Research Grant

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Deadline: March 31, 2026

Objective:  To foster and support research in the field of health sciences librarianship, which advances the mission, vision, and strategic directions of CHLA/ABSC.

Amount available: Funding is contingent on the number of applications, and up to $2000 is available. If more than one application is successful, the CHLA/ABSC Committee on Research will determine the allocation of funds per application. 

Applications shall be reviewed and awarded according to the criteria below.  
 

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants

  • The principal investigator must:

    • be a current member of CHLA/ABSC 

    • not have received a CHLA/ABSC Research Grant in the previous three calendar years

  • Voting members of the CHLA/ABSC Board of Directors and members of the CHLA/ABSC Committee on Research may not apply for this grant while serving their term on the Board.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Accessibility

Special consideration will be given to applications which advance equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in accordance with CHLA/ABSC priorities and in aid of supporting more impactful and diverse research outputs. 

  • EDIA will be considered in relation to applications from members of equity-deserving groups and/or regarding the topic of the research study.

    1. Equity-deserving groups include, but are not limited to persons with disabilities, 2S&LGBTQ+ people, Indigenous Peoples and Black and other racialized communities

  • To receive special consideration in relation to EDIA, candidates should clearly 

identify a relevant rationale in their grant applications e.g. that they identify as a member of an equity-deserving group and/or are studying a topic related to EDIA. Applicants may choose to self-identify using a checkbox in the online application portal.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals for funding are evaluated on:

  1. Research projects which align with the vision, mission and strategic priorities of the CHLA/ABSC

  2. Research projects which make original/important contributions to fill a gap in the health sciences librarianship literature

  3. Relevance of the proposed research project to the field of health sciences librarianship

  4. Quality of research design and evaluation methodology, including plans for data analysis

  5. Ability of the research project leader to successfully complete the proposed project

  6. Detailed budget including the amount requested from the grant and a full outline of all expected expenses which includes clear rationale for each cost

  7. Inclusion of a data management plan

  8. Clarity and appropriateness of the dissemination strategies for the proposed research project

  9. Special consideration will be given to applications which:

    • Represent collaborative initiatives

    • Are relevant to a wide audience with the potential for broad impact

    • Demonstrate a lack of funding available from other sources

Costs

  • Only direct costs of research are eligible for funding

  • Capital purchases of equipment or software are normally outside the scope of the CHLA/ABSC Research Grant; however, software subscriptions may be eligible. Eligibility will be determined by the committee based on relevance to the research project.  

Procedure for Application

Submissions

  • Applications for funds must be submitted using the online application form. 

  • The application deadline is 11:59pm EST March 31, 2026. 

    • All applications will be reviewed after the deadline. 

  • Do not include author’s name, institution or any individually identifiable information anywhere in the application

    • Applications which include identifiable information will not be reviewed

Review of Applications

  • Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by members of the Committee on Research

  • The committee’s recommendations will be shared with the CHLA/ABSC President and Board

  • Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in May

  • Successful application(s) will be publicly announced at the annual CHLA/ABSC conference in June

Requirements for grant recipients                                                                       

  • The Association’s financial support through the CHLA/ABSC Research Grant must be acknowledged in any presentations and/or publications of the funded research.

  • Grant funds must be deposited by the successful applicant(s) no later than Dec 15th of the application year (before the CHLA/ABSC fiscal year-end).

    • Studies may not be retrospectively funded

  • Within one year of grant approval, recipients will be required to submit a written report outlining the status of the project to the Committee on Research, which will forward it to the CHLA/ABSC President.

  • Within two years of receiving  grant funding, a final report, including an evaluation of the project’s success, a final budget statement, information about dissemination, and a project summary suitable for posting to the CHLA/ABSC website and/or social media, must be submitted to the Committee on Research, which will forward it to the CHLA/ABSC President.

    • Extensions may be requested if needed

  • Unused portions of funds provided through the CHLA/ABSC Research Grant must be returned to the Association upon completion of the project. 

  • If the research project is discontinued for any reason, the unused funds must be returned to the Association. 

  • Once the funding has been awarded, any proposed changes to the project’s budget plan must be pre-approved by the CHLA/ABSC Board of Directors. 

  • The Association’s financial support through the CHLA/ABSC Research Grant must be acknowledged in any presentations and/or publications of the funded research.