Who is eligible to apply for these grants?

All AUA members are eligible and encouraged to apply.

What types of projects are you looking to fund?

The grants fund research proposals that address key knowledge gaps and emerging research questions related to urological care delivery, workforce development and health policy.

AUA is particularly interested in supporting population-based, data-driven, specialty generalizable studies using electronic health records, data maintained by the AUA or other data sources already available to investigators.

What is the deadline to submit letters of intent?

July 31, 2017, 5 p.m. EST

When will I be notified if my LOI is chosen for further consideration?

September 1, 2017

What is the application deadline?

October 16, 2017, by 5 p.m. EST

Do I need to have my IRB and/or data use agreements in place by the October deadline?

No, you aren’t required to have the IRB or the data use agreements in place by the October deadline, but it will help your application if you can demonstrate that you have made significant progress securing these documents. All grant assurances should be in place by January 1, 2018 when the grant period starts.

When will I be notified if my application has been accepted or declined?

Early December 2017

How do I apply?

Apply by submitting your LOI.

How much money is available?

The award total is up to $25,000 for one year and is paid in two installments. The first installment is paid at the beginning of the grant period and the second installment is paid upon approval of the six-month progress report and financial report. Any costs in excess of this amount are the responsibility of the Grantee Organization.

When will funds be disbursed?

The grant funds are paid in two installments—approximately January and July. The first installment is paid at the beginning of the grant period and the second installment is paid upon approval of the six-month progress report and financial report.

How will my application be evaluated?

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Overall Impact and Significance (40%)

• What is the likelihood that the project will have a significant influence on the practice of urology?
• What is the likelihood that the project will change clinical practice, reduce medical costs and waste, improve patient outcomes, or result in substantial changes in health care policy?
• Does the project address an important problem or barrier to progress?
• How will the field of urology be improved with the results of this project?
• What will the urology community learn from this study?

Innovation (20%)

• Is the proposed investigation novel?

Approach (20%)

• Does the applicant describe an overall strategy, methodology, and analyses that are well-reasoned, methodologically valid, and appropriate to accomplish the aims?
• Does the applicant address potential barriers to completion of the study and provide a mitigation strategy to overcome these challenges?
• Does the applicant support the rationale for his/her study with appropriate literature?
• Does the applicant propose to obtain data that sufficiently represents the study population?
• Is the sample size sufficient and the power analysis and controls justified?

Environment (20%)

• Does the principal investigator possess sufficient credentials and a record of successful research projects?
• Does the applicant have sufficient institutional resources to be successful?
• Does the applicant have the necessary IRB and data use agreements (if using non-AUA maintained data) in place?
• How will he/she safeguard confidential patient data?

How do I budget for obtaining datasets? Where should they be allocated in the budget?

• AUA has purchased many datasets that are available to grantees who use its statistical services. Please visit Data and Statistical Services to see the complete list of datasets available.
• If you directly collect your own data or purchase data from sources outside AUA, please add those costs to the "supplies" line in the budget form. Be sure to describe the datasets in your narrative and budget justification.

Can I use my own statisticians?

Yes, you may use your own statisticians. If you subcontract these services to any organization but AUA, a detailed budget for the subcontractor--including information on indirect costs and the identity and legal status of the subcontractor--must be included in your application, and it must be preapproved by AUA. All subcontractors must follow the same budget guidelines as the grantee organization and agree to comply with research grant requirements. The combined total budget for all subcontracts should be entered in this section as one line item.

What are the advantages of using AUA's statisticians?

AUA's statisticians are experts in a wide variety of experimental and observational study methodologies, including medical studies with both categorical and quantitative variables; between-subjects, within-subjects, and mixed factorial designs; survey research; and single- and double-blind studies.

AUA statisticians use innovative statistical tools and techniques such as:

• Analysis of variance
• Data mining
• Decision trees
• Descriptive statistics
• Multi-factor research designs
• Multivariate analysis
• Non-parametric statistical procedures
• Systematic reviews
• Statistical power analyses and sample size calculation
• Statistical tests

AUA has purchased many datasets that are available to grantees who use its statistical services. Please visit Data and Statistical Services to see the complete list of datasets available and learn more about AUA Statistical Services.

How do I budget for obtaining statistician services from AUA?

If you need statistical services from AUA, you do not need to calculate and include this cost in your budget. Instead, AUA will determine this cost and add it to your total budget.

What expenses are allowed?

Only these expenses are allowed:

• Personnel support: Salary support for research team members who are directly working on the research project. Salaries should be based on acceptable compensation levels.
• Equipment and supplies, including costs to purchase datasets.
• Indirect/facilities and administrative costs: There is a limit of 5% of the total grant funds for indirect or facilities and administrative costs.
• Travel: Funds should be allocated for travel only if directly related to the dissemination of the research project results.

What expenses are NOT allowed?

Funds may NOT be used to pay for: AUA membership fees; fees for courses or classes; costs for proposal development for additional funding; political campaigns; direct donations, grants, or scholarships to individuals; lobbying; bribery; or any costs that are not directly related to the research project.

What is the limit on indirect costs?

Indirect costs are limited to 5% of the total grant funds.

What will be required of me if I accept this grant?

The awards are on a contract basis. Failure to meet the terms of the agreement may result in required repayment of the award. The requirements are to:

• Provide progress reports by email by June 1 and November 1. Milestones have been developed to assess progress over the grant period. If milestones are not reached, the awardee risks becoming ineligible for further support, may be withdrawn from the program, and may risk having to repay the support.
• Provide a final progress report by email within 60 days of the end of the grant period.
• Participate in AUA scientific meetings and/or other required events.
• Provide acknowledgement of support in any publication or presentation arising from work supported by the AUA data grant and send the AUA Data Committee copies of articles arising from AUA funded research.
• Notify the AUA Data Committee of any personnel, location, or project status changes that occur after the award announcement or during the award period.
• Provide a copy of the current IRB approval letter if activities involving human subjects are planned during the proposed research.
• Provide data use agreements for any datasets that are not provided by AUA.
• Provide evidence of HIPAA compliance, if relevant.

Failure to adhere to these requirements and/or provide appropriate documentation may result in a delay in the next scheduled payment or termination of the award.

Who should I contact if I have questions or concerns that are not addressed here?

Please contact dataservices@AUAnet.org or call 855-919-DATA (3282).