Submit Proposal

Instructions

Applications to conduct research with the SRN must include the following items, described below. Proposals will not be reviewed until all materials are received. Please submit everything at one time.

1. Concept description (1 page)
2. Funding description, if applicable (half a page)
3. Draft recruitment request (email text with background and ask of SRN members) or survey request. For survey requests:
   • Researchers should use their survey platform, e.g., Qualtrics or REDCap, and provide a universal link for SHEA to distribute the survey to the SRN. As the first question, include an alphanumeric free text field for the SRN ID.
   • Researchers should prioritize conciseness and only seek information to be used for the study.
   • SHEA does not provide identifying information for facilities or healthcare systems; however, upon request, SHEA can pair survey responses with data provided by SRN members, including: whether the facility is part of a system, whether the system is centralized or decentralized, the type of facility, the total beds in the facility, the total pediatric beds in the facility, the number of ICUs, FTEs for medical directors of infection prevention/hospital epidemiologists, FTEs for IPs, FTEs in the antimicrobial stewardship program, and where in the facility it conducts surveillance for CLABSI, VAP/VAE, CAUTI, and SSI.

Submit complete proposals to srn@shea-online.org.

Process for research proposals funded by government, non-profit, or for-profit organizations

The SRN Leadership Team and the Research Committee evaluate proposals for studies with funding for:

1. Their ability to advance the top priorities in SHEA research agendas: SHEA research agenda to combat HAIs (2024) and Research needs in antibiotic stewardship (2019)
2. Their quality and completeness
3. The level of burden a study places on SRN participants.

SHEA prioritizes opportunities for early-stage investigators (ESIs), who have finished their clinical training within the past ten years. SHEA provides researchers with a brief summary of feedback from the review.

SRN fees
Fees cover review and solicitation to SRN facilities, and not administrative support, data management, or projects beyond normal scope (e.g. Delphi method with multiple rounds). Proposals are invoiced after review and acceptance.

We encourage all researchers to consider donating to the SHEA Foundation so that we can continue to do this work.

Through July 31, 2025

• Government or non-profit funding (excluding training or career development grants): $2,000
• Corporate-funded grants: $5,000

After August 1, 2025

Research funding by non-profit organization(s) or government agency(s) (excluding training or career development grants):

• Submission fee: $50
• Full fee: $1,800
• *Reduced fee: $600

Research funding by for-profit organization(s):

• Submission fee: $250
• Full fee: $4,000
• *Reduced fee: $3,000

*Researchers qualify for reduced fees if:

• The facility currently participates in the SRN, or
• They are recipients of a SHEA research award, e.g., the SHEA Epi Competition, or
• The study request is for recruitment-only (previously vetted by a government agency or professional organization with solicitation for participation sent by SHEA on behalf of researchers).

Process for research proposals that do not have funding

Selection process
Every 6 months, the SRN Leadership Team and the Research Committee will select up to two unfunded studies (i.e., studies that are not funded by for-profit, non-profit, or government organizations) based on a scoring rubric that assesses proposals for:

• Alignment with the SRN mission to advance the knowledge base of healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship
• Ability to address top SHEA Research Agenda priority(s), SHEA research agenda to combat HAIs (2024) and Research needs in antibiotic stewardship (2019)
• Completeness and quality of proposal application.

SHEA prioritizes opportunities for early-stage investigators (ESIs), who have finished their clinical training within the past ten years.

All submitted projects will receive feedback on their proposals:

• Proposals’ submitters will receive free text comments and de-identified, aggregate scores from the evaluations of their proposals.
• Proposals that do not proceed will maintain their scores and roll into the next selection cycle, or the researchers may revise and resubmit them.

SRN fees
Fees cover review and solicitation to SRN facilities, and not administrative support, data management, or projects beyond normal scope (e.g., Delphi method with multiple rounds). Proposals are invoiced after review and acceptance.

We encourage all researchers to consider donating to the SHEA Foundation so that we can continue to do this work.

Through July 31, 2025

The SRN does not assess fees for unfunded research. If approved, unfunded research projects are supported by the SHEA Foundation.

After August 1, 2025

Fees for an unfunded project (see selection process, above):

• Submission fee: $0
• Full fee: $750
• Reduced fee: $0

*Researchers qualify for reduced fees if:

• The facility currently participates in the SRN, or
• They are recipients of a SHEA research award, e.g., the SHEA Epi Competition, or

The study request is for recruitment-only (previously vetted by a government agency or professional organization with solicitation for participation sent by SHEA on behalf of researchers).