The SRU Foundation Seed Grant is intended to assist investigators in defining objectives and testing hypotheses before applying for major grants from corporations, foundations, or government agencies. The SRU executive committee may include in the call for submissions a list of priority topics to receive preference in grant funding.

Amount: Two-year grant of $10,000 or less to support a specific clinical ultrasound research project. No salary support will be provided.  No indirect costs are supported from this grant mechanism.

• The applicant must be an SRU member and maintain that membership through the life of the research grant.
• Applicant must hold a 60% or greater time faculty position in an educational institution at the time the award commences.
• Applicant must be in a department of diagnostic radiology and have completed all advanced training.
• The Applicant should be within 10 years from the date of the completion of fellowship or residency training.

Note: These setting requirements are to be considered a general guideline. The goal is to ensure that SRU members’ research is supported in settings that contribute to the success of the proposed work. Because there are unique academic and research situations that could fall outside these guidelines, please contact the SRU research committee chair to learn if your situation would be acceptable.

A review panel consisting of SRU research committee members and others with expertise in the areas and topics of each grant will review the application for scientific merit and appropriateness for funding. Final decisions will be subject to the approval of the SRU executive committee. Applicants will be notified in writing of the disposition of their applications. Depending on the nature of the proposal, one or more of the following guidelines may be applied in the review process:

• Is the project topic aligned with the announced research priorities (in years when priorities are announced)?
• Does the proposal primarily involve clinical ultrasound research?
• Is the protocol based on good scientific reasoning?
• Is the scientific methodology of the proposal appropriate?
• Is the projected clinical cohort large enough to provide for adequate patient enrollment?
• Does the applicant hae access to research coordinator and statistical service?
• What effect might this research have on the existing state of knowledge in:
  • Diagnosis and/or treatment of disease?
  • Morbidity and/or mortality?
  • Utilization of resources for patient care?
  • Patient safety?
  • Education of physicians, scientists, and the public?
  • Does the proposal represent expansion of existing work or is it a new study? 

• The applicant will complete the online grant application.
• The deadline for receipt of applications is July 1, 2024
• The candidates will be notified of funding September 1, 2024
• Please click HERE to apply

The SRU Foundation does not pay institutional indirect costs or overhead.  Travel expenses for the SRU Annual Meeting may not be paid for by this grant. Re-budgeting of funds over $1,000 will be possible only after approval by the SRU Research Committee. Unexpended funds must be returned to the SRU.

Payments: SRU Foundation awards will be made to the department in two payments. Within 4 months of the award, the applicant will communicate with the society on the status of the IRB and set up of the project. At that time the initial payment will cover 75% of the total award. A second check to cover the remaining 25% of the grant will be sent upon the receipt of the first interim report, due one year from the start of the project.

Brief interim reports are due one year after the award start date using the form provided by the SRU and should include:

• Restate the specific aims/goals of your research plan and show the results of your work toward each aim/goal. Include all supporting data.
• Indicate any deviations you have made from the original research plan and explain these changes.
• Indicate the expenditures you have made to date and how they relate to the project.
• Indicate any problems or delays that you have encountered; for example, problems in obtaining protected time to do research, slow patient accrual in the study, etc.

A final report is due 60 days after the end date of the award and should indicate:

• General description of the results and if the results are being prepared for publication or will be prepared for publication within the next six months.
• If the results from your studies will be used as preliminary data in a grant application to another granting agency.
• the clinical significance and future clinical impact of the results of your study.
• the strengths and weaknesses of the SRU Foundation grant program in which you participated.
• If you were unable to meet the stated goals of the project, explain.

Scientific manuscripts resulting from SRU Foundation-funded projects should be submitted for presentation and/or publication.  The SRU Foundation expects the PI to determine the best audience for the work but suggests that the SRU Annual Meeting and the journal Ultrasound Quarterly should be considered. The PI must submit their work to the SRU Research Committee’s call for scientific abstracts from early career members for the SRU Annual Meeting. Notification of publication should be sent to the SRU’s attention via the Executive Director for distribution to the executive committee. All posters, publications and oral presentations of SRU funded projects must contain appropriate acknowledgment of the Foundation’s support.

The grant recipient from 2 years prior will be expected to provide a presentation on the results of their project at the SRU annual meeting.  For example, for 2022 grant recipients will present their work during the 2024 SRU Annual Meeting.

The term of the grant award is two years. A no-cost extension of the term of the Grant may be requested to extend the final budget period of a project up to 12 months beyond the original ending date of the grant. The approval of an extension does not include the awarding of additional funds. A request for an extension along with a progress report must be made in writing to the chair of the Board at the Foundation’s address before the expiration of the original grant period (two years). The request must state the reason for the extension and the length of the extension requested and must be co-signed by the department chair. If the project is delayed, interim reports must be submitted every six months. Other requests for changes to the terms of an award should be addressed to the chair of the SRU research committee with similar documentation and institutional approvals.

Modification or Termination of Support

The SRU research committee reserves the right to modify or terminate the amount of any funds granted under the terms of the Grant program. Generally, such action would be based on the awardee’s receipt of support from sources other than the Foundation, which might: (1) limit the ability of the awardee to successfully complete the terms of the award or; (2) obviate the awardee’s need for funding from the Foundation.

AWARD AMOUNT

$10,000