The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
Brandeis-Harvard SPIRE Center

Funding Opportunity for Mentored Pilot Papers

The Brandeis-Harvard SPIRE Center on SUD Systems Performance Improvement Research and Engagement invites interested individuals to apply for funding to help support them in writing an original research paper in the field of addiction health services research for publication.

Papers could include publishable literature reviews, thought pieces/policy papers, or quantitative analyses.

Awards of $3,000 will be made to selected applicants after they have successfully completed a paper manuscript that the SPIRE group deems ready for journal submission. 

Deadline for applications is December 6th, 2024 at 5:00pm ET

Questions should be sent to: Audrey Hildebrandt

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include current graduate students, post-docs, fellows, and early career researchers/ faculty. We will work with selected recipients to identify an appropriate mentor from the Brandeis- Harvard SPIRE Center to provide guidance on paper completion and submission.

We encourage candidates who are members of groups that are underrepresented in health services research (e.g.,  Racial or ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups).

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a one-page proposal of the paper to be written. The proposal must include:
  • applicant’s name and institutional affiliation
  • a brief outline of the paper to be written (background/significance of the issue, questions addressed, methods/approach)
  • target journal or type of journal for publication
  • timeline for completing paper & journal submission (up to 12 months, depending on the scope of work involved)

Download proposal template here


Papers could include publishable literature reviews, thought pieces/policy papers, or quantitative analyses.

The paper must relate to the theme of the Brandeis-Harvard SPIRE Center (for more information, see our website). Relevant areas include research on systems-level issues about addiction treatment and related services, including payment, care delivery, quality, and sustainability.

FAQs

Question

Answer
Is the award directed toward the awardee or is it routed through the individual's institution? The payments go directly to the individual, and past awards have been paid out as honoraria. 
How do you define an "early investigator"? We will consider applicants who are currently within 5-10 years of their terminal degree.
Can I apply with a colleague with whom I hope to collaborate?

Two authors collaborating on one paper are eligible to apply for one award, such that the authors would be mentored together by the same person and split the total award amount.

Since the application is built for individual applicants, you can complete each of the write-in questions with a semicolon between your answers (for example, First name: Samantha; Jane).
What is the format of the one page document, as in margin size, font size, font type, etc.?

We recommend applicants use no smaller than 10pt font in either times new roman, calibri, or arial and maintain "normal" (1" from each edge) to "moderate" (1" from top and bottom and 0.75" from the sides) margins.

You can also view or download a proposal template here.
Are applicants responsible for securing the data they plan to use in their paper?

Yes, we expect applicants to have access to the data they intend to use.
How should I cite references in my paper while keeping to the one-page requirement?
  1. You can include in-text citations and add a note about providing references if needed or
  2. Include a page for references in addition to your one-page proposal
When can I expect to receive a decision on my application? We will send out decisions in early 2024 by the end of February.