PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE SUBMITTING THE GRANT APPLICATION:

Purpose: The Innovation in Spiritual Care Education & Research Grants Program strives to support creative and sustainable new models of the practices of CPE and professional spiritual care in diverse, inclusive, and equitable settings and/or to improve and deepen understanding of current models through research models that will add to the evidence and efficacy for professional spiritual care.

Eligibility: ACPE Accredited or Pre-Accredited Centers in good standing; ACPE Psychotherapists; and Spiritual Care Professionals in good standing; ACPE Certified Educators and Certified Educator Candidates in good standing.

Application Criteria:

• Funded projects will have goals demonstrably consistent with the mission/vision/values and Strategic Initiatives of ACPE.

• Advance justice, equity, diversity, and equity in ACPE programs, centers, and/or among members. Preference will be given to projects that extend the efforts of ACPE to develop innovative, experimental and prophetic programs extending CPE into new and atypical settings and new or underrepresented participant groups.

• Conduct research projects to advance professional spiritual care and education with attention to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within ACPE. Projects that test new pastoral theology, education or spiritual care concepts and methodologies will also be considered.

• Strong consideration will be given to projects that demonstrate a funding commitment from multiple sources (i.e. the Foundation for ACPE is not the only entity from which you are requesting funding).

• Partnership with other institutions/organizations encouraged. 

• Funding requests should be for "seed money," not ongoing operating funds. Grant funds are awarded for one year. Projects may apply for and potentially receive funds annually for no more than three consecutive years. Proposals should indicate the specific uses for which the funds are sought and how the funds are to be administratively managed. 

• The project proposal should state how success will be measured, including specific measures to be used and reported.

• Funds will not be authorized for construction or durable hardware (such as computers).

Preference will be given to research project grants that:

• Have both a junior and seasoned researcher as part of the team to build research literacy across the spiritual care & education field;

• Build upon prior research or advance new evidence of the efficacy of professional spiritual care;

• Show measurable impact; and/or can be replicated across ACPE centers or spiritual integrated psychotherapy practices;

• Are cost-effective, and demonstrate a funding commitment from multiple sources (i.e., the ACPE Foundation is not the only entity from which you are requesting funding).

If awarded a grant, recipients agree to provide the ACPE Foundation with a mid-term and final report. Results of all studies will be included as resources for ACPE members. 

Please indicate how the project aligns with one or more of the following ACPE Strategic Initiatives:

Increasing the number of quality providers of spiritual/human-centered care.
(E.g., does your project increase the number of spiritual care practitioners, strategic partnerships to nurture ACPE programs or increase awareness around ACPE shared values?)

Integrating spiritual care methodology into settings where spiritual care is needed and/or practiced.
(E.g., does your project create research opportunities and publications for spiritual care, demonstrate links to patient experience or increase buy-in from authorities within a center’s infrastructure?)

Extending ACPE’s reach to new and different settings nationally and internationally.
(E.g., does your project increase awareness of ACPE offerings to new settings across the globe? Does your project foster collaboration with others to strengthen spiritual care? Does your project increase public advocacy and/or raise awareness around critical issues for spiritual care?)

Proposal Outline

Please include the following information in your proposal narrative:

1. A concise (500 words) description of the program / research project for which the grant would be used.
2. A detailed plan and timetable for beginning and completing the program/ research project.
3. Top three goals/project deliverables for this proposed program / project and specific measures of how its success will be measured (e.g. number of people educated, new collaborations established, new audiences served)
4. An explanation of the strategies and resources for sustaining the work of this project, fostering its continuation or replication after the completion of the grant, and/or sharing any lessons learned with ACPE colleagues, if the project is successful.
5. A fully allocated, itemized budget (revenue and expenses) covering the funding requested. If the funding is for part of a larger project, provide a budget of expenses and revenue related to the total cost of the project, as well. Make certain that your budget reflects all activities listed in your project plan, and includes any support provided by your organization or another entity. Next to each revenue line, indicate whether the revenue has been “secured” or is “pending.” *Note: Requested funds should not be for durable hardware (e.g. computers, hardware, etc.)
6. Two signatures: one from the person administering the Innovation in Spiritual Care & Research gratn project and one from the program/organization’s responsible fiscal officer (e.g. CEO, CFO, Department Head, etc.).

By submitting this proposal, you are agreeing to share any curriculum, research or deliverables developed with this funding with ACPE, and to it being shared with other interested ACPE members or member institutions.