Epi Project Competition

The Epi Project Competition will award up to $20,000 in grants for winning proposals to conduct studies that can shape our understanding of the transmission of healthcare-associated infections and identify the best prevention methods and implementation science. Questions should be sent to epicompetition@shea-online.org.

The SHEA Research Committee is seeking bright and dedicated early investigators in the field of healthcare epidemiology research. The Epi Project Competition will award up to $20,000 in grants for winning proposals for research to develop pilot data that supports the conduct of a future larger-scale research project, and the likelihood that a future project would attract additional funding support. Winning proposals are those that generate data that can shape our understanding of the transmission of healthcare-associated infections and identify the best prevention methods and implementation science.

Prospective investigators should make note of the following milestones:

  • Call for Proposals is Open
  • Proposal Submission Deadline: December 15, 2023
  • Epi Project Competition: April 13, 2023, from 6:30 – 7:50 a.m. Pacific Time

The Epi Project Competition winner will be announced during SHEA Spring 2024.

Who is eligible to compete?

  • Early investigators with advanced healthcare degrees (MPH, PhD, PharmD, MD or similar degrees)
  • Within 5 years of completion of training
  • Must be registered for the SHEA Spring 2024 Conference

How do I submit a proposal?

Eligible proposals must include the following information:

  1. Applicant biographical sketch: brief description of the investigator’s qualifications to accomplish the work.
  2. Mentor biographical sketch
  3. Project name
  4. Specific aims and hypothesis or hypotheses (limit to 1 page)
  5. Proposal Sections (limited to 5 pages total)
    • Background and significance of the project
    • Description of research design, methods, analytic plan, and preliminary results (if any) not to exceed 750 words.
    • Brief description of the environment (including mentors) where work will be done
    • Research plan for how the pilot data will be used for future projects
  6. A budget estimating the costs to carry out the project. The budget must not exceed $20,000 with a brief justification of the line items included. Must not exceed 2 pages.

*The grant is administered by SHEA and provides for indirect costs (not to exceed 8% of the total budget).

How are winners selected?

  • Reviewers will evaluate and score all proposals (based on NIH criteria) received by the deadline. Reviewers may select up to five finalists to advance to the live competition at SHEA Spring 2024.
  • Finalists selected to advance to the competition will receive a $1,500 stipend to assist with conference registration and travel expenses.
  • Finalists must deliver a 3-5 minute oral presentation of their proposal at SHEA Spring 2023 which will be scored by an anonymous panel of judges.
  • Winner(s) will be selected and announced based on the combined proposal submissions and oral presentation scores.
  • Judges have the option of awarding multiple grants to multiple winners of the competition if more than one novel proposal meets or exceeds the expectations of the competition, and the combined budgets fall within the $20,000 award limit.
  • Although use of the SHEA Research Network is strongly encouraged, eligible proposals are not required to use the SRN for their studies.

SHEA strives to advance the field of healthcare epidemiology, infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship through research and education. Our mission in part is to mentor, train, and promote professional development in healthcare epidemiology.

For questions and inquiries send an email to epicompetition@shea-online.org.

Past Epi Project Competition Winners

Information about past winners can be found in the SRN Studies and Information Resources Section of the Website.