Frequently Asked Questions

A clear translational pathway: explain how science will affect clinical care or educational programs/learners and how clinical observations may inform further scientific work.

Measurable clinical impact: identify the population, baseline, targets, timing, and evidence that will demonstrate benefit. Consider a similar framework for research and educational impact.

Meaningful collaboration: unite teams across areas, divisions, or departments with shared responsibilities and outcomes.

Integrated missions: connect clinical care with research and/or education, with measurable contributions from each participating mission.

An executable investment plan: a two-year project with a budget of up to $2.5 million per year, tied to annual milestones.

Early consultation and a credible path to sustainability: engage relevant committee leaders and campus offices before submission and identify how ongoing costs will be supported.

The Fund supports highly translational programs with a strong connection between scientific work and clinical care and education. Explain the clinical issue or opportunity, the scientific approach, the educational aspects that are needed for success and the pathway to implementation and measurable clinical benefit. Programs without this connection are unlikely to be funded.

Align the proposal with at least one published priority theme or cross-cutting platform. The themes are Cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Transplantation. The platforms are Early Phase Clinical Trials, Big Data and AI, Imaging, Cell Therapy, and Precision Medicine.

Explain how the proposed work advances the selected area. Alignment should be coordinated with leaders of various committees.

Proposals spanning multiple areas, divisions, or departments are likely to receive higher consideration, as are proposals that combine missions with measurable clinical, educational, or research impact. Show why the partnership is necessary, what each group contributes, and how the teams will jointly address an important clinical issue. Listing collaborators alone does not demonstrate integration.

Committee members are the front door for questions about program fit and how to develop a compelling proposal. Discussion with the relevant clinical committee leaders before submission is strongly advised. Use the Fund website’s Questions contact to request the current committee roster, identify the appropriate clinical theme or platform leaders, and obtain their preferred contact details. Confirm current roles before reaching out.

For an initial discussion, prepare a brief concept summary covering the clinical need, scientific rationale, collaborators, expected outcomes, approximate budget, and timeline. Ask about strategic fit, potential partners, and the evidence needed to support the proposal. Consultation helps shape a proposal; it does not guarantee funding.

Discuss proposals involving AI, clinical trials, cell therapies, precision medicine, imaging, or other shared capabilities with the relevant campus offices and platform leaders. Use these discussions to identify existing resources, avoid unnecessary duplication, establish partnerships, and clarify feasibility, operational dependencies, and required approvals. Describe the coordination and resulting commitments in the proposal.

Projects are two years, with a budget of up to $2.5M per year. Requests above this level are considered by exception and must be submitted to Lucas Holden who will route it for approval.

Treat this mechanism as a milestone-based institutional investment, more like a contract for agreed deliverables than a traditional investigator-directed grant. Scientific merit is essential, but the proposal must also commit to an implementation plan, measurable clinical impact, annual milestones, and accountable use of funds. This describes the funding model; the formal award terms govern the legal arrangement.

Approval does not guarantee the full two-year request. Budgets are reviewed annually, and future funds are released only when milestones have been met or progress is judged to be on track. Funding remains discretionary and subject to availability. Applicants should plan for annual accountability rather than automatic continuation.

Identify risks and dependencies in advance. If progress falls behind, promptly discuss the issue with the designated program or committee contact and provide the cause, effect on clinical outcomes and spending, and a corrective plan. Explain any requested change to milestones, timing, or budget. Continued funding depends on the annual review; a revised plan does not itself assure further support.

Include an annual milestone-based budget table with every proposal. For each funding year, connect the requested dollars to specific work, measurable milestones, an accountable lead, and evidence for annual review. Include a total across all years. Add rows as needed and support the table with a detailed budget and justification.

Replace the bracketed prompts with proposal-specific information. Identify the baseline and numerical target for each metric, its data source, and its due date. Distinguish early implementation milestones from later clinical outcomes.

Use milestones that test whether the program is advancing toward clinical benefit. Depending on the program, measures might include trial enrollment, access to a new therapy, time to diagnosis or treatment, adoption of a validated care pathway, or a defined patient outcome. Hiring, equipment purchases, publications, and training may support delivery, but explain how they lead to clinical impact. Set realistic targets and specify how results will be verified.

Explain what will continue after Fund support ends, who will own the program, and how recurring costs will be covered. Identify the anticipated mix of clinical operations support, institutional commitments, external funding, philanthropy, or other appropriate sources. Distinguish secured support from prospective sources and state the timing, responsible parties, and assumptions.

Include a transition or scale-down plan if replacement support does not materialize; do not assume the Fund will provide ongoing operating support.

The submission window is open January 15–29, 2027. Subcommittee reviews follow in February, leadership reviews in March, and decisions are due in April.

The five priority themes are Neuroscience, Oncology, Transplantation, Musculoskeletal, and Cardiovascular. The five cross-cutting platforms are Early Phase Clinical Trials, Big Data and AI, Imaging, Cell Therapy, and Precision Medicine.

Faculty with an active School of Medicine appointment of at least 50% FTE may lead a project.

Faculty with less than 50% FTE or a joint UCHealth role may be eligible with approval from their Chair and the Dean (or designee).

Projects are two years, with a budget of up to $2.5M per year. Requests above this level are considered by exception and must be submitted to Lucas Holden who will route it for approval.

Program staff first check each request for completeness. Reviewers then assess it independently against a common rubric. Program subcommittees review standard requests in February, and the Executive Advisory Council conducts its leadership review in March. Every proposal is evaluated against the same six questions.

Requests scoped primarily to one program or clinical area follow the standard track. Requests that span programs, fund shared infrastructure or platforms, or need commitments across multiple budgets go directly to the Executive Advisory Council. Submit request to Lucas Holden.

Decisions are due in April. You will receive a written decision notice with the outcome, any conditions, the funding route, and reporting expectations.

Prior to the deadline resubmissions are allowed. After the deadline, proposals may only be revised and resubmitted if the committee explicitly invites the applicant to do so.

No. Awards are discretionary and subject to the availability of funds and are confirmed only after final approval. Budgets are reviewed annually, and funds for the second year are released only when milestones have been met or progress is judged to be on track.

Consult the current Fund website and program guidance for the submission cycle, required materials, eligibility, and administrative requirements. Direct unresolved questions to the published Questions contact and relevant committee leaders before submitting.

Emails may be sent to [email protected]. If you plan to request more than $2.5M in any year, contact Lucas Holden before you submit.