Small Grants for Big Ideas (SGBI) Program (Sponsored by the HEARD Center)

Small Grants for Big Ideas (SGBI) Program (Sponsored by the HEARD Center) is sponsored by Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) / HEARD (Henderson Equity And Research on Disparities) Center. This program supports innovative research addressing disparities in neurocritical illness care and advancing health equity across diverse patient populations.

Projects can explore barriers to care, develop inclusive interventions, or identify strategies to reduce disparities.

HEARD Center: Small Grants for Big Ideas About NCS Partner With NCS Research Grants HEARD Center: Small Grants for Big Ideas HEARD Center: Small Grants for Big Ideas Applications Open | Funding Innovative Research to Advance Equity in Neurocritical Care The HEARD (Henderson Equity And Research on Disparities) Center is now accepting applications for the Small Grants for Big Ideas (SGBI) Program, a new funding opportunity designed to support innovative research that advances understanding of, and solutions to, disparities in neurocritical illness.

The HEARD Center was established by the NCS to investigate and address inequities affecting patients with neurological critical illness, their families and the clinicians who care for them. The SGBI Program is intended to seed promising new research from investigators and clinicians whose ideas can move the field forward, particularly those whose work is not yet supported by traditional extramural funding.

Application Deadline: September 1, 2026, at 11:59 p. m. CT Award Notifications: October 2026 Project Start Date: January 2027 Up to three awards will be funded Up to $10,000 per project No indirect costs permitted Funds must be used within two years Payments will be made directly to the awardee's institution Awardees will also have the opportunity to present their work as an oral or poster presentation at a future NCS Annual Meeting.

The HEARD Center broadly defines disparities in care and encourages proposals that address inequities related to: Geographic location, including rural communities Limited-resource settings (U.S. and international) Insurance or payer status Other social drivers of health Projects should focus on generating knowledge that can improve equity, care delivery, and outcomes in neurocritical care.

Eligible applicants are clinicians or scientists who have completed their clinical or post-doctoral training. Applications are encouraged from investigators across disciplines and backgrounds, particularly those who may not traditionally receive major extramural funding.

This includes, but is not limited to: Advanced Practice Providers Rehabilitation Specialists International Investigators Trainees may participate as co-investigators but must apply with a senior collaborator or mentor serving as principal investigator. The SGBI Program supports hypothesis-driven research projects that align with the HEARD Center mission.

Examples of allowable expenses include: Research materials and supplies Essential project equipment Statistical or methodological consultation Participant recruitment and modest incentives Investigator effort, where permitted by institutional policy SGBI funding may supplement existing grants provided there is no overlap in budgeted expenses.

The program does not support: Quality improvement initiatives Educational projects without a research question Program implementation activities without a research component Direct patient care costs unrelated to research Retrospective case series without an analytic plan Self-reported surveys lacking a generalizable research objective Laboratory-based mechanistic studies without direct clinical translation Travel unrelated to the required NCS Annual Meeting presentation Applications will be evaluated on their potential to: Improve equity, care, or outcomes for patients and families affected by disparities in neurocritical illness Advance the mission of the HEARD Center Demonstrate innovation and originality Engage multidisciplinary collaborators Be completed within the funding period Disseminate findings to clinical, scientific, and community audiences Priority consideration will be given to projects led by, or meaningfully involving, investigators from groups underrepresented in neurocritical care research.

pplicants must submit a single six-page PDF. Proposals exceeding six pages will be administratively withdrawn.

Page 1: Title page, to include project title and principal investigator information Page 2: Abstract (maximum 300 words) Pages 4–5: Significance, innovation, approach and dissemination plan Page 6: Budget and budget justification Arial or Helvetica, 11-point font or larger Spell out abbreviations at first use Submit a single PDF proposal to info@neurocriticalcare.

org with the subject line: HEARD SGBI Proposal – First and Last Name Awardees will be required to: Submit a brief progress report Present results at a future NCS Annual Meeting Notify the HEARD Center of publications, presentations, and subsequent funding resulting from the project Please contact us at info@neurocriticalcare. org .