SPR Research and Education Foundation

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 March 8^th (in years when the 8^th falls on a 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.

RESEARCH TOPIC NOTICE:

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: For the 2025 year, the application will be available in the summer of 2024.

Application Process: Each applicant must complete the online form that includes the submission of 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 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.

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, annually (or the following Monday if the 15th falls on the weekend)

Nomination Form: For the 2025 year, the application will be available in the summer of 2024.

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

Grant Recipients

Haller-Slovis Recipients

Patriquin Recipients