Announcing SOAP Diversity & Inclusivity Mentored Grants

In support of our core values of diversity and inclusion, SOAP is accepting applications for two Diversity & Inclusivity Mentored Grants. The goals of this new grant program, initiated by the Diversity & Inclusivity Committee, are to foster diversity of the SOAP membership and support the careers of diverse SOAP members through mentorship.

Click here for a list of past recipients and research topics. 

Grant Amount

Two grant awards of $5,000 each will be available in 2024

Application Period

Applications Open: January 3, 2024
Applications Close: March 28, 2024 (11:59 pm Eastern)

Requirements

  1. Proposals must include a mentee/mentor pair, provide all documentation stated in the grant description, and be submitted within the announced deadline.
  2. Mentors and mentees must be SOAP members in good standing and meet the requirements outlined below.
  3. The proposed projects should be planned for completion within one year. Projects requiring up to one additional year (two years total) will be considered with appropriate justification.
  4. Grant recipients must provide progress reports and a project completion report.
  5. Recipients are required to submit work resulting from the grant for presentation at a SOAP Annual Meeting and acknowledge SOAP’s funding in any publications or presentations with the statement, "funded by the SOAP Diversity and Inclusivity Mentored Grant.”

Requirements of Mentors

Mentors should be well-established clinicians, educators, and researchers, who have a sincere interest in mentoring and sponsorship of a medical student, anesthesiology resident/fellow, junior faculty member, or new graduate in private practice. Attributes of the mentor include an individual who is:

  • Currently a SOAP member and has been so for at least two consecutive years.
  • Willing to voluntarily provide guidance, direction, and counsel to the mentee on a mutually agreed-upon project. The project must have the goal of enhancing the professional career and leadership potential and active involvement of the mentee within SOAP.
  • Responsible for submitting reports on the progress of the grant and ensuring that their mentees are upholding the expectations of the grant. 

Requirements of Mentees

Mentees should be SOAP members of diverse backgrounds including, and not limited to, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and religious affiliation, who are interested in gaining experience in leadership, research and education.

  • Mentees may be medical students, anesthesiology residents/fellows, junior faculty members, or new graduates in private practice.
  • In addition to facilitating their chosen project and maintaining regular interaction with their mentors, mentees are required to submit an educational, clinical or research abstract, or poster at the SOAP Annual Meeting within 12 months of project completion.
  • Eligible mentees are also encouraged to self-nominate for SOAP committees and subcommittees.

Application Documents and Instructions

Using SOAP's online application portal, the applying mentee/mentor pair must submit the following required elements:

  1. Application form 
  2. CV for mentor and mentee
  3. Letter of support of the mentee – from the Department Chair or Chair’s designee, addressing the applicant’s suitability (i.e., ability to teach, adapt, be flexible, initiate and complete a research project) and confirming the department’s commitment to granting the time needed to fulfill the requirements of the grant
  4. Project proposal – two-three pages in 12-point font (Arial or Times Roman preferred) Microsoft Word format, with at least 0.75-inch margins, including:
    • Title
    • Specific aims
    • Significance
    • Statement from the mentor describing how the grant may advance the career trajectory, professional growth, and leadership potential of the mentee
    • Methods
    • Timeline, ideally demonstrating a plan to complete the project within one year
    • Potential barriers to the completion of the project
    • Budget and description of required equipment/supplies, travel, meetings and requested funding; also include co-funding provided by the home institution of record in support of the project chosen by the mentee/mentor, if any
      • No electronic equipment such as computers or tablets may be included in the budget
      • Do not include operational expenses, institutional or grant administrative costs, food, or beverage
      • Total budget should not exceed $5,000

Timeline

Applications and all required elements must be received by the published deadline. Proposals will be evaluated and applicants will be notified using the contact information provided in application. Recipients will be announced in May. A one-page written update of the progress of the project will be due June 30 of the following year; for two-year awards, a project closeout report is also required at completion. Grant awardees are required to submit work resulting from this grant for presentation at the SOAP Annual Meeting within 12 months following completion.

Questions

For any questions, please email [email protected] and include “SOAP Diversity and Inclusivity Mentored Grant” in the subject line.