AACP recognizes a special responsibility to provide leadership in advancing and enhancing the quality of education and training in its member institutions while respecting the diversity inherent among them.   

General Program Overview

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grants (SOTL) sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), provide research funding for active members of AACP who are engaging in educational research. The proposal must address an issue of Priority #2 of the strategic plan.

Preferred Eligibility

A principal investigator must be an active member of AACP (faculty or staff). In an effort to encourage interprofessional collaboration, AACP membership is not required for co-investigators included on SOTL grants.

AACP Individual Membership

A principal investigator must be a current individual member of AACP to access the online submission portal. AACP individual membership application information is located on the AACP website (www.aacp.org) under “About AACP.” Former AACP members may renew online. Please call 703-739-2330 extension 0 (zero) or email mail@aacp.org for membership assistance.

Submission of a Letter of Intent

A Letter of Intent (LOI) is NOT required as part of the application process.

Submission of Full Application

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Application (SOTL) Form is to be completed according to the instructions below. A proposal that is determined to be incomplete or does not meet the guidelines described below will be returned without review.

Attestation

The applicant must attest that one of the following Dean, or Dean of Research, Dean of Academic Affairs or Department Chair, has read and reviewed the application. Further, the applicant must attest that they have not submitted the project for consideration elsewhere and that any funds dispersed by AACP will be used for the project as outlined in the budget.

IRB Documents

Evidence of IRB approval for research involving human subjects must be sent via email to SOTL@aacp.org by June 15th of the grant award year. Instructions for including required IRB documentation in the SOTL application are found in the section of this document titled “Preparing the Application.”

Review and Selection Process

Application review and recommendation for funding will be made by a review panel from a Council of Faculties committee. In reviewing applications, attention will be given to the appropriateness of the objectives and methods to ensure that expectations are within the scope of the project.

All proposed research protocols must meet a goal or objective for AACP Strategic Priority #2.  The goals and objectives of AACP Strategic Priority #2 can be found on the AACP website. The review committee will be looking for educational research protocols that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Submitted by a team of Senior and Junior level staff
• Submitted by a team of pharmacy faculty in different departments
• Include PhD, Graduate, or Doctor of Pharmacy student learner involvement as an investigator
• Submitted by an Interprofessional team
• Include more than one institution

Announcement of Grants

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of awards in May. Selected investigators will receive a grant agreement that must be signed and returned to AACP before funds are dispersed. Grant dollars will only be dispersed to the Principal Investigator.

Reports

The SOTL recipient must submit an electronic copy of an Interim Report, Final Report, and Final Financial Report. Additionally, PDF copies of any peer-reviewed publication(s) resulting from SOTL grant support should be included. The Interim Report is due February 1st. The Final Report and Final Financial Report are due upon completion, or no later than 24 months following the receipt of the SOTL grant. The Report forms will be sent to recipients along with a reminder notice. The recipient must acknowledge funding support from the AACP Scholarship of Teaching and Learning grant in any publication, presentation, or abstract/poster resulting from the research.

Extension of Award

Request for a no-cost extension beyond the project end date must be made by e-mail to SOTL@aacp.org at least 3 months prior to its termination date. Requests will be carefully reviewed and determined on a case-by-case basis.

Termination of Award

Circumstances may arise necessitating the termination of the project prior to completion by either the institution or the investigator. This may be arranged at any time by agreement between the individual, the institution, and AACP. Termination will be made with the understanding that all remaining funds be returned to AACP, and that any unpaid balance of the award be cancelled.

Return of Unused Funds

Awarded funds that are not used are to be returned to AACP.

Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing SOTL Applications

Example submission narratives:  For examples, refer to the 2023 Grant Recipients on the main page. Click on the grant recipient's name to see their submission narrative.

Preparing the Application 

Title Page

The Project Title is limited to 85 characters including spaces. The Research Project Period is limited to one year.

Budget

Grant money may not be used for indirect or overhead costs that are commonly allowed by government research grants and contracts. Grant money may also not be used for the applicant’s, collaborator’s or other professional’s/consultant’s salary, either as salary offset or as a summer salary. Grant money may be used to pay the salary of student or technical trainees, but must be justified in the application. Grant money may not be used for providing compensation or incentives to participate in the research.

Biographical Sketch

A biographical sketch is not required. Instead, a current CV and CV highlights are included as part of the application.

Style Guidelines

• Limit to three (3) pages in length, plus two (2) pages of appendices which could include legible figures, tables, and references. The research narrative section must be single-spaced (no more than six lines of text within one vertical inch). Use a font that is no less than Arial 11 point. All margins (top, bottom, left, right) must be one-inch. Headers and footers may be used for titles and page numbers.
• Do not include reprints of any research articles with your application.

Research Narrative

The research narrative must contain each of the following sections with appropriate headings:

Section I. What is your research question?

• Use this section to briefly describe your idea. Make sure that your idea directly fits in to Strategic Priority #2; otherwise your proposal may be disqualified. Indicate in one or two sentences in bold the essence of your idea.
• Why is your idea an unconventional or creative approach?
• Describe the hypothesis and specific aims for your proposal and why you expect it to succeed.

Section II. How will you test your idea?

• Use this section to briefly describe the project design and implementation plan. Describe your methods, including any new technologies or tools to be developed.
• How will the work you describe be performed within the budget (USD$4000) and time period.
• What essential data will you generate from your study?
• If your project is successful, what are the next steps?
• Describe the ways the project will contribute to new teaching/learning/assessment techniques or methodology.

Human Subject Research

Research involving human subjects must receive written approval from the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB). A copy of the IRB submission cover letter with the request for approval, must be included as a supporting document in the SOTL application, and the final IRB approval letter must be sent to AACP immediately once approval is granted. IRB approval must be submitted no later than June 15. Email approval letters to SOTL@aacp.org. No human subject research application will be funded without written IRB approval or exempt status.

Submitting the Application

Applicants will complete the online application including uploading a current CV, and a research narrative.

Acknowledgment of Receipt of the Application

Receipt of the application will be acknowledged via email.

Applications not in compliance with the aforementioned specifications will be returned without review.

Conditions for Accepting the AACP SOTL Grant

In order to accept the AACP SOTL Grant, the recipient must agree to the following conditions:

1. The recipient will use the funds solely for the purposes that are stipulated in the original research application and are approved by AACP. None of the money awarded by the SOTL grant can be used for any disallowed project costs such as the principal investigator’s salary or indirect costs. Research should begin promptly upon award of the grant. Unexpended funds must be returned at the end of the award period.
2. The recipient will electronically submit an interim progress report by February 1 and a final report at the end of funding period. The final report will include the research findings as well as a financial statement as to how the grant was expended.
3. The recipient will acknowledge funding support from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy in any presentation, publication, poster, or published abstract generated from the SOTL Grant. Electronic copies of any presentations, publications, abstracts,and posters should be submitted to AACP for record keeping.
4. All SOTL-funded research must be performed in accordance with all federal, state, and institutional guidelines established for Responsible Conduct of Research.

Inquiries

AACP encourages inquiries regarding this funding opportunity and would be pleased to answer questions from potential applicants. Please direct all inquiries to:

Michelle Assa-Eley, R.Ph., Ph.D.,

Senior Director of Education

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Telephone: 703.739.2330 x1045
Email: SOTL@aacp.org

Arlington, VA - The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy joined with the leaders and members of 16 other pharmacy organizations to extend our deepest condolences to the families of Brian and Kelly Robinette, of  Ellicott City, Md., and Rebecca Reynolds of Cumberland, Md. Police say Mr. Robinette, a community pharmacist, was killed by a sibling who was upset that Mr. Robinette was administering COVID-19 vaccines.