Group Project Funds

Recently, the Foundation reached out and responded to the expressed needs of STFM members for funding for research and education. In 2008, the Group Project Fund was established to reward the creative and collaborative research proposals of STFM group members.

This fund encourages STFM Group members to collaboratively plan, develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate findings from educationally related scholarly projects. The outcomes of the projects will benefit group members, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and the discipline of family medicine.

The Foundation's Trustees will allocate up to 50% of the net revenue from unrestricted and undesignated Annual Giving Campaign donations to the Group Project Fund. The program will be coordinated by the STFM Executive Committee.

Funding Details

Projects are funded for a maximum of 2 years, and funding is not renewable. Funds may be budgeted in the categories below. Indirect costs are not provided.

  • Required equipment (e.g., a laptop computer) and supplies (e.g., photocopying).
  • Travel (e.g., funds to present project outcomes at STFM meetings and/or attend project team meetings).
  • Personnel (e.g., to purchase a statistical consultant's time). Funds for faculty and/or staff release time must be contributed "in-kind" by departments/programs.
  • Production and technical support (eg, producing CDs or uploading information on FMDRL).

A project may be funded for 1 or 2 years at one of the two levels below:

  • Full Funding: A few proposals of exceptional quality and potential impact may be funded up to $10,000 total.
  • Seed Money: To support projects up to $5,000 total.

Proposals at either funding level must have matching in-kind contributions for personnel (e.g., faculty and/or staff), equipment, and/or supplies.

The project PI must submit a semi-annual and an annual written project report to the STFM Executive Director until the project is completed.

Funds will be disbursed as follows:

  • 2-Year Award – ¼ upon award, ¼ upon receipt of each semi-annual report
  • 1-Year Award – ½ upon award, ½ upon receipt of semi-annual report

Any unspent dollars from the Project must be returned to the STFM Foundation.

Preparing and Submitting a Proposal

Any recognized, active STFM Group may submit a proposal for funding. Proposals must follow the format shown on the Application Form and received in the STFM office by December 1. Proposals must be submitted electronically to jmorrill@stfm.org.

The STFM Executive Committee will fund selected proposals at one of the levels stated above. Proposals will be assessed using the Proposal Rating Form. Principal Investigators will be notified about the funding decision on February 15, and funds will be dispersed by March 1. The project period runs from March 1 – February 28. Principal investigators of funded proposals must submit a progress report to the STFM Executive Director on September 1 of the project period, and at six-month intervals until the final report due by March 20 in the year of completion.

Application Form (PDF format)
Application Form (word format)

Past Project Fund Awardees 

Group Project Fund 2010 Winners
Group Project Fund 2009 Winners
Group Project Fund 2008 Winners