All SIG research grant funding requests must be pre-approved by the SIG using whatever approval process the SIG has in place.  Applicants should check with their SIG leaders to determine process and timing requirements to align with the organizational submission deadlines.

SIG leaders are expected to review the research grant applications using the following criteria: 

• Need: Is there a need within the genetic counseling profession to focus on the issue that is being addressed, and is this need clearly described within the proposal?  Does the project support NSGC’s strategic mission and vision and SIG goals?
• Scope/Potential Impact: is the project scope broad enough to be of benefit to a significant proportion of the SIG?
• Goals: Does the proposal contain clear aims and an appropriate plan of action to achieve those outcomes?
• Methods: Are the methods reasonable and appropriate? Is the proposed timeline feasible?
• Budget: Is the proposed use of awards funds reasonable and acceptable to support the proposed project?
• Final Product: Is there potential for a final product (i.e. publication, tool, brochure, etc) that will be of use to the NSGC membership?

SIG leaders will determine which SIG grant funding requests will be submitted for consideration by the SIG Grant Funding Subcommittee of the RQO Committee. 

If your research grant funding application has been approved by your SIG leaders, please submit your application(s) through this link. The following are required elements for a successful application. Proposals that do not include all required elements will not be reviewed. Pages should be formatted to have one-inch margins, text should be Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 spaced. 

1. Cover page including: 

1. The Research Team: List the names, affiliations, and emails of all key personnel including PI(s) and co-investigators and whether they are NSGC Members. Indicate the corresponding investigator. 
2. The Research Site(s): List the name(s) of the participating research site(s). 
3. Proposal Title
4. Total amount of funding support requested (not to exceed $2,500; no institutional indirects will be funded)

2. Conflict of interest statement: 

All key personnel must disclose financial and non-financial conflicts of interest. Outline any actual or perceived conflicts of interest for the members of the study team. Please consider the following types of potential areas of conflict: business interests and positions (e.g., boards, offices held, employment or consulting arrangements), material ownership interests (e.g., stock options, commercial interest directly related),  and organizational interests and positions (e.g., holding a position in any organization that are or may be perceived to have a conflict with this research). An example COI may be if someone on the study team also is a member of the RQO Committee. If there are no conflicts of interest to disclose for a specific team member(s), please include a statement to that effect. 

3. Project description (1,000-word (approx. 2 page) maximum):

Provide a description of the proposed study including the following: 

• Pertinent history, need, rationale, and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (J.E.D.I.) considerations for the proposed study. 
• How the proposed research aligns with the focus and objectives of the SIG and NSGC Strategic Plan/initiatives. 
• The research question and study aim(s).
• The research approach, including description and justification of the measures and outcomes chosen, study population, and sampling/data acquisition plan as applicable. 
• Data analysis plan, including any theoretical or methodological frameworks that are informing your analysis. 
• Potential for broader impact that this research could have on SIG members, SIG goals, NSGC members, and NSGC strategic initiatives. 

4. Project Timeline and Budget (500-word (approx. 1 page) maximum): 

Provide a brief outline of the proposed project timeline over the course of the requested funding period using a Gantt chart or other figure. Timeline should, at minimum, include all steps from study design through result dissemination. 

Provide an itemized budget with justification of how funds will be spent. Funding is expected to be allocated to participant reimbursement, data analysis support, and other items that go towards the completion of the project. Items that are not eligible to be covered by the NSGC SIG Grants Awards include: salary support, indirect or fringe institutional costs, travel and associated costs, conference attendance, posters, or publication fees. 

5. Biographical Justification (200 word maximum):

Provide a brief biographical justification for the principle investigator/lead of the research team, consider including descriptions of work on relevant previous projects, their overall qualifications, and lived experiences.

6. Addenda:

• Bibliography: Include citations from sources referenced in the background and research methods.
• Any relevant supporting documents (e.g., surveys, interview guides, etc) that will be used in the study.

SIG Review and Selection:

All SIG research grant funding requests must be pre-approved by SIG leadership. Applicants should check with their SIG leaders to determine process and timing requirements to align with the RQO submission deadlines. Applications will undergo a preliminary screening process by the SIG that includes:

• Screen for completeness - incomplete applications will not be reviewed
• Screen for alignment with SIG objectives and strategic focus 

Proposals will then be evaluated by SIGs using the following criteria:

• Need: Is there a need within the genetic counseling profession to focus on the issue that is being addressed, and is this need clearly described within the proposal?  Does the project support NSGC’s Strategic Plan/initiatives, mission and vision and SIG goals? NSGC’s Strategic Plan is available HERE.
• Scope/Potential Impact: is the project scope broad enough to be of benefit to a significant proportion of the SIG?
• Goals: Does the proposal contain clear aims and an appropriate plan of action to achieve those outcomes?
• Methods: Are the methods reasonable and appropriate? Is the proposed timeline feasible?
• Budget: Is the proposed use of awards funds reasonable and acceptable to support the proposed project?
• Final Product: Is there potential for a final product (i.e. publication, tool, brochure, etc) that will be of use to the NSGC membership?

SIGs are responsible for notifying applicants if their application was (or was not) selected to be reviewed by the RQO. Additionally, SIGs are responsible for submitting the final SIG approved proposal to the RQO for review and approval.

RQO Review and Approval:

Proposals submitted to RQO for funding approval will be reviewed by the RQO SIG Grant Subcommittee using the following criteria: 

• Approach: is the project appropriate and feasible within the timeline and budget proposed?
• Methods: are the methods appropriate for answering the research questions?
• Alignment: is there clear alignment with SIG goals and NSGC’s Strategic Plan/initiatives, mission and vision? 

SIG Research Grant review proposal reviewers will include the members of the RQO SIG Grant subcommittee and subcommittee co-chairs.  Each proposal will be read and scored by at least three reviewers. Reviewers will meet to discuss proposals based on their review and will discuss which proposals are approved for funding. If volunteer reviewers have a conflict of interest with a specific application they will be asked to recuse themselves from that particular review. 

Detailed feedback will not be provided to unsuccessful applicants. 

Award Notification Process:

SIGs will be notified about final funding decisions by the RQO SIG Grant Subcommittee. SIGs will be able to communicate to applicants their award status. An assigned RQO SIG Grant Subcommittee member and NSGC staff member must be included in the written communication of award status. 

Reporting Requirements (2 page maximum, including tables/figures if applicable): 

Progress reports will be due at the conclusion of the study to the relevant SIG, the RQO SIG Grant Subcommittee, and the RQO NSGC staff member. These reports should include details on study milestones and financial reporting. Any unused funds at the conclusion of the study are required to be returned to NSGC.

General Questions

What is the total SIG research grant funding available for 2024?

Is there a cap on the total funding awarded to any given SIG?

To whom will research grant funds be awarded?

What will be required of SIGs to document use of the research project funds?

What happens to any unspent funds at the conclusion of the research?

My SIG has a research project that we want to complete but the required budget is >$2,500.  Can we use this application process?