Utah AHEC is now accepting applications for Research Mini-Grants of $10,000 to support student-led research projects that focus on health issues affecting populations living in rural, tribal and in general low-access areas.

Proposals need to address at least three of the following five areas.

1. Interprofessionalism
2. Health Workforce Retention
3. Health for All
4. Ethics in Public Health
5. Telehealth

We understand that there is some overlap in the topics mentioned above.

• This grant funding is available only for currently active AHEC Scholars.
• Research Mini Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Application Timelines

• Grant Pre-proposal opens: December 15, 2025
• Grant Pre-proposal closes: April 7, 2026
• Announcement of Pre-proposal acceptance: May 5, 2026
• Final grant proposal application deadline (submitted only by candidates whose Pre-proposal gets approved): June 16, 2026
• Final funding announcement: July 30, 2026

Research Mini Grant Guidelines

Eligibility

Active Utah AHEC Scholars

Call for Proposals

The initial call requests Pre-proposals. Pre-proposals will be reviewed by Utah AHEC and selected candidates will be invited to submit full proposals.

Preproposal

This is the first step in the process. Interested candidates must submit the pre-proposal application through the form available on this webpage.

Mini-Grants Applications Review Process

Our review committee will review each Pre-proposal application carefully. Reviewers will complete a rating sheet for each application that includes both a numeric rating and comment section. Application acceptance is based on the rating sheets and availability of funding.

Full Proposal

Full proposal application form (submitted only upon Pre-proposal approval) and submission details can be found on this page. The project needs to be completed in one year by August 2027.

Required Documents for Full Proposal Submission

1. Contact information and a short bio of the applicants and advisors - One page
2. Executive Summary – One page
3. Needs Assessment/Rationale up to four paragraphs – One page
4. List Project Objectives with a brief description that includes both short-term and long-term objectives – One page
5. Anticipated Outcomes – One page
6. Gantt Chart (Timeline chart)
7. Budget Plan. Please provide justifications for the budget
8. Letter/s of support
9. CV/Resume of the applicants and advisors

Format: Times New Roman, 12-point size, double spaced, one-inch margin, page numbers at the bottom of the page, captions and citations as needed, APA 7 style references. This is a required format for all submissions.

Template for Gantt and Budget charts can be found here.

Please send all the documents in a single portfolio named in the following format:

Applicant First Name_Applicant Last Name_Year of Submission

Example: David_Smith_2026

Grant Reporting Requirements

• Grantees must submit three quarterly progress reports, one every three months (on 3^rd, 6^th and 9^th month) and a final report (3+1, total 4 reports) on assigned due dates. Due dates will be determined based on the research project.
• Three quarterly In-person/virtual meetings are required to discuss the progress of the project.
  • Research project advisor is required to join the grantee during the second or third quarterly meeting.

Budget conditions

Funding requested can be used for the following (not a comprehensive list):

• Research-related expenses (e.g., surveys, equipment, study participant incentives, etc.)
• Focus group expenses (e.g., transcription, facilitation, transportation, etc.)
• Meeting space rental
• Materials and supplies

NOTE: Grantees and their advisors will not be compensated for their time or any other contributions to the project. Cash incentives are not permitted under the Mini-Grant Program. If your budget includes incentives for research participants, gift cards are allowed with a completed “incentive log” documenting either name or initials of each recipient. If your budget includes food/refreshments, no more than $400 per grant award will be allowed for this line item. Consultation support item in the budget will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

For other requests, the Utah AHEC team will review the items and decide on a case-by-case basis. Any un-documented purchases will not be reimbursed. Purchases will be approved by the finance team only upon pre-approval from Utah AHEC. Any changes to the budget from one quarter to the next need to be clearly documented. Funding may only be used for activities which can be sustainable and will lead to a research project. Sponsorships on behalf of Utah AHEC will not be permitted unless authorized by Utah AHEC team. Violation of any of the above stated rules will lead to immediate cancellation of funding and future grant support.

Final Submissions Due to Utah AHEC After Project Completion:

• Final grant report (Research Paper Style, APA format)
• Poster (Electronic or Physical)
• Grantee Evaluation Survey

Note: All final submissions must clearly acknowledge the Utah AHEC Research Mini Grant funding and support. Final grant report and e-poster must be emailed to Prudvi Marneedi (prudvi.marneedi@utah.edu) no later than September 6, 2027.

IRB Support

Should your project need IRB support, we will offer consults and guidance via Tatiana Allen-Webb Tatiana.Allen@hsc.utah.edu.

Please be aware that the IRB review takes a minimum of 6 weeks. For more information on IRB procedures, please refer to University of Utah IRB website. If an IRB approval is required for the research project, grantee is responsible for the submission of evidence of IRB approval within six months of accepting the grant award.

We will guide you throughout the process from grant proposal to project completion. You do not have to be an expert in grant writing to submit your proposal. One of the objectives of this grant is also to help students gain experience in grant writing and project management.

Please feel free to contact prudvi.marneedi@utah.edu if you need assistance or have any questions regarding the Utah AHEC Research Mini Grants.