had grant monies revoked. Provide a brief description of the circumstances of the revocation including the year.

Principal Investigator assurance: Completion of this section indicates the PI certifies that the contained information is accurate and true to the best of his/her ability. The PI also agrees to comply with the Grant Agreements. Violation of the Grant Agreements or the deliberate falsification of information can result in punitive consequences including criminal penalties.

Table of Contents

Identify the page numbers for each area listed on the table of contents page. Page numbers should be placed consecutively at the bottom of each page of the grant. Keep the pages of the application in the order presented in the “Table of Contents” page.

Abstract

The abstract should be a self-contained, brief but thorough summation of the research plan where all statements accurately reflect that plan. The focus of the abstract should be on the specific aims and methodology used to accomplish those aims.

Since the abstracts of funded projects will be published on the IMDTRF’s website, each abstract should stand as an independent document. Abbreviated terms must be generally accepted or else defined within the text of the abstract. Do not exceed the 350 word limit.

Personnel Data Sheet

List the requested information for all key personnel (co-investigators and consultants) involved with the implementation of the proposed research project.

Budget

Requests must start at a minimum amount of $2,000 and not exceed $10,000 per project for each research grant application. A detailed budget itemizing and justifying all costs is required. The budget may NOT cover salaries. The budget may include project equipment, consumable supplies, patient reimbursement, consultants such as a statistician, travel, and other expenses. Indicate all costs in US currency. Although there is no page limit for your proposed budget, be complete and concise and do not deliberately over-budget.

Equipment: List each piece of equipment including cost to be purchased with this grant. Do not include non-project items such as fax machines and computers. Justify the purchase of each piece of equipment listed. Enter the total equipment cost.

Consumable Supplies: Itemize supplies into separate categories such as disposables, reagents, chemicals, mailings etc. List costs for each separate category. Justify all consumable supplies. Enter total supply cost requested.

Consultants: Provide the name and organization of all consultants. Describe the services to be performed, include the number of consultant hours/days anticipated, and the expected rate of compensation per hour/day. A paid consultant can not be a co-investigator for the project. Justify the use of the consultant. Enter the total consultant cost.

Travel: Itemize all travel costs including airfare and lodging. Automobile mileage and per diem fees will not be reimbursed. Only travel expenses for principle investigator will be considered. Travel can occur for the collection or analysis of data and the dissemination of research results. Indicate destination, itemization, and costs for all travel. Justify all travel. Enter the total travel cost.

Other expenses: Itemize any other expenses not listed above. Other budget items may include reimbursement for patient expenses, patient recruitment incentives, computer software, training, animal purchase and housing. Detailed justification for each expense listed is required. Enter cost for total other expenses.

Resources

List the resources available for the performance the proposed research project. Items in this area include laboratory or clinical facilities and equipment that will enhance the feasibility of the completion of the proposed project. Where applicable, briefly discuss the availability of the patient population relevant to the proposed study. Identify the location of all resources listed relative to the PI. Maximum of 2 pages.

Disclosure and conflict of interest statement

This form must reflect involvement of the PI and all co-investigators named on the Personnel Data Sheet.

Biographical Sketch

Attach one biographical sketch for each key personnel (PI, co-investigators, and consultants). No more than 2 pages per person are allowed. Keep information in a list format rather than a narrative. Focus on experience pertinent to the proposed project. Where appropriate, list information in reverse chronological order. Any content areas can be expanded if directly relevant to this project.

1. Education: List academic preparation and degrees when obtained. Clinical certificates/diplomas can be listed if they are the result of a testing mechanism. Do NOT list continuing education certificates.
2. Work experience: List relevant work experience in the following order: years of service, title of position, institute/organization, location.
3. Honors/professional memberships/licenses: List relevant information in the following order: year of honor or years of membership/licensing, title of award, awarding agency, location
4. Publications: Use Harvard style for references. List publications in the following order:
1. published, peer-reviewed articles including those in print
2. published, peer-reviewed abstracts including those in print
3. books or book chapters
4. peer-reviewed articles currently in review
5. relevant invited presentations
5. Funding: List intra- and extra-murally obtained funding. Provide active grant years, project title, granting agency, and individual’s role on the project. List in the following order:
1. completed projects – funding years are completed
2. in progress projects – those studies that are currently receiving funding for completion
3. pending projects – grant applications have been submitted but outcome is unknown at this time

SECTION II

Research Plan

Specific Aims
Background and significance
Preliminary studies/experience
Research design and methods
Time-table

• subjects – include description of the population sample, inclusion/exclusion criteria, recruitment method, power analysis to support sample size
• data collection – identification of independent and dependent variables, outcome measures including reliability and validity, description of raters and rating instruments where applicable
• data analysis – identify appropriate statistical analyses
• limitations – discuss potential difficulties and propose alternative solutions

List all references discussed in Section II of the proposal. All citations should be relevant, concise, and pertinent to the proposed project. There is no page limitation for this section. Use Harvard style for formatting all references and citations.

Letters of Support

Attach appropriate letters of support from all individuals who will be involved in the project confirming their participation, such as co-investigators and consultants. If appropriate, provide a letter of support from the employer of the PI.

Appendix

If novel data collection or analysis methods are being used, a copy must be included in the appendix. Examples include: outcome tools, surveys, questionnaires, clinical protocols, topic guides. Additionally, attach a maximum of two articles published by the PI in peer-reviewed journals that are strictly relevant to the proposed project.

SECTION III

Submission

The entire application (Sections I and II) must be submitted electronically to info@mdtresearchfoundation.org.

To be considered for review, IMDTRF must receive the complete application by JUNE 1, no later than 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time.