*Nomination Deadline* Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST
Award Eligibility
- PhD candidate enrolled in Nursing at a school or college of nursing awarding a research doctoral degree requiring a dissertation who has defended their approval for their dissertation proposal.
- Is a member of the Eastern Nursing Research Society AND the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science.
- Is not currently an ENRS Board member or ENRS Awards Committee member.
Award Criteria
- Significance of the research study to nursing science
- Innovativeness of the proposed method
- The likelihood that the study will launch an important program of research
- Doctoral candidate qualifications and scholarly activities
- Clarity and preciseness of written proposal
- The application must be accompanied by a letter from the dissertation committee chair verifying that the applicant is/has:
- Enrolled in a Ph.D. program;
- Achieved candidacy status;
- Defended and gained approval for their dissertation proposal.
Award Amount
Up to $5,000, based on expenses. Must submit expense reimbursement form for disbursement of monies.
Proposal Requirements
All proposals will be judged on the following criteria:
- Abstract (Maximum of 300 words)
- Specific aims/purposes
- Background and significance
- Methods
- Human subjects protection (indicate if granted, pending, or exempt) and ethical considerations
- Resources
- Proposed Budget of up to $5,000, accompanied by a brief budget justification (Budget amounts should be in Table format with estimated timeframe)
- Acceptable expenses:
- Costs for subject/participant recruitment & incentives
- Travel related to the conduct of the research study
- Equipment, supplies, hardware, software programs
- Note: No indirect costs may be charged to this award
Proposals must follow these formatting requirements:
- The final document in PDF
- 8 pages formatted in R21 format
- Page 1: Specific Aims
- Pages 2-7: Grant application not to exceed 6 pages (excluding references with the following required sections:
- Background and significance. Is there a strong scientific premise for the project?
- Innovation
- Approach
- Methods; is the approach scientifically rigorous? Are there strategies to ensure a robust and unbiased approach?
- Protection for Human Subjects; Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children
- Page 8: Budget
Reviewer scoring NIH Score* for each of the following categories:
1) Overall impact; 2) Significance; 3) Investigator; 4) Innovation; and 5) Approach. Marked as acceptable/justified yes/no: 1) Human subjects: and 2) Inclusion; 3) Budget
*NIH Score
High 1=exceptional 2=outstanding 3=excellent
Medium 4=very good 5 =good 6=satisfactory
Low 7=fair 8=marginal 9=poor
These documents must be submitted with the proposal application:
- Two references (one must be from the Dissertation Chair) (one-page maximum per reference)
- Biographical sketch in a narrative or formatted (e.g., NIH format) (three-page maximum) *Please include anticipated graduation/defense date
- All grant applicants must complete and include in their cover letter a statement that if selected they will:
- Acknowledge both ENRS and Council funding in all presentations and publications from their dissertation research
- Present the research findings of their dissertation research at an ENRS and/or Council conference within the next 2-3 years
Notification
Email notifications will go out in Early February 2026. Winners will be formally recognized on Friday, March 27, 2026, during the Awards Luncheon of the 38th Annual Scientific Sessions.
Contact
Please direct questions related to ENRS Annual Awards Nominations to the ENRS Main Office at info@enrs-go.org.
After reviewing the above criteria and supporting documentation requirements, please complete the following nomination form. If you have any questions related to the completion of the form or the candidate's membership status, please contact ENRS.