Chapter Grant

Application Form (PDF) | Tips for a Successful Chapter Proposal 

Fall 2008 Deadline: July 30, 2008

Introduction

The Membership & Chapters Committee is pleased to continue a program to support chapter activities and outreach. The awards are designed to achieve the following three goals: 1) to help new Chapters succeed or reinvigorate older, dormant chapters 2) to promote goals of the SfN strategic plan and 3) to promote novel initiatives linked to neuroscience literacy, education or training.

Program Guidelines

Amount
• Awards ranging from $500 to $2000 will be awarded to individual chapters on a competitive basis. Chapters may apply during both the spring and fall rounds each year but may receive no more than $2000 each year.

Required Materials
• Completed application form including responses to the questions on the form (below)

Eligibility
• Chapters must have submitted an annual Chapter Report by the last May 1 deadline to be considered eligible for this award.
• Chapters must have submitted reports on activities funded by a previous Chapter Grant.
• Chapters must be current on reports from all other programs through which funding was received (e.g., Grass Traveling Scientist Program)

Required Materials
• Completed application form

Selection Criteria
• Significance: Does this application address a clear goal that will benefit the chapter members and involve the community in a manner consistent with SfN's strategic plan?
• Approach: Is the project design adequately developed? If successful, could the same design be used by other chapters? Is there a method for self-evaluation and a plan for dissemination of results?
• Innovation: Does the project employ a novel concept and approach? Are the goals original and innovative? Does the project challenge the chapter to expand, become better organized, and/or develop new activities consistent with SfN's strategic plan?
• Chapter Capacity: Are Chapter leaders and members capable of carrying out this project?
• Environment: Does the environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed activities take advantage of the unique features of the environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements?

Conditions of Award
• It is important to ensure Chapters spend the money on what they propose to spend it on. Accountability will be required. A final financial and project report, with return of any unused funds will be due in the SfN Chapters office no later than 30 days after the event. If the proposal does not involve a discrete "event" but rather purchase of some piece of equipment or something that will be used by the chapter for multiple events, receipts should be submitted.
• Membership & Chapters Committee members may visit Chapters during events for which funds are provided, particularly for new initiatives, i.e., to monitor success.
• The awardees and the purposes of the awards will be announced on the SfN webpage and in the Neuroscience Nexus, SfN's monthly On-line newsletter.
• The Membership & Chapters Committee highly encourages the solicitation of matching funds. The SfN Membership & Chapters Committee will also seek additional funding sources for these initiatives to be announced at a later date.

All questions and materials should be sent Chapters Coordinator at chapters@sfn.org