The USF Emergency Medicine Small Grants Program provides targeted funding to department members to support pilot projects, early-stage investigations, and discrete research activities that advance the department’s research mission and investigator development.

The program is designed to help faculty, fellows, residents, and staff generate preliminary data, strengthen research capacity, produce scholarly outputs, and position projects for external funding and larger grant submissions. Through a streamlined application and review process, the program provides rapid access to resources while also offering structured feedback and ongoing research support.

Program Goals

• Support innovative pilot studies and focused research projects
• Generate preliminary data for external grant applications
• Promote peer-reviewed publications and scholarly dissemination
• Strengthen departmental research capacity and collaboration
• Foster career development for early-career investigators and trainees

Award Details

• Funding Amount: $5,000–$10,000 per project
• Project Period: Up to one year
• Submission Cycle: Rolling submissions accepted year-round
• Decision Timeline: Typically within two weeks of committee review
• Funding Activation: Approximately one month after approval

Eligible applicants are USF Emergency Medicine faculty, fellows, residents, staff, clinical instructors, advanced practice providers, and administrative personnel. Collaborators from other departments or institutions are permitted; however, the primary awardee must be a member of the USF Emergency Medicine Department. Applicants may hold only one active Small Grant at a time.

Funds may support approved research-related expenses, including research assistant effort, statistical analysis support, laboratory and clinical services or materials, biomedical sample acquisition and processing, participant incentives, software, and consultant support.

Funds may not be used for investigator salary, travel or conference costs, publication fees, or non-research activities.

1. Applicant pitches project idea at one of the monthly Emergency Medicine Research Meetings (optional, but strongly encouraged)
2. Applicant submits Application Form to Small Grants Committee
3. Small Grants Committee reviews application and provides feedback to applicant
4. Applicant presents project at monthly research meeting for discussion and feedback
5. Small Grants Committee votes on application for consideration of funding: approve / revise and resubmit / decline
6. Small Grants Committee notifies applicant of funding decision within two weeks

Awardee Support and Mentorship

Awardees receive structured feedback, mentorship, and opportunities for consultation throughout the funding period. The program is designed not only to fund projects, but to foster investigator growth and long-term research success.

Awardee Expectations

• Provide quarterly project updates
• Submit a final one-page summary report
• Produce scholarly deliverables
• Acknowledge Small Grants Program support in resulting work

Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo, PhD\
Small Grants Program Chair
Assistant Professor, Medical Anthropology
Director, AQUASS Research Lab
USF Department of Emergency Medicine
rcampbe7@usf.edu