Verified

Special Emphasis Limited Project Grant: Colorectal Surgery and Health Equity

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons

Improving the health of all patients with colorectal diseases is core to the mission of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Research Foundation. Within the US, disparities exist in the colorectal work force (surgeons and allied health professionals) and in health care delivery, including the management and outcomes of colorectal diseases.

This special call aims to advance our knowledge in reducing disparities in the care and outcomes of the racial/ethnic minorities, women, LGTBQ+ populations and those living with disability who have colorectal conditions. Therefore, we are seeking proposals that aim to improve equity in colorectal surgery via pilot patient-oriented interventions conducted in real-world environments. The proposal is strongly encouraged to include patient-facing work in the environment where you practice.

Possible areas of focus include:

Quality improvement efforts focused on improving the experience and outcomes for colorectal surgery patients with limited health literacy, limited English proficiency, or from historically marginalized groups.
Areas of focus might include improving prevention and screening, evidence-based surgical care processes or outcomes along the five phases of surgical care as defined by the American College of Surgeons, and/or longitudinal surveillance past the 90-day window (e.g. - survivorship).
Community-based projects to create awareness and action around colorectal diseases.
Improving access and/or outcomes to colorectal services in areas where it is not readily available e.g. in safety net hospitals and/or rural hospitals.
Enhancing an inclusive colorectal care team workforce.
Projects focused on exploring/overcoming barriers to the accrual of traditionally underrepresented patient groups to clinical trials and other research studies.

Funding

Up to $20,000 for 1 year.

LPG need not be given every year.
LPG award may be funded in whole or in part.
No consortium/contractual arrangements will be allowed with collaborating organizations.
Salary support for the Primary Investigator is not permitted.
LPG funding is limited to “Direct Cost Only” budgets. Additional indirect costs will not be approved.

Application Deadline

August 17

Review/Notification Date

October/November

Award Expectations

The Research Foundation will disperse funding to the Institution in two installments. Installment one upon execution of the grant agreement and installment two upon receipt and review of an interim report at six months.
Institution shall submit an Interim Research Report to the Research Foundation in six months.
Institution shall submit a written report to the Research Foundation fifteen months after the receipt of the award.
Awardee will present findings to the Research Foundation during a specified time during the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting.
Findings and tools developed as part of the work will be expected to be shared with the larger ASCRS community via the Research Foundation webpage.

Submissions

The Research Foundation of the ASCRS uses a web-based platform for all grant submissions. Full instructions are available on the site in the top-right hand corner of the screen.

Applicants will log in to their ASCRS account to submit a grant application. Applicants do not need to be an ASCRS member but do need to have an ASCRS account. When the applicant clicks the Submit Grant button, they will be directed to the web-based portal, to sign in or to create an account.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to colon and rectal surgery (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is the single most important predictor.

Competitive proposals should focus on conditions and procedures within colorectal surgery, including:

Colorectal cancer
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Crohn's disease
Ulcerative colitis
Diverticular disease
Pelvic floor disorders
Fecal incontinence
Rectal prolapse
Benign anorectal disease
Minimally invasive colorectal surgery
Robotic colorectal surgery
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)

Projects outside colorectal surgery are generally not competitive.

2. Strong clinical relevance and patient impact (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

ASCRS prioritizes research that improves patient care.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to:

Improve surgical outcomes
Reduce complications
Improve quality of life
Enhance perioperative care
Improve cancer outcomes
Optimize functional outcomes
Improve healthcare delivery

Projects with a clear pathway to changing clinical practice are especially competitive.

3. Scientific excellence and rigorous methodology (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals should include:

Clear hypotheses
Strong scientific rationale
Appropriate study design
Robust statistical analysis
Clearly defined outcome measures
Feasible timelines

Methodological rigor is a central component of peer review across ASCRS Research Foundation funding mechanisms.

4. Innovation and originality (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive projects often investigate:

Novel surgical techniques
Robotic surgery
Artificial intelligence
Precision colorectal surgery
New biomarkers
Digital health
Advanced imaging
Surgical education
Enhanced recovery protocols

Projects introducing meaningful innovation are more competitive than incremental improvements.

5. Strong early-career investigator development (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

A defining feature of ASCRS funding is support for young investigators.

Competitive applicants include:

General surgery residents
Colon and rectal surgery fellows
Junior faculty
Early-career colorectal surgeons

The Career Development Award and Research Initiation Grants are specifically designed to develop future academic leaders in colorectal surgery.

6. Strong mentorship and institutional support (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Mentorship is a key evaluation criterion, particularly for career-development and trainee awards.

Competitive applications include:

Experienced mentor(s)
Strong mentoring plan
Protected research time
Departmental commitment
Access to research infrastructure
Institutional support letters

A supportive academic environment substantially strengthens an application.

7. Feasible project scope and realistic implementation (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

ASCRS grants are intended as pilot or career-development awards.

Competitive proposals demonstrate:

Achievable objectives
Appropriate budget
Realistic milestones
Efficient project management
Available resources

Focused projects are generally more competitive than overly ambitious studies.

8. Potential for future external funding (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

The ASCRS Research Foundation views its awards as seed funding.

Competitive proposals explain how the project will:

Generate preliminary data
Support NIH or foundation applications
Launch multicenter studies
Establish an independent research program

Projects with a clear pathway toward larger grants receive favorable consideration.

9. Multidisciplinary collaboration (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Strong applications often involve:

Colorectal surgeons
Gastroenterologists
Medical oncologists
Radiation oncologists
Pathologists
Biostatisticians
Biomedical engineers
Health services researchers

Collaboration enhances scientific quality and translational potential.

10. Dissemination and contribution to colorectal surgery (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to:

Publish in peer-reviewed journals
Present at the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting
Influence clinical guidelines
Improve standards of colorectal care
Advance evidence-based surgery

Broad dissemination increases the impact of funded research.

Specialties

Gastroenterology

Surgery

Gastrointestinal Surgery

Eligibility Requirements

The proposed research must be investigator-initiated, hypothesis-driven
The proposed research must be conducted within the United States or Canada
ASCRS members must be co-principal investigators or principal investigators.
Prior to submitting your application, any proposed research that includes human or animal studies must have approval from the institution’s appropriate review board.

Eligible Countries:

Canada

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 2515 Waukegan Road, #210 Bannockburn, IL 60015

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity