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The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association
AFSA Grant Guidelines - Letter of Intent |
Research
1. Letter of Intent (LI) are preferred for formal grant application submission to AFSA. An LI consists of a brief synopsis of your proposal that is only one page long (attachments many be added if deemed necessary, especially tables, diagrams or charts). It should contain, as a minimum, the following components:
- Study investigators. Name of principal investigator, degree and area of speciality (as documented by previous studies), and the names and degrees of primary people involved in the study. Also indicate if this study will be performed within an institutional environment and please identify the institution and/or organization.
- Study hypothesis. This consists of a one-sentence statement with supporting sentences that may include documented references, clinical data on a small number of subjects, or whatever else has led you to your hypothesis.
- Study aims, goals or objectives. Please specify what you hope to prove by conducting your proposed study.
- Study design. Identify the study population (s), duration of study, primary testing methods to be used, and other comments that describe how the study will be conducted. A flow diagram or chart can be attached to help explain the design.
- Estimated budget. Include a total dollar amount (in U.S. funds) as well as a breakdown into the following sections: (a) principal investigator salary, if any; (b) technician (s) or other supportive staff salary, if any; (c) permanent equipment costs, if any (and identify the equipment); (d) cost of consumable supplies; and (e) cost of other expenses (itemize as much as possible). We understand that these budget figures are only estimates, and a total sum for each category is all that is required, but more detail may be helpful.
- Patient-relevance. How will your study lead to the improved well-being of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and/or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Please be specific, and be certain that your project proposal offers something "new" in terms of guiding therapy directions and that it doesn't point to therapies that are already easily obtainable (and readily prescribed) for patients.
- Note that no institutional overhead
is allowed; all funds for research are obtained from patients with FMS and/or
CFS.
2. Response to your LI will
be provided within one month of receiving it, and possibly sooner. Responses
may also include recommendations for improving your proposal or suggestions
for modifying your application to make it more suitable to AFSA's funding
priorities.
3. Applications submitted
without a "favorable" response from an LI may not be formally reviewed if
the proposal does not meet AFSA's funding needs or if it duplicates an "in
progress" project that has been funded. Please review our Web site section
on "Research Projects Funded" prior to submitting (even before an LI), and
be aware that the Web site may not include projects awarded within the last
2-3 months.
4. As of January 2003, AFSA has awarded 23 research projects during its nine-year existence, and we have yet to turn down a project due to lack of funds. We have surpassed one million dollars in raising funds for research, and welcome patient-relevant, "budget-appropriate," proposals related to AFSA's research funding priorities.
5. If you are unsure about
what to do, please don't hesitate to contact AFSA (ask for Kristin Thorson).
We are eager to discuss AFSA's application process with any researcher who
is capable of meeting our "Conditions of Award" and wishes to propose a project
that is related to our research funding priorities.
Click here to read more about our award requirements and
funding priorities.
You may contact AFSA by any of
the following methods:
Phone: 520-733-1570 (only between 2 and 5 p.m. MST)
FAX: 520-290-5550
Email: kthorson@afsafund.org
