CBSSM’s Pilot Research Grant Program provides funding for CBSSM-affiliated investigators and fellows to pursue small, focused projects that have the potential to improve health care decisions and the ethical practice of medicine. While many types of projects are considered, the program prioritizes projects that enable awardees (especially trainees) to generate sufficient preliminary data needed for successful applications for new external funding.

Submission timing:

CBSSM announces a call for pilot funding opportunities approximately twice a year (spring and fall). CBSSM is also willing to consider applications for pilot funding on a rolling, off-cycle basis. The timeline of off-cycle applications will depend upon the availability of reviewers; response times may vary, and review of such applications may be delayed until the next regular cycle.

Who should apply:

We encourage CBSSM investigators at all levels to apply (including Research Fellows). Emphasis will be given to pilot projects that involve collaborations among multiple CBSSM investigators.

Pilot Project Award Guidelines:

Topic areas: Pilot projects should emphasize one or more of the following:

• Human subjects research ethics
• Empirical research with relevance to clinical ethics
• Global bioethics
• Gender equity and/or reproductive justice
• Deliberative democratic methods
• Resource allocation
• Health equity
• Ethical, legal, and social implications of genomic medicine
• Ethical issues associated with learning health systems
• Health communication
• Risk communication
• Visualization and contextualization of health data
• Patient/provider decision making