Home | Leadership | Site Map | Contact Us
  
 
 

AMSA Local Project Grants Program

Helping students put ideas into action
A program of the American Medical Student Association

PURPOSE

The purpose of the AMSA Local Project Grants Program (LPG) is to encourage the development of student-initiated projects that broaden students' understanding of health care needs and health care delivery. In addition, the program aims to strengthen local chapters and to get students actively involved in sharing knowledge with one another as they reach out to serve their medical school and surrounding community. Since 1977, the AMSA LPG Program has been providing funds to chapters, with more than 30 such projects funded nationally each year. During this time we have seen some previously inactive chapters reactivated, and almost all AMSA chapters become more action-oriented.

ELIGIBILITY

Any chartered AMSA medical or premedical chapter is eligible to apply. In addition, chapters that have met charter requirements but are awaiting charter classification are eligible. Each chapter is encouraged to apply for up to five (5) LPGs per cycle. A maximum of two (2) grant awards will be issued to any one chapter per cycle.

AWARDS

A total of $18,000 per year in funding is available for AMSA medical chapter projects and $2,000 for AMSA premedical chapter projects. Dozens of projects will be funded this year. The exact number of projects will be determined by the average budget requests of funded projects and the number of applications received. Awards will range from $25 - $400 for medical chapter projects and up to $200 for premedical chapter projects. All awarded projects are required to submit their project evaluation via AMSA's Local Project Database.

LOCAL PROJECT EVALUATION CRITERIA

Local project grants are evaluated by the following criteria:

  • Relation to AMSA's national Strategic Priorities
  • Demonstration of familiarity with existing AMSA resources related to the project topic
  • Likelihood of creating sustainable change and opportunity for medical students and the surrounding community
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Quality of experience for the local project planning team
  • Special consideration will be given to chapters identified as struggling by their Regional Trustees.

WHAT’S FUNDED AND WHAT’S NOT

  • LPGs will not provide funding for: alcohol or speaker honoraria
  • LPG funding is unlikely to be provided for: food, speaker travel expenses, chapter fundraisers, raffle prizes, or member parties … funding for these would be awarded only if you provide compelling reasoning (ie, while we’re unlikely to find pizza for a lunchtime talk, we would likely fund healthy food for a Halloween trick-or-treat event for children with diabetes).
  • LPG funding is provided for specific expenses, thus you must itemize your budget and indicate which expenses are being requested as part of LPG

Chapters that have used LPG funding for a project they feel to be very successful may resubmit for a second grant, provided the proposal demonstrates an expansion of the project, such as the creation of a 'How-to-guide' for other AMSA chapters. The guide is expected to be included with the application for the grant.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR GRANTS

Applications are available online. Only applications submitted online by the appropriate deadline will be considered. The budgetary needs related to the project must be fully itemized and then totaled to a request not exceeding $400 (medical) or $200 (premedical). Furthermore, we request that you demonstrate other sources of funding being sought and we look favorably upon applications involving collaboration with other community and school groups. Finally, all applications must be approved via email by the AMSA chapter president.

DEADLINES

  • Cycle I applications must be submitted online by August 20. Applicants will be notified by October 1.

  • Cycle II applications must be submitted online by October 20. Applicants will be notified by November 26.

  • Cycle III applications must be submitted online by January 20. Applicants will be notified by February 25.

CONDITIONS

AMSA requires that an evaluation of your project be submitted online within 60 days of completing the project. The evaluation's web address will be provided upon notification of project funding. Failure to complete an evaluation form could jeopardize a chapter's ability to receive Local Project funding in the future. The local project, while funded by National AMSA, is administered and controlled by the local AMSA chapter. The local chapter acknowledges and retains ownership of the project and its name must be on all publicity and promotional material (e.g., The AMSA Local Chapter at the University of _______ or AMSA, University of ________Chapter). No program materials or participants should make statements that suggest or imply that the project is a project of National AMSA or that the chapter or participants are acting as agents of AMSA. 		   
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Director of Student Programming
800-767-2266

LPG RESOURCES/MATERIALS 		 
 
 
©2009 American Medical Student Association | AMSA Foundation

© All materials on this site are intended for the express use of health science students. Other use or reproduction of
these materials requires written authorization from the American Medical Student Association