SPR Research and Education Foundation
The mission of the Foundation is to assess the research and education needs of the pediatric radiology community and develop funding programs to address these needs; evaluate applications for funding and make grants for the research and education that will further the art and science of pediatric imaging, and to raise and manage the funds that make these grants possible.
NEW DEADLINE ALERT: Starting with the 2025 Grant Cycle, the deadline will be February 8, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Select the 'Grant Awards Menu' option below for more details.
NEW DEADLINE ALERT: Starting with the 2025 Grant Cycle, the deadline will be February 8, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Select the 'Grant Awards Menu' option below for more details.
The SPR Research and Education Foundation was informally established in 1988 with a $250,000 endowment from the reserves of the SPR. The first grant was given in 1990 and the Foundation was formally incorporated on October 26, 1993.
The Foundation is governed by an independent Board of Directors and its bylaws. It is the policy of the SPR Board of Directors to monitor its reserves and to periodically transfer excess Society reserves to the SPR Research and Education Foundation.
In 2015 the Foundation launched the 2nd Campaign for Children: Building the Future of Children's Imaging. The Foundation has always funded interesting research projects and we are happy to report that as promised, a portion of funds raised through the 2nd Campaign for Children have been earmarked for separate grant programs for educational grants. Review the detailed report, here.
The 20-year report of the Foundation for 1990-2010, can also be viewed, here.
NEW - Foundational Insights Newsletter
- 1st Quarter 2023
- 2nd Quarter 2023
- 3rd Quarter 2023
- 4th Quarter 2023
- 1st Quarter 2024
- 3rd Quarter 2024
The SPR Research & Education Foundation's current Grants Programs are listed below. Note that each program name is linked to the program's details and to its NEW online application.
- Seed Grant - up to $10,000 - The purpose of the Seed Grant is to assist investigators in defining objectives and testing hypotheses before they apply for major grants from corporations, foundations or government agencies. Any area of radiology-related research is acceptable.
- Education Project Award - up to $50,000 - The SPR Research and Education Foundation Education Project Grant is intended to provide support for pediatric radiology education projects. Awards will be based on merit, including expertise and available resources, but should also endeavor to focus on education and learning related to unique aspects of imaging or image-guided therapy/intervention in children, promote the importance of imaging or imaging expertise in improving health care in children, cultivate multidisciplinary cooperation, and provide opportunities for additional funding. Projects will be preferred which lead to the creation of enduring web-based or electronic resources to improve teaching and learning of pediatric radiology and which can be disseminated without charge to SPR members and via the World Federation of Pediatric Imaging.
- The Pilot Award - up to $50,000 - The SPR Pilot Award is designed to provide a higher level of support for pediatric radiology-related projects of merit.
- The Multi-institutional Pilot Award - up to $100,000 - The SPR Multi-institutional Pilot Award is designed to provide a higher level of support for pediatric radiology-related projects of merit conducted across multiple institutions.
- William H. and Victoria McAlister Young Investigator Grant Award - $40,000 - The purpose of the Young Investigator award is to provide young investigators not yet professionally established in the radiologic sciences an opportunity to gain further insight into scientific investigation and to develop competence in research techniques and methods.
"Supporting the Research and Education Foundation just seems like the right thing to do. In the late 80s, a group of us, including Don Kirks and Dereck Harwood-Nash, and others, proposed establishing the REF, and I was its first President. Our support is just a little payback to a truly marvelous educational society that advances the imaging care of children." - Dr. Bill McAlister
Notes for Applicants:
- The single deadline for SPR Research & Education Foundation grant application submissions is February 8th (in years when the 8th falls on the weekend, the deadline is extended until the following Monday.)
- You must create a user account to complete an application. This user account is not tied to your SPR society credentials.
- The Foundation will accept only one application per grant category from a Department.
- In years when the Board has established research priorities, they will be posted on this page.
- The faculty and institutional requirements for each grant award program are to be considered a general guideline. The goal is to ensure that the planned program will be supported in settings that contribute to the success of the proposed work. Because there are unique academic and research situations that could fall outside these guidelines, please contact the Foundation leadership to learn if your different situation would be acceptable.
- Excluding the Young Investigator Grant, research fellows with a medical degree (MD, DO, or its equivalent) and a focus on pediatric radiology research and, if possible, with the plan to pursue pediatric radiology, are eligible to apply as long as all other requirements are met.
2024 RESEARCH TOPIC NOTICE (TO BE CONFIRMED FOR 2025):
For the 2024 grant cycle, the SPR Research and Education Foundation Board welcomes all eligible projects for consideration and strongly encourages submissions focused on health policy or health services research. Please note that projects focused on either topic will not be reviewed independently of the other submissions.
Applicants proposing health projects in health policy or health services research have the option to work with the Neiman Health Policy Institute (HPI) if the SPR R&E Foundation funds their project. The Neiman HPI, a research institute affiliated with the American College of Radiology, maintains national health care claims databases with individual claim line detail at the patient level. The claim records provide information including physician NPI, procedure codes, diagnosis codes, allowed/paid amounts, patient demographics and zip code. Datasets include claims for the following insured populations:
- Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). 100% of claims for entire population, ~64M Medicaid and ~6.5M CHIP per year, 2018-2019
- Commercially insured. 100% of claims for approximately 50M Americans insured by numerous commercial plans per year, 2012-present
- Medicare. 100% of claims for a 5% sample; ~2M fee-for-service (Original Medicare) beneficiaries per year, 2004-2021
If interested in working with the Nieman HPI, applicants must schedule a meeting with the HPI leadership before the submission deadline to determine if the project is applicable and feasible. If the HPI can support the project, researchers will work with the applicant on project objectives, methodology, and budget. Although direct access to the raw databases by outside researchers is not possible, HPI researchers can conduct study analyses in collaboration with grantees, as defined in the proposal. Areas of research to consider HPI engagement include the following areas within pediatric radiology:
- Economics and payment policy
- Imaging value proposition
- Cost-effectiveness
- Practice advancement and emerging technology
- Radiology workforce
- Health equity and access
To contact the HPI about your project and set up a meeting, please email Kristie Schohn at Kschohn@neimanhpi.org. You can learn more about the HPI at www.neimanhpi.org.
Based on the budget of the proposal, applicants should select the appropriate grant category for submission.
This award is designed to subsidize the SPR meeting attendance expenses of Pediatric Radiologists who practice outside of North America. This Fellowship award was developed in recognition of Dr. Heidi Patriquin's commitment to international education. The first award was in 2003.
Award specifications: The annual Patriquin fellowship award will be capped at $3,000. Pediatric Radiologists who reside and practice outside of North America, who seek to attend the SPR Annual Meeting and need financial support to do so, are eligible candidates for the Patriquin Fellowship. One individual will be funded per year. Priority is given to eligible applicants who have never attended an SPR meeting.
Application Deadline: October 15th, the year prior to the applicable SPR meeting (or the following Monday if the 15th falls on the weekend)
Application Form: Accessible here
Application Process: Each applicant must complete the online form, which includes submitting a CV, a personal statement, and a letter of support from the department chair or other official from the home institution. All application materials must be submitted before the deadline.
The application process is peer-reviewed by the Foundation Board of Directors, and decisions are announced in early December.
Applicants are encouraged to submit a poster or paper for presentation at the annual meeting in the established abstract submission process and deadline.
Questions about the process can be addressed to: Angela R. Davis, MBA, CAE | adavis@spr.org
This award is designed to recognize excellence in pediatric radiology education. Originally titled the Jack Haller Award for Excellence in Pediatric Radiology Education, the award was renamed in 2019 to celebrate the lasting impact of friendship and goodwill, as demonstrated by Tom Slovis through his desire to honor his friend and colleague. As background, in 2004, Jack Haller passed away, and his friend Tom Slovis asked the SPR Foundation Board of Directors to establish an award in Jack’s memory to recognize excellence in pediatric radiology education. The Foundation Board approved the request, and Tom seeded the fund with the inaugural donation of $10,000. Tom continued to support the Haller fund in subsequent years.
Award specifications: The annual Haller-Slovis award will be capped at $5,000. Individuals who have demonstrated excellence in pediatric radiology education over the course of their careers are eligible for the award.
Nomination Deadline: October 15th, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (USA), annually (or the following Monday if the 15th falls on the weekend)
Nomination Form: Accessible here
Nomination Process: Each lead nominator must complete the online form that includes the submission of a nomination letter, one letter of support from a past trainee, and one letter of support from a current trainee. All application materials must be collected in advance and ready for upload at the time of application submission. The application process is peer-reviewed by the Foundation Board of Directors, and decisions are announced in early December.Questions about the process can be addressed to:
Angela R. Davis, MBA, CAE | adavis@spr.org
Donate Online
Online donation is available via the action button below. We greatly appreciate your contribution towards the future of pediatric radiology.
If you would like to arrange for a larger gift, please contact Angela Davis, the Foundation's Managing Director, at ADavis@spr.org.
Memorial | Honorary | Celebratory | Programs
Unrestricted Memorial, Honorary and Celebratory Donations are always welcome and will be recognized on an annual basis. Members of the Society have organized several campaigns in honor of SPR members in support of specific programs. These funds are listed below.
The Heidi Patriquin Fund
In memory of Dr. Heidi Patriquin, a much-beloved and respected member of the Society, who passed away in November 2000. The donations to this fund are designated to support the Heidi Patriquin International Fellowship for Education.
The Jack O. Haller Thomas Slovis Award Fund
In memory of Drs. Jack O. Haller and Tom Slovis, friends and loved and respected members of the Society. The donations to this fund are designated to support the Jack O. Haller and Thomas Slovis Awards for Excellence in Pediatric Radiology Education.
Donations to these funds can be made by selecting the appropriate fund in the "Donation Allocation" section of the online donation page (here) or by sending a check and note with the fund name to:
The SPR Research and Education Foundation
[Fund Name Here: Heidi Patriquin or Haller/Slovis Fund]
2501 Jolly Road Suite 110
Okemos, Michigan 48864
Living Trust
This option avoids probate by simply naming the SPR Research and Education Foundation as a beneficiary.
Gift Annuity
This simple agreement can increase your cash flow from a gift that provides guaranteed fixed payments for life.
Lifetime Annuity Payments
Based on age, Lifetime Annuity Payments may be two or three times higher than your cash return on low-earning securities or CDs.
Life Insurance
Contributors can donate their life insurance policy and deduct future premium payments, or simply name the SPR Research and Education Foundation as the policy beneficiary. Individuals typically pay less than $1 for $1 of coverage.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A Charitable Remainder Trust is a great tool for selling assets tax-free and receiving income for life; the remaining assets go to SPR Research and Education Foundation. It provides steady cash flow and can be more beneficial than keeping an asset or selling it outright.
Retirement Assets
Retirement funds paid to your children at your passing can incur high income and estate taxes of 70% or more, but are tax-free to the SPR Research and Education Foundation.
Charitable Lead Trust
You greatly reduce or avoid estate tax on trust assets passing to family if some trust income goes to SPR Research and Education Foundation for a few years. A trust provides generous estate and gift tax deductions for wealth transferred to family at a more mature age.
Lifetime Bequest
A “Lifetime Bequest” is a combination of a gift or pledge now plus an estate gift later to facilitate and maximize the impact of your giving.
Estate Gift Portion
Making a Charitable Bequest in your will or trust, or Beneficiary Designation in your IRA or other retirement plan, life insurance policy, bank or brokerage account are all great ways to contribute.
Named Project
You can request a naming opportunity (e.g. name a fund or project in memory of a loved one) in exchange for your binding commitment.
Bequest
A designation in your will or trust costs nothing during your lifetime but leaves an impactful legacy on the field of pediatric radiology. They are easy and revocable if your situation changes. If you have already included the Foundation in your estate plan, or if you would like more information about making a bequest and establishing your personal legacy, please contact us at info@spr.org. Once you have decided to make a bequest to the Foundation, please send a signed Declaration of Support Letter to the Foundation office so that we may project future gifts that will help fund the future of pediatric radiology research and education. To learn more about our Small Change Campaign, click here.
The Foundation gratefully acknowledges our 2023 SPR Research and Education Foundation Contributors.
Contributors List