Goal of Innovation Grants: The goal of the ACPA Innovation Grants is to provide easily and quickly accessible seed funding for innovative ideas.

Definition of Innovation: Innovation is the creative use of new or adapted ideas that disrupt the status quo and quickly improve and/or create new programs and services related to ACPA’s strategic priorities resulting in tangible benefit to the association.

Grant Guidelines:

• Innovation Grants are intended to fund ACPA projects that are innovative or to introduce innovative solutions to improve the effectiveness and/or efficiencies of ACPA and its strategic goals and objectives.
• The ACPA Innovation Grants Team may allocate no more than $10,000 annually (fiscal year) for Innovation Grants submitted by ACPA members and entity groups.
• Two types of grants will be established:
  • A pool of $5000 is available for grants for entity groups
  • A pool of $5000 is available for individual innovation grants
• Grants amounts can vary but the maximum grant that will be awarded per request is $1000.
• Only ACPA members and/or ACPA entity groups are eligible to apply for and receive grant funding. The Project Leader must be a current member of ACPA, but doesn't necessarily need to be a formal leader within the association.
• Grant recipients will be assigned a liaison from the Innovation Grants Team to facilitate communication with the Project Leader, encourage the meeting of deadlines, and ensure progress toward project completion.
• Grant funded projects must be completed within one year of the funding notification. Multiple year projects may be considered however only one year of funding will be allocated with subsequent funding decisions dependent on successful completion of first year goals and the meeting of all reporting requirements.
• Grant recipients must submit mid-year progress reports and final reports and must agree to be featured in ACPA electronic publications.
• Grant recipients must submit a program proposal for the funded project for presentation consideration at the ACPA annual convention.

Application and Award Process:

1. Complete the online Innovation Grant application.
2. Submit the application electronically to Dr. Sandra Emerick, ACPA Innovation Advocate. Complete applications will be submitted to the Innovation Grant Team who will rate proposals based on the grant criteria stated below.
3. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within 30 days following submission of an Innovation Grant application.
4. Applicants for unfunded grants will also be notified and, if available, recommendations will be provided to encourage future submission and successful funding.
5. Funding will be awarded on a continuous basis until all grant funds have been allocated for the year.
6. Recipients have one year from notification of funding to complete projects. Extensions to the project timeline will be considered by written request to the Innovation Grant Team on a case-by-case basis.
7. Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss project ideas with the Innovation Advocate prior to actual proposal submission. For more information, please contact 330.325.6759 or semerick@neomed.edu

Ranking Criteria:

To be eligible for an award, an eligible applicant must meet the following criteria. Projects should:

• Be consistent with the ACPA mission, vision and values.
• Identify an existing problem, challenge or inefficiency within ACPA or represent an Association improvement.
• Involve collaboration across ACPA entity groups where possible.
• Introduce innovative, new ways to improve ACPA and our ability to meet our strategic goals.
• Incorporate fiscally sound use of grant funds that do not result in personal benefit.
• Articulate a plan for sustained implementation beyond the grant cycle.
• Identify an assessment strategy for evaluating whether the project goals have been met.
• Be completed within a one-year timeline (eligible to apply for additional funds in subsequent years).

Please fill out the application form below or you can use this pdf.