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Personal Grants for Individuals

The government has been giving grants to people for a long time as a way to stimulate not only the economy but also improve quality of life. There are free grants for individuals such as to buy a new home, grants for personal use to go to college, and even grants to start a business. So where do minority grants come in, such as grants for African Americans, grants for Hispanics, and specifically grants for black women and black men? Minority grants were created to specifically help the minorities in the country to succeed and create new opportunities for them. Many minorities are underprivileged and these grants can help them to start better lives for them and their families.

Minority grants also provide money for things such as college and buying a new home, they simply cut down on the amount of competition that a minority would have to face for one of these grants. Minorities must meet certain qualifications for these grants. As an example, Native Americans must be able to present a Certificate of Indian Blood to prove they are Native American and must also belong to a tribe. These qualifications greatly limit the amount of people who can apply, because it is hard to get a CIB, but it provides great opportunities for Native Americans who can prove that they are a minority.

Each grant that is available for minorities will have different requirements that a person has to meet in order to apply for the grant. As an example, a grant might only be for African Americans who are under a certain income bracket looking to buy their first home. Minority grants are set up by various government organizations and they can make the qualifications as broad or specific as they like. People who happen to qualify for grants that fit a certain niche are more likely to get the grant because few people will be able to apply for it.

Some grants will require written documentation that explains what the grant money will be used for. Minority business grants must be used to start a business of improve upon a small business that already exists. A good record needs to be kept of what was spent on the business in case the government organization wants to see it. Home owner grants for minorities don’t necessarily have to go towards payment of the house and can instead be used for home repairs. College grants typically pay for college tuition but can also be used for college living expenses as well. Not all minority grants will demand the grant be used for something specific.

In order for a person to apply for a government grant, they can go to grant.gov to find out information about what grants are available to them and how to apply. There is a large form that needs to be filled out to apply, and it must be signed and mailed in. Applicants can keep track of their application through the website to see where it is in the process and know as soon as it is approved.



Grants for Black Women and Hispanics

Being a minority woman has many great benefits especially if you are looking for a free grant to start a business. To start a business you need capital. The first place most people turn is to a bank loan or a loan from friends and family. But minority grants for women to start a business don't have to be paid back. The federal government and many organizations offer these small business grants for women. Minority women include African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics. If you belong to any one of those group then you can apply for grants.

Before you apply for a business grant, develop a business plan. A detailed business plan not only gets you off on the right foot in your business, but you also need to show this to your grantors who have the final decision as to whether or not you get a grant. If you can’t provide a good reason for them to give you money, then they most likely won’t be giving any money. You can find sample business plans online to get you started. You can also hire a business consultant to help you plan.

Start off your search for small business grants for women by heading over to grants.gov. This is a government website which has list of hundreds of grants. Search for the grants that suit you. In this case it would be business grants for women.

Next stop contact non-profit and other charitable organizations and find out if they give minority business grants for women. You can also contact businesses that may also give grants. Find out this information from your chamber of commerce.

Your state or county government may also have separate small business grants for minority women from that of the federal government. Give them a call and see what they have to offer.



Free Grants for Debt

If you're suffering from the recession due to job loss, high cost of living, etc, and you are burdened with huge expenses and debt, keep your mind and eyes open for opportunities such as free grants.

Government grants are awarded to bailout the deep in debt. And there are private grant foundations that award grants for individuals. They can be applied for a range of needs such as to start a successful business which can get you out of debt.

Anybody can apply for a private or government grant. The hugest benefit; of course, is that a grant never has to be repaid.



Business Grants

Starting up a business whether a home based one or a big business complex it is very difficult especially when you need cash. There are a number of ways you can raise funds for your business but can prove to be a hard task. However one excellent option is that you can find the best US government business grant from any agency in United States. These government grants are defined as assistance for your financial matters offered by the federal government to individuals and businesses which need financial help. You can request financial help to start up a home based business or even to build a new office complex through the United States government business grants. You have the option to apply for either one business program or can also apply for 100 different programs including the state grants.

Business grant programs are for:
Starting or growing a business
A down payment to purchase a ranch
Businesses in small towns
Minority owned and women owned businesses to receive state contracts
To hire an employee
State grants companies that are hurt through defense cuts
When doing business in certain state zip codes
To help exporters with financial problems
Grants to business that have employed disabled people

This also includes:
$25,000 as small business finance
$150,000 as grant which does not require collateral
$150,000 including one page application

Business grant programs:
There are over 300 business program grant programs that include nearly 60 United State government grants with state grants. You must have already approached a government office in United States to avail a business government grant but only found out that they do not offer government business grants. This might be true that their state office do not offer US government business grants but it does not mean that US government does not provide business grants. Depending on your residential state there are nearly 60 government offices which provide government state business grants and they are the offices which you might not have checked.



Business Grants for Women

Two out of every three new businesses are started by women, who are often more successful than men. Women have a 75% chance of success in business ownership. That's why the Federal, State and Local Governments offer thousands of programs that give out money, help and information to women who want to expand or start a business.



Government Grants - Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)

CFDA currently tracks over $10 million federal dollars obligated to domestic assistance programs. The following chart displays projected and actual Recovery and non-Recovery federal dollars obligated.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) provides a full listing of all Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi- public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.

You do not need an account to search the catalog and view Federal assistance programs.

--------------------------

FAQs

Where can I get help about CFDA? For questions about CFDA, you can contact the Federal Service Desk by clicking on the For Help: Federal Service Desk link on the bottom left of every page or by visiting the Federal Service Desk at (https://www.fsd.gov). Users may call the Federal Service Desk by dialing 1-866-606-8220 (national) or 1-334-206-7828 (international) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Do I need to register for an Agency User account to use the system? No. CFDA Agency User accounts are only for Federal government staff managing the CFDA program data. You do not need an account to search the CFDA catalog or to view Federal assistance programs. This information is freely available to any interested party. You can search by keyword, by agency, by program number as well as fine tune your search requests using the advanced search feature.

Why was my account request rejected? CFDA system accounts are only for Federal government staff managing the CFDA program data. If your account request was rejected, that means that the Agency Coordinator was unable to confirm your status as a government staff member. If you feel this decision is in error, let us know via the help@cfda.gov e-mail address.

Is there a User Manual? The public user manual is available on the homepage (www.cfda.gov) in PDF format. There is also a link to it at the bottom of every page.

Is there a way to electronically download program data? The CFDA established a public FTP site in order to promote sharing of program data, as well as to provide a means for related government systems to download data reliably and efficiently. The FTP site URL is ftp://ftp.cfda.gov and provides users with the ability to anonymously download program data in csv format. There are two available file options:

1. Daily File: This file is updated nightly and will contain the following limited program data fields: Program Number, Program Title, and Agency. The file name will adhere to the following naming convention: "programsYYDDD" with the 2-digit year and 3-digit Julian day, e.g., programs09159.csv
2. Weekly File: This file is updated weekly (Sunday night) and will contain ALL program data fields publicly available. The file name will adhere to the following naming convention: "programs-fullYYDDD" with the 2-digit year and 3-digit Julian day, e.g., programs-full09164.csv

How can I tell if a CFDA program contains Recovery Act funding? All CFDA programs that are funded in whole or in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) have a "RECOVERY" icon embedded in their header information. This icon is visible in the [Search Recovery Programs] results and when you view the program description for a Recovery Act-funded program.

---------------------------

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public. It contains financial and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the Federal government.

In 1984, Public Law 98-169 authorized the transfer of responsibilities of the Federal Program Information Act from the Office of Management and Budget to the General Services Administration (GSA). The transfer took place in July 1984. These responsibilities include the dissemination of Federal domestic assistance program information through the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act, Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 98-169. GSA now maintains the Federal assistance information database from which program information is obtained. The Office of Management and Budget serves as an intermediary agent between the Federal agencies and GSA, thus providing oversight to the necessary collection of Federal domestic assistance program data.

As the basic reference source of Federal programs, the primary purpose of the Catalog is to assist users in identifying programs that meet specific objectives of the potential applicant, and to obtain general information on Federal assistance programs. In addition, the intent of the Catalog is to improve coordination and communication between the Federal government and State and local governments.

Programs selected for inclusion in the Federal assistance data base are defined as any function of a Federal agency that provides assistance or benefits for a State or States, territorial possession, county, city, other political subdivision, grouping, or instrumentality thereof; any domestic profit or nonprofit corporation, institution, or individual, other than an agency of the Federal government.

A "Federal domestic assistance program" may in practice be called a program, an activity, a service, a project, a process, or some other name, regardless of whether it is identified as a separate program by statute or regulation. It will be identified in terms of its legal authority, administering office, funding, purpose, benefits, and beneficiaries.

"Assistance" or "benefits" refers to the transfer of money, property, services, or anything of value, the principal purpose of which is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute. Assistance includes, but is not limited to grants, loans, loan guarantees, scholarships, mortgage loans, insurance, and other types of financial assistance, including cooperative agreements; property, technical assistance, counseling, statistical, and other expert information; and service activities of regulatory agencies. It does not include the provision of conventional public information services.

For years, GSA has published a printed version of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA or Catalog), as required by legislation dating to 1977 and 1983. That same legislation allowed GSA to distribute free copies of the printed Catalog to designated recipients. In fiscal year 2003, nearly 10,000 paper copies of the Catalog were distributed at no cost to the recipients.

Current legislation, however, authorizes GSA to determine in what form to prepare and publish the Catalog. Consistent with the Administration's Electronic-Government initiatives, the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, and a move to a paper free environment, GSA will now disseminate the Catalog electronically through the CFDA website on the Internet. As a result, effective immediately, GSA will no longer print and distribute free copies of the Catalog.

The Internet and GSA’s free CFDA website at http://www.cfda.gov will be the primary means of disseminating the Catalog. The CFDA website will also contain a PDF file version of the Catalog that, when printed by any user, will have the same layout as the printed document that the Government Printing Office (GPO) has provided.

GPO will continue printing and selling the CFDA to interested buyers. For information about purchasing the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance from GPO, call the Superintendent of Documents at 202-512-1800 or toll free at 866-512-1800, or you may reach GPO's on-line bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

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Integra Foundation Neuroscience Nursing Foundation Research Grant Award

Integra Foundation Neuroscience Nursing Foundation Research Grant Award

Award: $10,000
Application Deadline: July 15, 2010. Applications must be received or postmarked by this date.

The purpose is to encourage qualified nurses to contribute to the advancement of neuroscience nursing through research. This research will be made available to the public and members of the health professions through publication and presentation at the AANN meetings.

Research funding
The NNF Research Review Board will review applications and make recommendations to the NNF Board of Trustees on all proposals received.

Criteria for applicants
•Principal investigator must be a registered nurse.
•The project must be well defined and likely to contribute knowledge to neuroscience nursing.
•Investigators are ready to start the research project, or are already in the process of conducting the research.

Neuroscience Nursing Foundation
3007 Marx Road
Rice, WA 99167
Phone: 509.738.2542 Fax: 509.738.2580
Email: nnf@nnfoundation.net

 

Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse Recertification Grant Program

Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse Recertification Grant Program

Through the Neuroscience Nursing Foundation CNRN Recertification Grant Program, NNF awards monies to Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurses (CNRNs) during their fifth year of certification (i.e., those who are up for recertification as a CNRN in the current year). Recertification grants are generously funded by the Integra Foundation and the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing.

* Award Amount: $215
* Application Deadline: September 15, 2010

Neuroscience Nursing Foundation
3007 Marx Road
Rice, WA 99167
Phone: 509.738.2542 Fax: 509.738.2580
Email: nnf@nnfoundation.net

Genetic Alliance BioBank Grant Opportunity
Genetic Alliance BioBank Grant Opportunity

Genetic Alliance’s goal is to build capacity within the genetics community by being fluid, dynamic, and efficient; working to eliminate obstacles and limitations; and fostering innovation and collaboration. It is in this spirit of building capacity and advancing novel partnerships that Genetic Alliance is offering one grant of $20,000, to be awarded to a single or multi-group organization or consortium towards the start-up fee for membership in the Genetic Alliance BioBank. Applicants are asked to provide a narrative about their organization, their research goals for the BioBank, and examples of utilizing Genetic Alliance tools. Supporting documentation includes financial information, organizational structure, and letters of support.

Application Deadline: May 1, 2010, 6 pm EST
Notification Date: June 15, 2010

For more information on this grant opportunity please join us on March 17, 2010 at noon EST for BioBank Grant Application Webinar.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Jim Bialick - Health Information Systems Coordinator, jbialick@geneticalliance.org, or Liz Horn - BioBank Director, lhorn@geneticalliance.org.

For more information on Genetic Alliance BioBank, please visit www.biobank.org
American Society of Hematology Trainee Research Award

American Society of Hematology Trainee Research Award

What is the Trainee Research Award?
ASH will provide an award of $4,000 for research support for a research project and $1,000 for travel to the Society’s annual meeting.

Who is eligible?
The program is open to undergraduates, medical students, and residents. Fellows are ineligible for this award.

When is the application deadline?
Applications are due March 16, 2010.

Are indirect costs allowed?
Indirect costs are not allowed for any ASH Trainee Research Award.

Benefits of Participation
Trainees will be exposed to hematology research early in their career and hopefully be encouraged to continue research as part of their future training.

Eligibility
The Trainee Research Award program is open to medical students, residents, and selected undergraduates only.

Institutions applying must have an accredited hematology course or hematology fellowship training program and must have a hematology course director or fellowship training program director in hematology or a hematology-related area. For the purposes of this application a hematology fellowship program refers to adult hematology, adult hem/oncology, pediatric hematology/oncology, hematopathology, blood banking/transfusion medicine ACGME accredited fellowship training program. The program is open only to institutions in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Mentors may be the hematology course director, the training program director or an individual who will assume the responsibilities of overseeing the student’s work and progress. The mentor must be an ASH member.

Either laboratory research or clinical investigation is appropriate. Applicants are invited to be creative in developing opportunities for trainees that will favorably introduce them to the discipline of hematology.

Awards will be assigned to the research mentor and are intended to defer the cost of the research project. Funds can be used to provide the trainee a stipend for the purposes of conducting the research. Research funds are paid directly to the participating institution of the mentor, not to the students. All participating trainees are required to submit a final summary of their work at the end of their research. The final summary is due within one month (30 days) of completing the project.

Award
ASH will provide awards of $4,000 for research support for a hematology-relevant research project of approximately three months of duration and $1,000 for travel to the Society’s annual meeting. The travel awards will be made payable to the trainee. It is intended to reimburse the recipient for costs associated with attending the ASH annual meeting (i.e., flight, hotel, and meeting registration). Travel awards will only be issued to those attending the annual meeting. Travel award checks must be picked up on site at the annual meeting. Checks that are not picked up on site at the annual meeting will not be mailed to trainees. Travel costs over and above the $1,000 may be reimbursed from the research support award, at the discretion of the supervisor of training.

Awards will be assigned to the research mentor and are intended to defer the cost of the research project. Funds can be used to provide the trainee a stipend for the purposes of conducting the research. Research funds are paid directly to the participating institution of the mentor, not to the students.

Application Process
Below are the dates for the 2010 application process.
Applications are due: March 16, 2010
Review of applications by: April 15, 2010
Notification of awards by: May 17, 2010
Documentation of progress due: November 15, 2010

A selection committee will be responsible for review and comment of applications meeting eligibility requirements.

Evaluation
All participating trainees are required to submit a final summary of their work at the end of their research. The final summary is due within one month of completing the project. If a student needs additional time, mentors must submit a request in writing. All trainees will be required to submit documentation of progress, no later than November 15, 2010.

Trainees may not send ASH annual meeting abstract submissions as their final summary. Guidelines for the final summary should be strictly adhered to.

ASH expects the mentors, the fellowship training program directors, and the hematology course directors to document the career paths of participating students. ASH has set up a database to track mentors and mentees who will be contacted yearly for an update on each trainee who has gone through the program for a period of three years. Because tracking of trainees is difficult as time passes, ASH will also attempt to contact trainees directly, using e-mail addresses as recorded in the tracking database. ASH will use this information as one measure of success of the program.

If you have any questions or require any additional information regarding the ASH Trainee Research Award, please contact Joe Basso, Training Manager, at 202-776-0544.

American Society of Hematology
2021 L Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036

Phone 202-776-0544 | Fax 202-776-0545

American Society of Hematology Visitor Training Program

American Society of Hematology Visitor Training Program

The purpose of the Visitor Training Program (VTP) is to help build hematology capacity in developing countries, ultimately improving patient care and/or research. The VTP provides funding for hematologists, scientists, or laboratory staff working in hematology in developing countries to receive training on a specific topic or technique for up to 12 weeks. Training is carried out in a clinic or laboratory under the mentorship of an ASH member anywhere in the world. Upon completion of the training, participants return to their home institution to implement the training and share their newfound knowledge with their colleagues.

Applications are now available for the 2010 Visitor Training Program.

Benefits
* ASH will fund approved costs for travel and living expenses (applicants must submit a budget).
* By implementing the training in their home institution, awardees will have the opportunity to increase hematology capacity for themselves and their colleagues, ultimately leading to improved patient care and/or research.
* By training with an ASH member, the awardee will participate in the rigorous scientific community of ASH.

Eligibility

Applicants
* Physicians, scientists, and hematology laboratory staff working in a hospital or a research institution in one of the countries defined as developing by ASH are welcome to apply.
* Applicants may be at any stage in their careers.
* Applicants do not need to be ASH members.

Application
* The primary focus must be on specific training in procedures that will benefit the applicant’s home institution.
* Relevant equipment and supplies must be available at the home institution.
* The VTP is intended to build capacity. Participants must implement the training at their home institution upon their return. Individual research projects will not be considered.
* Applications are reviewed by the ASH International Members Committee. Therefore, applications are not accepted from institutions where a member of the International Members Committee currently practices hematology.

For a current list of institutions, contact Clare Kelley at pckelley@hematology.org.

Host institution and mentor
* The host institution can be located anywhere in the world.
* The host mentor may be from any country.
* The host mentor must be a current ASH member in good standing on the day the application is submitted.

Deadlines
Application deadline: April 10, 2010
Award notification: by July 15, 2010

Questions?
If you have any questions or require any additional information regarding the ASH Visitor Training Program, please  contact Clare Kelley, International Programs Specialist, at pckelley@hematology.org or 202-776-0544, ext. 4902.

American Society of Hematology
2021 L Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036

Phone 202-776-0544 | Fax 202-776-0545

American Society of Hematology Scholar Awards

American Society of Hematology Scholar Awards

The ASH Scholar Awards are designed to support hematologists who have chosen a career in research by providing partial salary or other support during that critical period required for completion of training and achievement of status as an independent investigator.

Eligibility Criteria (as of August 26, 2010)

To be eligible for the Junior Faculty Scholar Award (either basic or clinical/translational research), applicants must be within the first three years of their initial faculty appointment as Assistant Professor at the time of application.

To be eligible for the Fellow Scholar Award (either basic or clinical/translational research), applicants must have more than two years, but less than five years postdoctoral research training at the time of application. Applicants who are fellows must have completed their ACGME clinical year plus two full years (but no more than five) of postdoctoral research at the time of application.

In addition to fellows, instructors, lecturers, and research associates should apply in the fellow category. The five-year maximum for postdoctoral research training also applies to these individuals. Applicants with these job titles are not yet eligible for the Junior Faculty Award.

All Applicants:

* Applicants must be an ASH member or have a pending application for membership.
* Applicants must work in a U.S. or Canadian institution (such as a medical school, hospital, or research institute). An institution qualifies if it independently receives and administers grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health.
* Only one application per laboratory should be submitted per category (basic research fellow, basic research junior faculty, clinical/translational research fellow, and clinical/translational research junior faculty) for this competition.
* Employees of the PHS at the NIH are not eligible for these awards as their salaries for research are covered under the terms of their employment.
* Individuals with R01 grants or equivilant grants at the time of application are not eligible for these awards. Individuals with K awards from the NIH are eligible to apply.
* At least 75 percent of the applicant’s full-time professional effort must be devoted to research.

Application Process

ASH requires applicants to submit a letter of intent by May 1, 2010, in order to be eligible to submit a full proposal in August. The letter of intent should include the following:

* Cover letter signed by applicant on institution letterhead (include mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address)
* Abstract of proposed project, including title (please do not exceed 350 words)
* Applicant's curriculum vitae
* Identify which award category you plan to apply for:
o Basic Research Fellow
o Basic Research Junior Faculty
o Clinical/Translational Research Fellow
o Clinical/Translational Research Junior Faculty

Please e-mail your letter of intent to awards@hematology.org.

ASH will perform a preliminary review of these materials to confirm eligibility and the appropriateness of the research category applied to. If additional information is required, ASH staff will contact you prior to June.

The full ASH Scholar Award applications will be available in early June only for those individuals who successfully submit a letter of intent by the deadline and are confirmed to be eligible.

Acceptance Policy
Anyone meeting the eligibility requirements set forth above can submit an application. The review of the scholar award applications is based solely on the scientific merit and quality of the applicant. However, in fairness to programmatic balance, no more than two awards will be granted per category (basic research fellow, basic research junior faculty, clinical/translational fellow, clinical/translational junior faculty) per medical school. For this purpose, ASH defines medical school so that it encompasses all sub-institutions (e.g., University of Washington would include the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Children’s Hospital, etc.).

Research Supported
Basic Research: ASH considers basic research to include a broad spectrum of studies on genes, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, biochemical and signaling pathways, receptors, cells and animals, as well as samples obtained from humans, all of which are designed to further our understanding of the blood, bone marrow, and related organs or the pathogenesis of blood disorders. The emphasis for grants in this category should be on the discovery of new knowledge in a traditional laboratory setting.

Clinical/Translational Research: ASH considers clinical/translational research to include translational research, patient-oriented research, and outcomes-based research. ASH emphasizes that clinical/translational research must involve substantial interaction with patients.

* Translational Research
For the purposes of the ASH Scholar Awards program, translational research means using knowledge of human biology to develop and test the feasibility of relevant interventions in humans and/or determine the biological basis for observations made in individuals with hematologic conditions or in populations at risk. Translational research should be founded on and directly connected to some aspect of human biology and may encompass any form of cellular, molecular, structural, biochemical, genetic, or other appropriate experimental approach. The proposal should address clinical applications – not just test development – although the development of novel instrumentation of value to hematology is clearly within the scope of the application.

* Patient-Oriented Research
For the purposes of the ASH Scholar Awards program, patient-oriented research is defined as research conducted with human subjects and involves an investigator directly interacting with human subjects. Categories of patient-oriented research include: 1) mechanisms of human disease, 2) therapeutic interventions, 3) clinical trials, and 4) development of new technologies.

* Outcomes-Based Research
ASH strongly encourages applications in outcomes-based research. Options for outcomes-based research include: 1) a decision-analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis of a relevant topic within hematology, 2) survey-based research investigating practice patterns, access to care, quality of care, clinical outcomes, or quality of life among patients with hematologic conditions, 3) retrospective analyses of large administrative databases (e.g., CMS, a large insurer, SEER) that may enlighten health care policy decisions related to hematologic disease, and 4) large scale epidemiologic or genetic epidemiologic studies that define the incidence, prevalence, prognosis, and natural history or the effects of therapy of blood disorders.

Applications that fall within any of the categories discussed above are encouraged.

Support
Awards are limited to a maximum of $100,000 for fellow scholars and $150,000 for junior faculty scholars over a two- to three-year period, with an annual maximum of $50,000 for fellows and $75,000 for junior faculty. Up to 15 percent of the award can be (but is not required to be) used for benefits, including medical and dental insurance, life insurance, and retirement benefits.

All awards are activated on July 1 of the following year. The applicant has the option of concluding the award on June 30, two or three years after activation. All award payments are made on a quarterly basis – the amount depends on whether the award is being spread over two or three years. Payments are made to the appropriate financial officer of the institution as indicated on the proposed budget within the full application.

General Timeline
Letter of intent due Saturday, May 1, 2010
Application available for those who successfully submit a LOI by the deadline June 2010
Full proposal due Thursday, August 26, 2010
Notification of awards Mid-November
Activation of award July 1, 2011

For more information about the ASH Scholar Awards program, please contact Elisa Shea, ASH Awards Manager, by e-mail or by phone at 202-776-0544.

American Society of Hematology
2021 L Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036

Phone 202-776-0544 | Fax 202-776-0545

American Society of Hematology Mentor Award

American Society of Hematology Mentor Award

Mentorship is one of the most important determinants of a successful career in hematology, yet it is often a component of career development that, while prized by recipients, is rarely rewarded. In recognition of the value the Society places on mentorship, the ASH Mentor Award was created to reward outstanding mentors in the hematology community. Superb mentors from any of the different branches of hematology are eligible for this award, including adult or pediatric hematologists; academic or community practitioners; basic, clinical, or translational researchers; hematopathologists; transfusion medicine specialists; and individuals working in industry or government. It is anticipated that awardees will have had a sustained career commitment to mentoring, a significant positive impact on their mentees' careers, and through their mentees have advanced research and patient care in the field of hematology.

Each year one award in the amount of $5,000 and a plaque will be granted to an outstanding mentor in the basic sciences and one to an outstanding clinical investigator mentor. (The ASH Mentor Award Study Section reserves the right to not grant awards if no suitable nominations have been submitted.)

Award Criteria
This award is based on the training experiences and success of the nominee’s mentees, not the mentor’s personal career achievements. For the purpose of this award, mentoring is defined as the process of guiding, supporting, and promoting the training and career development of others. The key roles of a mentor include, but are not limited to providing:

* Intellectual growth and development
* Career development
* Professional guidance
* Advocacy
* Positive role modeling

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion
1. All nominees and nominators must be members of ASH.
2. Nominees of all nationalities and all countries of residence are eligible; however, all application materials must be submitted in English.
3. Nominees may include adult or pediatric hematologists; academic or community practitioners; basic, clinical, or translational researchers; hematopathologists; transfusion medicine specialists; and individuals working in industry or government.
4. Nominees should have a sustained record of mentoring over time.
5. Nominators must be a mentee of the nominee, or colleagues who have personal knowledge of the nominee’s mentoring efforts.
6. Mentees should be actively involved in research, teaching, mentoring, or other leadership activities.
7. The nominator, primary, and secondary mentee must be three individuals.

Exclusion
1. Prior recipients of the ASH Mentor Award are ineligible for future awards.
2. Current members of the ASH Executive Committee, the ASH Awards Committee, or the ASH Mentor Award Study Section are ineligible.
3. Self-nominations and posthumous nominations will not be accepted.
4. Recipients of the William Dameshek Prize, Henry M. Stratton Medal, and E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize are ineligible for the year they receive the award.

Nomination Packages

Nomination packages must be submitted by May 4, 2010, to:

ASH Training Manager
ASH Mentor Award
2021 L Street, NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036

Nomination packages must include the following information:

1. The completed nomination form.
2. The nominee's curriculum vitae.
3. Three letters of recommendation.
* A letter written by the nominator that summarizes the nominee's impact on the training/careers of his/her mentees.
* Two letters written by the primary and secondary mentee (can be a former or current mentee) who can each provide a first-hand account of how the nominee influenced his or her career. Academic, clinical, and educational, achievements on the part of the mentee will all be considered important. These mentees must be willing to complete a structured telephone interview about the nominee's mentoring capacity.
* Optional: Up to three additional letters of support from junior and senior faculty will be accepted, but are not required. Ideally, at least one letter should be written by a mentee who can provide a first-hand account of how the nominee influenced his or her career. Academic, clinical, educational, and regulatory achievements on the part of the mentee will all be considered as important.

It is suggested that the nominees participate in the process of assembling the nomination package, since their mentoring achievements may have spanned many years, beyond the experience of individual mentees.
Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations may be made by any member of ASH, based on either having been mentored by the nominee or by personal observation of mentoring provided to others by the nominee. Nominators may be mentees of the nominee or colleagues who have personal knowledge of the nominee's mentoring efforts.

The ASH Mentor Award Study Section, which reviews nomination packages, includes, but is not limited to, four members from the ASH Trainee Council, one member from the ASH Educational Affairs Committee, one member from the ASH Awards Committee, one member from the ASH Committee on Practice, and one member from the ASH Committee on Training Programs.

Nomination packages will be forwarded to the Mentor Award Study Section for review. The selection process has a quantitative and a qualitative phase. During the initial quantitative phase, nomination packages are reviewed and scored by the members of the Study Section on a mentoring score card. Several members of the Study Section review each nomination package.

Nominations are scored based on the Award Criteria and the overall strength of the nomination package. The Study Section meets in June to review scores and decide on four to six finalists (broken out evenly in each of the two categories) to continue on to the qualitative component of the selection process.

During the qualitative phase of the selection process, the nominator and the two mentees are contacted for each finalist for a focused telephone interview. Interviews are conducted by a professional interviewer and are based on the "semi-structured interview" technique of qualitative research. The interviews explore the mentoring strengths and track-record of the nominee. Focused interview transcripts are prepared and forwarded to members of the Study Section by August. Final selections will be based on a consensus of the entire Study Section during a conference call that takes place in mid-August. The Study Section will encourage nominators of highly ranked, but unsuccessful, nominees to resubmit their application in subsequent years. Final selections are sent to the ASH Awards Committee and the ASH Executive Committee for final approval by the end of August. Awardees are notified in September.
Assessing the Selection Process

The selection criteria and evaluation tools were conceived in an effort to allow the Study Section a way to reach consensus, in a well-informed manner, about individuals who have consistently exemplified outstanding mentorship skills. Many of these skills are not easily assessed by academic rank or curriculum vitae. It is expected that awardees have outstanding academic records, but the aim of this selection process is to specifically address mentoring skills. To determine the utility and validity of the selection process, some nominees, nominators, referees, and awards committee members are asked to evaluate the nomination, selection, and award processes. These surveys are sent out and collated by ASH staff. Results are then reported back to the ASH Mentor Award Study Section and the appropriate procedures are modified accordingly.

2010 Selection Process Timeline

Nomination packages due. May 4, 2010

Study section to meet to review scores and decided on four to six finalists (broken out evenly in each category). June 2010

Focused interview transcripts will be prepared and forwarded to members of the ASH Mentor Award Study Section for review. August 2010

Study Section meets in a conference call to discuss final selections. August 2010

Final selections will be sent to the ASH Awards Committee and the ASH Executive Committee for final approval. August 2010

Winners notified. September 2010

Questions?
Questions about the ASH Mentor Award may be directed to training@hematology.org.

Scleroderma Foundation 2010 National Patient Education Conference Scholarships Available

Scleroderma Foundation 2010 National Patient Education Conference Scholarships Available

Thanks to the generous support of many donors, scholarships will be available to the 2010 National Patient Education Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, July 31–August 1, 2010.

Conference scholarships are intended for those who would be unable to attend without outside financial assistance. We regret we are unable to assist all those who apply for conference scholarships; however, the Foundation will use the resources of our scholarships funds to assist as many applicants as we are able.

A patient-led committee will administer the award process based on available funds.

The application deadline for is May 7, 2010.

For more information, please contact Tracey O. Sperry, Director of Development and Research at 978-463-5843, ext. 44, or tsperry@scleroderma.org.

Reasons Why You Should Attend the 2010 National Patient Education Conference

* Understand how to cope with the emotional challenges of having scleroderma
* Develop strategies for staying motivated while living well with scleroderma
* Meet people who want to take charge of their scleroderma, their health, and their lives
* Build a support network you can turn to
* Learn about current therapies from medical professionals
* Talk with others who understand what you're going through
* Become empowered through education to become a more effective partner in your own health care
* Create public awareness to increase understanding
* Decrease the feelings of isolation that can accompany the diagnosis of a chronic illness

Workshops on the Hottest Topics on Scleroderma and Related Diseases

* Pulmonary Hypertension
* G.I. Involvement with Scleroderma
* Raynaud's
* Juvenile Scleroderma
* Families and Scleroderma

Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: 978-463-5843 (8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET, Monday–Friday), Fax: 978-463-5809
Toll-free: 800-722-HOPE (4673)

American Health Information Management Association Foundation Merit Scholarships

American Health Information Management Association Foundation Merit Scholarships

2010 Application Deadline — Friday, April 30, 2010 (11:59 PM CST)

Eligibility
AHIMA Foundation scholarship basic eligibilty requirements include:

* The program the student is enrolled in must be must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). (Want to know if the program is accredited? Visit http://www.cahiim.org/accredpgms.asp). Graduate students must be AHIMA credentialed members pursuing degrees in areas related to HIM practice.
* The student must have completed at least 6 credit hours in program coursework before being eligible to apply for a scholarship. In addition, student must have at least one full semester (6 credit hours) of classes remaining in their course of study at the time the award is granted. This information will be verified through certified student transcript(s).

Background
One of the major initiatives of the AHIMA Foundation is to attract and support new talent in the HIM industry by improving the educational opportunities for future HIM professionals through scholarships. The Foundation offers scholarships to students currently enrolled in accredited health information management programs. There are three levels of scholarships offered: $1,000 for a HIT AA degree student; $1,200 for a HIA BA/BS degree student; and $2,500 for a credentialed professional pursuing a masters or doctoral degree in an area related to HIM practice.

In 2009, a total of 155 students submitted their applications for review; out of that pool, 64 qualified candidates received scholarships for a total of $86,500 awarded during two application cycles (in the Spring and Fall). These award recipients included 2 PhD candidates, 9 Graduate Degree students, 20 Bachelors’ Degree students and 33 Associate Degree students. The scholarship recipients represent 33 Component State Associations, and GPAs of those awarded scholarships ranged from 3.37 to 4.0. Some scholarships give preference to applicants in categories such as diversity, second-career students, and students residing in particular states. Only one application is needed to be completed, and the applicant will be considered for all awards offered. Applicants are eligible to receive only one scholarship in a calendar year.

Online Applications
In 2009 the scholarship application became an online process, making it easier for applicants to apply and for the scholarship committee to process the reviews. The 2010 application has been further customized to allow students to easily submit the required information, in a secure online format. Students will be able to track the progress of their application and ensure that all necessary components have been completed (including academic references and recommendations). before submitting the application by the April 30 deadline. Once the applications have been reviewed and scholarships determined, recipients should receive notification of their award status the middle of June, 2010; scholarship checks will be sent out approximately July 1.

The AHIMA Foundation
233 N. Michigan Avenue, 21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60601-5809

Email: info@ahimafoundation.org

2010 Clinical Translational Research Career Development Awards in Pediatric Cancer

2010 Clinical Translational Research Career Development Awards in Pediatric Cancer

The Larry & Helen Hoag Foundation are currently accepting grant applications for the 2010 Clinical Translational Research Career Development Awards in Pediatric Cancer.

Recipients will receive a maximum of $105,000 ($100,000 direct costs and $5,000 for institutional overhead expenses).

The purpose of the Clinical Translational Research Career Development Award in Pediatric Cancer is to support the development of outstanding clinician and translational investigators in pediatric cancer research. This mechanism provides support for specialized study by pediatric oncologists committed to a career in translational laboratory and clinical-based research. Candidates must have the potential to develop into independent investigators. The Award supports a three-year mentored research experience that integrates didactic studies with laboratory and clinically based research. The proposed research must have direct relevance to pediatric cancer, and the program must provide the experienced mentorship necessary to optimize the potential for the trainee to become a well-trained independent researcher.

Basic eligibility criteria consists of the following:

* Candidate must have a full-time faculty appointment at a U.S. Medical Institution or University and must be within 5 years of that appointment at the time of application.
* Candidate must have either an M.D. or M.D/PhD degree.
* Candidate must be sub-board eligible or certified in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.
* Applicants on a J-1 training visa are ineligible.

Applications will be accepted on or before April 1, 2010.

Notification of award will be made by June 1, 2010.

Contact Rosa Lopez at roslopez@chla.usc.edu with any questions.

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Grants.gov Blog

The Grants.gov Program Management Office is currently developing a draft business case for the ?next generation? of Grants.gov. It will address improvements in current functionality and performance as well as enhanced capabilities. The PMO is reaching out to all Grants.gov stakeholders (e.g., the grantor agencies, grantee organizations, OMB and others), in addition to sources such as user comments on this blog, to gather recommendations on requirements and priorities for the ?next generation." The draft is expected to be ready for Grants Policy Board/Grants Executive Board review by early April and we hope to have a strategic-level Board decision on a future course of action by the end of May. Additionally, more detailed planning will be needed in the following months to flesh out the course directed by the Board. It is our intent to widely share, and seek comments on, next generation planning documents as they evolve, consistent with any limitations imposed by the acquisition process or other relevant policies.
Problems Posting to Grants.gov Blog
It has come to the attention of the Grants.gov PMO that people were having problems posting comments to the Grants.gov Blog. In response to this report the administrator reviewed all settings and believes the blog is working properly. Please note that moderation of comments has been activated so it may take up to 1 business day for comments to be available.

The PMO is sorry for any inconvenience and encourages the use of the blog.
Program Manager message
To: Grants.gov Users

From: Philip W. Clark, Grants.gov Program Manager

Subject: Grants.gov Update on the "Boost"

This is the first in an irregular series of updates that I plan to provide to the Grants.gov community on topics of general interest. I encourage your replies regarding specific topics addressed, suggestions for future topics, and whether you find this mode of communication useful to you.

While Grants.gov has been operating very quickly and smoothly over the last several months as a result of improvements made in the April/May 2009 time period, we still needed to do a "boost", consisting of additional server capacity, improved networks, etc. to increase the reliability and sustainability of the system during peak workloads. The boost is being implemented in two phases. The first phase, which went into production on schedule Feb 10 (despite the snowstorm), was focused on the production environment. The second phase, which is expected to go live in late April, will improve our test and training environments.

Since the 10th, the system has run smoothly and we have seen significant increases in speed for a number of processes . Behind the scenes, the system integrator has been working diligently to monitor internal system operations and to make ?fine-tuning? adjustments as needed to either achieve optimal performance, or to reset warning thresholds, file sizes and other aspects of the system in response to the higher speed and greater volume experienced in our new environment. Literally hundreds of those adjustments have been made, and they can only be made as we monitor production processing.

Unfortunately, one such adjustment was overlooked. As a result, on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, the Find functions and agency functions such as posting opportunities and downloading applications were affected. We were able to receive applications throughout the outage period, but were unable to process them. All applications submitted to us were received and placed in queues that were cleared by 5 pm the same day.

We are on the equivalent of a system ?shakedown? cruise and are continuing the fine-tuning activity to prevent outages like the one we experienced yesterday. While this major system upgrade has gone remarkably smoothly as such upgrades go, there is still some chance, despite our best efforts to avoid it, for another minor glitch to cause an interruption over the next week or two as the system settles in.

Should another outage occur, we will make every effort to communicate with you quickly after confirming the outage and will share what we know with you as soon as possible as we work to resolution, focusing on providing you with the information you need to take appropriate action on your end, whether it is to hold tight, retry, reopen browsers, etc. We are making additional efforts to keep the Contact Center updated as well so they can provide more helpful information to callers.

Work is proceeding on the next and final phase of the boost and will be the subject of a future message.

Sincerely,
Philip W. ClarkProgram Manager,
Grants.govHHS Division of Grants
System status
The Grants.gov website went offline at approximately 10:00AM and came back online at approximately 10:30am.

There was a connectivity problem into the system; however the servers were not down. Applications continued to process.

We apologize for the inconvenience.
Grants.gov Offline.
The Grants.gov website went offline at approximately 10:00AM and can not be accessed; the PMO is looking into the cause and will send an update as soon as more information is available.
Grants.gov Experienced System Difficulties on 2/23/2010
Grants.gov experienced system difficulties on Tuesday, 2/23/10 from 12:00 AM - 12:00 PM which affected the following:

- Searching and downloading grant opportunities
- Accessing the system as a grantor and associated grantor functions
- Accessing the system as an applicant and associated applicant functions
- Accessing applications for download by agencies

Applications submitted during this period by applicants are being reprocessed. All system issues have been resolved. Should you continue to experience any problems with the above, please try the following:

1. Clear the Cookies from your browser,
2. Clear the Cache from your browser,
3. Exit and restart your browser, or
4. Reboot your computer and try again.

Instructions for #1 & 2 can be found here: http://www07.grants.gov/help/trouble_tips.jsp
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Alert-Grant.Gov-Back on Line February 10, 2010
The major upgrade to the Grants.gov system (referred to as the ?boost?) was completed and the system put back into production on 12:01 AM ET on February 10, 2010. The Grants.gov system is available for all users.

The upgrade increased the capacity of Grants.gov, along with the system?s reliability and its ability to sustain continuous high volume activity.

The PMO worked closely with agencies that previously posted closing deadlines during the outage period to minimize any impact on the agencies or their applicants. Agencies with previously posted closing deadlines on February 6 ? 9, 2010 took appropriate steps to ensure applicants are able to apply for these posted opportunities. Please note the outage period, and any agency instructions for particular grant opportunities, and plan accordingly when applying for grants in the early February time period.

We apologize for any inconvenience this outage period may cause.

Regards,
Grants.gov PMO
ALERT: Grants.gov February 6 ? 9, 2010 Maintenance Outage
In order to bring a major upgrade to the Grants.gov system (referred to as the ?boost?) into production, it is necessary to bring Grants.gov off-line from 00:01 AM ET on February 6, 2010 until 11:59 PM on February 9, 2010. The entire Grants.gov system will be unavailable during that time.

The upgrade will further increase the capacity of Grants.gov, along with the system?s reliability and its ability to sustain continuous high volume activity. We have done our best to minimize the length of the maintenance outage necessary to bring these improvements into production.

We are working closely with agencies that previously posted closing deadlines during the outage period to minimize any impact on the agencies or their applicants. Agencies with previously posted closing deadlines on February 6 ? 9, 2010 are taking appropriate steps to ensure applicants are able to apply for these posted opportunities. Please note the outage period, and any agency instructions for particular grant opportunities, and plan accordingly when applying for grants in the early February time period.

We apologize for any inconvenience this outage period may cause.

Regards,
Grants.gov PMO
ALERT: Grants.gov January 9, 2010 Maintenance Outage
It is necessary to bring Grants.gov off-line for fifty nine minutes January 9, 2010 from 00:01 until 1:00 AM ET to implement the forms production build. The entire Grants.gov system will be unavailable during this time.

This build will implement fourteen new forms and update thirty-nine forms that are associated with SF 424 Family. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Grants.gov PMO staff.

Regards,
Grants.gov PMO
Implementing a Maintenance process for the Testing Environment (AT07)
We are implementing a maintenance process for the Testing Environment (AT07) where we will be taking AT07 offline weekly on Monday and Thursday evenings from midnight through 2:00 AM EST.

This regular maintenance will ensure AT07 (our testing environment only)has sufficient memory to meet the needs of our customer base. No enhancements will occur in this process.



Regards,
Grants.gov PMO
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