Research Funding Award
Letter of Intent and Application Instructions
Letters of Intent are Due: January 7, 2008
Applications and Budgets are Due: March 3, 2008
Letter of Intent Instructions
The Letter of Intent should be no more than one page. This is required and will be included as
part of the complete final application.
This letter will help the Scientific Advisory Board anticipate the number and types of
applications to expect. This letter will guide the Board and the researcher to prepare for the
application. Also, if the letters suggest that two teams are proposing work in the same area or
enrolling from the same pool of subjects, the Division of Research may suggest that the Principal
Investigators speak with one another and consider collaborating.
Letters of Intent must be completed and signed by the PI or Mentor.
Provide the Name, Degree, and affiliation for the primary members of the study team.
Describe the study in Abstract format including the following:
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Study Title
Study Question
Methods Summary
Study Population
Study Duration
Submit to:
New England Baptist Hospital
Division of Research, 2 Main
RFA Application
125 Parker Hill Avenue
Boston, MA 02120
e-mail or call with questions to: Charlotte Phillips
cbphilli@caregroup.harvard.edu
617.754.5616
Letters of Intent are Due: January 7, 2008
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Application Instructions
One original and 14, neatly and securely stapled, 3 hole punched, copies of complete application
packet, original secured with a small binder clip.
Each packet contains the following:
 Face Sheet
 Research Team Information
 Research Proposal
 Budget (Total direct costs and justification)
 Publications List (if applicable)
The following additional information must be included for Mentored Fellowship Applications:
 Mentor Statement
 Research Training Plan
 Distribution of Time
Face Sheet
 Complete all sections of the Face Sheet with all requested information
 Indicate if Human Subjects will be used in this study and whether IRB approval has been secured.
 Secure signatures from your Department Chair
Research Team Information
 Provide all requested information on the Research Team
 Add additional rows if necessary.
 Provide CV for all members of the Research Team
 Indicate if members of the Research Team have completed Human Subject Protections Training
Research Proposal (5 page limit, 12-point font, margins 1 inch)
 Background and Significance (1 – 1.5 pages)
Briefly summarize the background to the proposal. Provide a detailed review of the literature,
identifying gaps in the literature that the proposed study is intended to fill, and state the
significance of the research for clinical care and outcomes. Clearly state the current state of
knowledge in the area and implications (including a detailed description of how this application
will provide preliminary data for a larger study), and the practical benefit of the proposed
research. Describe how the successful completion of the proposed research will add to a better
understanding of orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorders. State concisely the importance of the
research described in this application by relating the specific aims to the broad, long-term
objectives. Include only key references to prior work that constitutes the foundation of the
proposal.
 Preliminary Studies (0.5 – 1 page)
If the research team has performed prior research that documents expertise in the area or yielded
key findings that lead to the proposed research, these accomplishments should be described here.
 Hypothesis
State the hypothesis of the proposal.
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 Specific Aims
State the overall research objectives and specific aims for the proposed project.
 Experimental Design and Methods (1 – 1.5 pages)
State the essential features of the experimental design and methodology, sources of data, subject
inclusion or exclusion criteria, subject recruitment, subject participation requirements, data
elements.
 Analysis Plan (0.5 – 1 page)
State the plans for data analysis.
 Timeline and Benchmarks of Success (does not count toward page limit)
Provide a timeline (elapsed time) showing study implementation, enrollment, and milestones.
Benchmarks of success should be given for the research proposal. Suggested examples include:
time table for research proposal, submission of abstract(s) and/or publication(s).
 Institutional Assurances (does not count toward page limit)
For any project involving human subjects, an Institutional Review Board Certificate of Approval
is required prior to the release of grant funds. In addition, a copy of the HIPAA compliant
consent form to be used in obtaining the informed consent of human subjects must also
accompany the application.
Additionally, if the project is human subjects research (obtaining individually identifiable private
information about living individuals and recording the data in a coded manner allowing the
subjects to be identified via the code), then describe the following in the application:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Risks
Protections against risks
Benefits to human subjects and others
Importance of knowledge to be gained
Comment on the inclusion of women and minorities.
If you plan to exclude women and minorities, provide scientific justification.
Proposed/targeted enrollment tables.
 References (Does not count toward page limit)
List of relevant references used to support this proposal
Budget
Applications must include an itemized budget (budget format and allowable costs are available
in specific Funding Announcement). Fringe benefits are allowed at a maximum rate of 22%. A
statement from the institution’s contract office explaining the institution’s maximum fringe
benefit rates must be included. Applications without this supporting documentation will not be
considered.
1. Use the template provided to prepare your budget.
2. For personnel cost, enter number of hours per week, number of weeks, and salary. The
spreadsheet will automatically calculate the study salary cost with 22% benefits.
3. Request salary information from the Division of Research if you have questions.
4. Note in the Justification section if cost are donated.
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Budget Consideration for the Mentored Fellowship
The application should indicate the expected amount of salary from the fellowship award, up to a
maximum of $50,000 annually. Should the salary be limited to a lesser amount by the applicant’s
institution, the difference of up to $50,000 may be applied towards educational purposes or may
be used for expenses of the research proposal (e.g. computers, books, supplies, professional
society membership, travel to professional meetings). Funds will not be allowed for additional
research related expenses such as other consultants, research assistants and patient incentives.
Additional Information for Mentored Fellowship Applications
 Mentor Statement
Each mentor must provide a letter detailing his or her part in the project and agreeing to serve in
that capacity. The mentor must also outline his or her past training record. If specific
methodological support, reagents, patients or other resources are critical to the project, they
should also be addressed in the statement.
 Research Training Plan (1 page limit)
The mentor must provide a training plan that details the applicant’s role in the proposed project
and outlines other activities that will be used to aid the applicant’s development into an
independent investigator. Describe any coursework or other plans for obtaining specific research
methodology training.
 Distribution of Time
Give the percentage of time to be spent in any academic activity for each year of the award. List
all clinical, research, teaching or administrative activities. Clinical work related to the proposed
research is considered part of the research activity, but routine clinical duties are not.
Submit materials to:
New England Baptist Hospital
Division of Research, 2 Main
RFA Application
125 Parker Hill Avenue
Boston, MA 02120
e-mail or call with questions to: Charlotte Phillips
cbphilli@caregroup.harvard.edu
617.754.5616
Applications and Budgets are Due: March 3, 2008
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