Call for research proposals from The Portes Foundation

The Portes Foundation, which supports health care researchers, educators and clinicians, is now seeking proposals for research projects in disease education and health promotion in association with the Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC).

IOMC has provided the following details on what the Portes Foundation is looking for and how to apply by the July 1, 2017, deadline:

“Historically the Portes Foundation has funded grants in the range of $25,000 to $50,000. In general grants are awarded for one year projects. We invite proposals that explore research or implementation ideas important in health promotion and disease prevention. These projects may be investigative in etiologic factors, preventive measures, primary and secondary prevention screening, and education. Projects in patient education or health professions education will also be considered. All projects must include a complete and thorough evaluation component.

“The principal investigator must be a MD, DO, or PhD, have an appointment at a medical school, other health science schools or colleges, or a medical school affiliated hospital or group practice. The letter must have the endorsement of the Dean or the principal research officer. We do not fund indirect costs or capital equipment. Travel costs may be requested up to $1,000 and reasonable publication and page charges may be covered.

“The project must have the approval of the appropriate institutional review board and, where relevant, the human subjects review board. All proposals will be peer-reviewed by a scientific committee of The Portes Foundation and the IOMC. While there are no restrictions on publication, The Portes Foundation and IOMC require that any publications resulting in whole or in part from a Portes Foundation-IOMC grant include an acknowledgment of support or partial support.

“The first phase of this process is a Letter of Intent, which should not exceed three pages. It should concisely describe the purpose and rationale of the study, its expected outcome, as well as the basic methods that will be used for evaluating the success of the project.

“The letter of intent must be submitted electronically to
iomcstaff@iomc.org by July 1, 2017. In September, LOI submitters will be notified of the initial determination and, if applicable, a complete formal proposal will be requested. Acceptance of the Letter of Intent only means that the Portes Foundation and IOMC consider the concept within their mission and are now interested in evaluating a complete proposal.

“If requested the complete proposal will be due by the end of November (electronic submission). Although the proposal need not follow the complete NIH guidelines, it must include a succinct review of relevant literature explaining the rationale and purpose of the study, a description of the population or other cohorts to be studied, the research design and methodology, and the evaluation methodology. Applicants will be notified in February 2018.”