Great Idea Awards

What are Great Idea Awards?
The primary purpose of the MPG Great Idea Awards is to encourage innovation and collaboration among MPG members. The MPG Great Idea Awards will now offer two tiers of awards to accomplish its mission. Tier 1 awards will support small, new idea projects and Tier 2 awards will support larger projects with some preliminary data to address an innovative hypotheses.

Application Process:

TIER 1 PROJECTS: The MPG division will allocate $30,000 per fiscal year to fund Tier 1 projects. Each Tier 1 project will be awarded up to $10,000. The Tier 1 awards must be expended within one year of the grant being awarded. Tier 1 awards will be accepted starting September 6, 2025 on a rolling deadline until the funds allocated to the Tier 1 awards for the academic year are expended. 

Interested MPG faculty should submit a one-page project summary using the attached template to Caroline Hallstrom ([email protected]). The summary should include the following sections:

1. Study rationale
2. Specific aims
3. Study approach
4. Anticipated study outcomes 

In addition, please submit a budget and any references for the proposed study (not included in the one page limit). 

Review process: The MPG Steering committee will review these proposals for feasibility, and applicants will be notified of award status after review within one month after their application submission. 

TIER 2 PROJECTS: The MPG division will issue two Tier 2 awards for up to $50,000 each per fiscal year. Previously funded Tier 1 projects are eligible to apply, as well as other projects that have not received previous MPG funding. The application deadline for Tier 2 projects is October 1, 2025. Tier 2 awards will have up to two years to use the awarded funds. Tier 2 projects will need to submit a three page application that consists of the following components:

1. Study rationale
2. Specific aims
3. Study approach: This should include detailed plans about the study design, laboratory procedures and data analysis plans.
4. Preliminary data to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed study plan
5. Anticipated study outcomes 

Applicants will also be required to submit a budget, budget justification and references page along with the application (not included in the three-page limit).

Applicants who submit a Tier 2 proposal by October 1, 2025 will be invited to do a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute Q&A session at the next MPG division meeting on October 30, 2025 from 2:00 PM-4:30 PM in HSEC 3150. Refreshments will be available. Presentations must be in person. Some Zoom capability may be available for viewers, but in-person attendance is encouraged. Trainees and colleagues are invited to attend, but voting is limited to MPG faculty members. A voting ballot will be sent out after the meeting, the two highest-ranked applications will be funded. 

General requirements/expectations for Great Idea Awards:

• Each project must include at least one MPG faculty member.  Larger teams or multiple MPG members as investigators are welcome.       

• Tier 1 projects will be asked to present a poster at an MPG poster session at the annual MPG Research Day.     

• Tier 1 and Tier 2 project teams may be invited to present findings at MPG division meetings or at the annual MPG research symposium. 

• Tier 2 projects will be required to present interim progress to the MPG faculty at MPG division meetings.

• Tier 2 projects are expected to publish at least one abstract based on findings at a national meeting. 

• MPG Great Idea Award funds are for research only and cannot be used to purchase computers, on travel expenses, printing costs, etc. 

Questions?  Please contact Caroline Hallstrom [email protected]