Clinical Innovation Fund for Clinical Faculty

Overview

Introduction: SHC grants funds to the Pathology Department and other clinical departments to be utilized for clinical innovation related initiatives. 

Category:  Fund for Clinical Faculty to be used for innovative clinical projects/research directly related to patient care, test development, or quality improvement.

Eligibility:  Clinically active faculty (≥ 30% clinical effort) with primary appointments in the Pathology Department (University Medical Line, Clinical Educator, or Clinical Instructor). 

Application Cycle:  Applications are due by Thursday May 31, 2025.  Applications are reviewed in June/July and funds are released by August of the same year.  All applicants will submit an application to the Clinical Committee.  Application details can be found below. 

Responsibilities:

  1. Submit status reports to the Clinical Committee semi-annually or when requested while the project is underway.  Status reports are required since the Department needs to provide an update to SHC regarding how the funds are being used.
  2. Complete project and provide a final report upon project completion. 
  3. Utilize funds provided within two years.  Unused funds will be returned to the committee for future awards.

Funding

Award Levels: $5,000 - $25,000

Review Committee: Clinical Committee

Application/Selection Process

  1. Cover Letter/Application: 2-page limit that includes 1) Description of Project 2) Significance of Project 3) How it is Innovative 4) Why Applying for the Clinical Innovation Fund
  2. Budget: Proposed budget for Year 1 and Year 2 (if applicable).  Include the following
    1. Equipment costs
    2. Supplies
    3. Fee for Services
    4. Fee for Consultant
    5. Other Costs
  3. Biosketch:  Refer to NIH template
  4. 5–10 minute presentation to Clinical Committee (sometime in June, date TBD)
  5. Scoring: Each application will be scored by each member of the Clinical Committee following scoring guidance/criteria used by the NIH. 

Submit Cover Letter/Application, Budget, and Biosketch to Suchi Pandey, Chair of the Clinical Committee, at spandey1@stanford.edu by May 31, 2025. 

NOTIFICATION:  Recipients will be notified by July 31st of each year.

Additional Information:

The Clinical Innovation Fund has been established by the Department of Pathology to support innovative initiatives by Clinical Faculty.  Funds are provided each year by SHC hospital specifically for clinical innovation and the Clinical Committee is responsible for determining how a portion of these funds can be used by clinical faculty.  Clinical faculty are defined as Faculty with primary appointments in Pathology in the Clinical Instructor, Clinical Educator, or UML line.   

The Clinical Committee and Department leadership have agreed to open up the Clinical Innovation fund to clinical faculty who require monetary assistance to initiate and/or complete innovative clinical projects/research directly related to patient care, test development, or quality improvement.  The funds should be utilized within two years, and the Department is required to provide an annual report to the hospital about how the funds were used for clinical innovation.

Allowable expenses include:

  • Instruments
  • Supplies/Materials
  • Fee for services
  • Fee for consultant
  • Fee for statistician
  • Software and computing subscription to move forward with project (needs to go through data risk assessment)
     

Unallowable expenses:

  • Conference/Travel/Meal Reimbursement
  • Faculty Salary or Other Faculty Compensation
  • Computer Equipment
  • Direct payment to SHC employees for research work