Academic Enrichment Fund

Apply to the AEF

Applications for the 2024 AEF Program Winter Cycle are due January 12, 2024.

Application Preparation   

  1. Review the award details, eligibility requirements and award terms and conditions. 
  2. Download and complete the AEF Application Packet (DOCX).
  3. Applicants must send a copy of their project proposal to their grants and contract administrator (GCA) at least 30 business days before final submission. Your GCA will assist you in the development of your proposal and budget, and coordinate review of clinical billable events for pricing by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s (SCRI) Clinical Research Budget Analysts, if applicable. They will also guide you through the internal sign-off process for grant submission at SCRI.
  4. Seattle Children’s Research Institute has several core services that may be of use to funded AEF projects (e.g., Clinical Research Center, Biostatistical Services/BEAR Core, Research Staff Support Core, Research Specimen Processing Lab and Investigational Drug Services). The costs for these services should be included in the project budget. Applicants can reach out to the research navigator for assistance with determining study start up and core services to use for their project.
  5. Request a BEAR/biostats study design consultation. For an AEF Funds application, applicants must request services from the Seattle Children’s Biostatistics Epidemiology and Analytics in Research (BEAR) core at least 6 weeks in advance of the application deadline. 
  6. Meet with your Department/Division Chair to discuss your application submission. Your Department/Division chair must sign off your application. They must also acknowledge that they are willing to support retaining and protecting adequate non-clinical research time if you are awarded the AEF grant.
  7. Final applications must be emailed as one single PDF packet to the AEF program administrator no later than 5 p.m. Pacific time on January 12, 2024.
  8. Submissions will be reviewed and applicants notified of award status in April 2024.

For more information about the application process, contact aef@seattlechildrens.org.  

Have questions? Review the Frequently Asked Questions section in the AEF Application Packet (DOCX).

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the Academic Enrichment Fund Committee. Prioritization will be based on a project’s:

  • Likelihood of enhancing our knowledge of disease, clinical practice, patient safety or quality of care.
  • Having a well-defined outcome or product (including publications).
  • Feasibility within a justified budget and timeline of the award period.
  • Likelihood of promoting the applicant’s and/or Seattle Children’s academic status.

Preference will be given to collaborative projects involving multiple departments and/or divisions. All applicants will receive a summary of reviews conducted on their applications. Final funding decisions will be made by the Chief Academic Officer. Applications will not be reviewed unless they are complete and adhere to the eligibility requirements specified above.

Award Terms and Conditions

  1. Seattle Children’s Academic Enrichment Program will grant a cost-reimbursable award of up to $25,000 per individual applicant and up to $40,000 for projects that involve two eligible principal investigators from different divisions or departments. Awardees will receive a Lawson activity number for project-related expenses.
  2. AEF awards are non-transferable. The project is awarded to the individual PI and not to the department. They are intended to cultivate and support the scholarship and research of the recipient. In an event of a special circumstance, contact the AEF chair.
  3.  AEF funds will not be available until the funding period commences on June  1, 2024 (start of the award period). Expenses cannot be incurred prior to the effective date of the funding period.
  4. Payment of indirect costs or applicant salary is not allowed.
  5. AEF awards are intended to support the direct costs of research at Seattle Children’s.  AEF awards will not fund work occurring at an external institution and subaward contracts are not allowed. (In the unlikely event that Seattle Children’s does not have the expertise to provide the required service to complete a project contact aef@seattlechildrens.org to discuss options prior to application submission.)
  6. A progress report must be submitted to aef@seattlechildrens.org at least 30 days prior to the year 2 project start date. Year 2 support is contingent upon receipt and acceptance of this project report.
  7. It is expected that the research will be conducted within the timeline outlined in the submitted proposal. Funds not expended by the end of the project date will be returned to the AEF Program.
  8. International projects involving recruitment of participants, prospective collection of data, or transfer of funds abroad are not allowed.  Use of prior collected international data is allowable.
  9. Budget Revisions: If you propose to change a budget line item by 25% or more at any time during the award period, you must obtain approval from the AEF Committee Chair. Any changes to the original proposal outline require prior approval from the AEF Committee Chair. If you are proposing adding on or revising a core service, you must notify the related core manager of your proposed change and a new quote will be required. Requests for re-budgeting and proposal changes can be sent to aef@seattlechildrens.org to be forwarded to the Chair for consideration.
  10. No-cost extensions require the approval of the Academic Enrichment Fund Committee. Submit requests for no-cost extensions to aef@seattlechildrens.orgno less than thirty days prior to the project end date. Only one no-cost extension will be granted and the funds must be expended within one year of the no-cost extension approval.
  11. The Recipient must ensure that, before the research commences and during the full Award Period, all the necessary national and local ethical, legal and regulatory requirements to conduct the research are met, and all the necessary licenses and approvals have been obtained.
  12. Travel and travel costs must abide by the Seattle Children’s travel and reimbursement policies.
  13. Where the terms and conditions of the Award have not been observed, the AEF Program reserves the right to withdraw the remainder of the award.
  14. At the conclusion of the project, a final report must be submitted to aef@seattlechildrens.org within 60 days of project end date.
  15. Acknowledgement should be included on all publications that result from support by Seattle Children’s Academic Enrichment Fund Award.