University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Department of Family Medicine

Intramural Grant Program

Request for Applications (RFA) 

The Department of Family Medicine manages a portfolio of research funds for the purpose of supporting novel and promising primary care research.  This program is intended to promote and foster clinical and educational research across the Department of Family Medicine by providing DFM faculty with research funding to conduct Family Medicine-based research. Priority will be given to research projects 1) with the goal of applying for and obtaining funding by an external agency, including pilot and preliminary projects; 2) that can be completed within 1-2 years; and 3) not funded by another mechanism.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Program funds will be disseminated annually through a peer-review grant application process. Funding will be for one year, with a maximum of two years of funding support for projects approved for continuation.  Funding will cover up to 10% salary support (FTE) for the faculty-level Principal Investigator, and up to $25,000 in research funds.

FUNDING POLICIES

ELIGIBILITY:

• Only faculty with primary appointments in the Department of Family Medicine are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators.
• Priority will be given to emerging researchers without a history of prior funding.
• Residents and fellows are not eligible to serve as Principal Investigators.
• Faculty may submit only one application per cycle as Principal Investigator.
• Applicants may resubmit revised applications that were not funded in prior cycles.

APPLICATION REVIEW:

• Research proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a selected peer-review committee.
• Proposals will be evaluated on significance, innovation, feasibility, research design, and overall impact.
• Final approval on application funding will be made by the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine.

HUMAN SUBJECT USE:

• Funds for research proposals that require IRB approval will not be released until documentation of IRB approval is provided.  
• All submitted research proposals must have completed the HawkIRB Human Subjects Research Determination Form (HSRD) to officially determine if the research meets the definition of human subject research.  Documentation of completion is required.
• Regulatory approvals must be acquired within 6 months of award notification.

PROJECT PERIOD:

• All funds must be expended within one year of disbursement.
• Funds that are not expended within the 1-year award period will be returned to the Department of Family Medicine.
• A 1-year extension beyond the initial 1-year period may be requested during the next application cycle.  An application for a continuing project will need to be submitted for approval.

BUDGET AND RESTRICTIONS

• Funds available for proposals are based on final budgets approval by the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine.
• Funds may be used for University of Iowa research personnel salary support, supplies, research equipment, and publication or meeting fees pertaining directly to the funded research.
• Award funds may not be used to support any UI faculty member, cost overruns or retroactive funding, travel, annual membership dues, office equipment, external collaborator or consultant salaries, or indirect costs.
• Should the PI obtain extramural funding for similar work during the grant period, it is the responsibility of the PI to notify the program, and any unused funds will be returned to the Department of Family Medicine.

REPORTING

• Awardees are required to submit a Final Progress Report, including a final budget, due no later than 30 days after the 1-year anniversary of the grant award. 
• Grant applications being submitted for continuing support, are required to submit a Progress Report as part of the application for continued funding.
• The funding mechanism, named as “Department of Family Medicine Intramural Grant Program,” should be acknowledged in research publications or presentations.
• All funded research projects are expected to (1 be presented as part of the DFM noon lecture series; and (2) be submitted for presentation at either the regional or national level via poster, manuscript, or oral presentation.  
• All Final and Progress reports are to be emailed directly to the Vice Chair for Research & Scholarship, Dr. Stephanie Bunt at stephanie-bunt@uiowa.edu.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Grant proposals must be single-spaced using 12-point size in Arial style and having no less than 1-inch margins. All proposal narratives must use the following format, with a 4-page limit (not including budget, budget justifications, biosketch, and letters of support.)  Please include your name and the project title on each page of the grant proposal. Intramural Grant submissions should be made by sending a single PDF document including all sections (cover page, proposal narrative, budget, budget justifications, Biosketch, additional documents) directly to Dr. Stephanie Bunt at stephanie-bunt@uiowa.edu.  

For additional questions or information, please contact the Vice Chair for Research & Scholarship, Dr. Stephanie Bunt at stephanie-bunt@uiowa.edu.