Research Grant Program General Application Information   1. PURPOSE: The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Research Program has been established to encourage research by health professionals affiliated with Cottage Health System. Priority will be given to projects requiring "seed money" for initiating or continuing research for which additional funding from other sources will subsequently be sought. The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Research Program is not intended to support the salaries of principal and other senior investigators.         Research Grant Program   Application Information   Application Instructions   Investigator Responsibilities    Application Form     2. ELIGIBILITY: Any health professional affiliated with Cottage Health System is eligible to apply for funding (including residents and non-physician health professionals). Health professionals or scientists not affiliated with Cottage are also eligible if there is a co-investigator who is a health professional affiliated with Cottage Health System and he/she will have an intellectual or active involvement in the research. Applications for studies which will include active involvement by residents or trainees are especially encouraged.   3. CRITERIA FOR FUNDING: The following criteria will be used to evaluate all applications:   a.  Significance of research   b.  Scientific merit of the proposed research plan   c.  Probability of successful completion of the project   d.  Potential for obtaining extramural funds based on this project   4. SUBMISSION DEADLINES: Applications will be reviewed on a tri-annual cycle, with deadlines set as the first working day of April, August, and December. Applications should be delivered to the Research Office at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Applications will be reviewed within two months of the entry deadline.   5. REVIEW PROCEDURE: Applications will be reviewed by the members of the Research Committee, with members excusing themselves from the review of any application in which they are involved as investigator or co-investigator, or have a conflict of interest. In reviewing applications, outside opinions may be solicited in areas of research which members of the Committee cannot assess. Investigators may be contacted directly by members of the Committee. Upon request, investigators will be given copies of the critiques of their applications, not including the identities of the reviewers. Applications which are incomplete, insufficiently documented, or which do not follow the application instructions will be returned without further review.   6. ADDITIONAL FUNDING: Grants will be awarded for one year or until successful completion with progress reports submitted and approval of extensions. Additional funding of up to $15,000 will be considered upon review of the committee and will require submission of a new application. A project is eligible for additional funding if (a) there is an area in the same domain of research requiring additional funding; or (b) the project ties in with new work for which outside funding is highly likely and interim funding is necessary. The additional funding process is competitive and a project is eligible for additional funding only once. Applications will be judged on the progress of the project under its original funding, explanation of any major delays, and justification for additional funding. Applications for additional funding may be turned in only after the final report of the previously supported project is submitted.   7. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions should be directed to: Betsy K. Lazarine, Ph.D. Research Administrator Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (805) 569-7436 E-mail: blazarin@sbch.org