Research Grants

The AONL Foundation envisions a healthier tomorrow advanced through nursing leadership and strives to achieve that vision by providing resources to create opportunities to bridge science and practice to shape the future of nursing leadership. 

The AONL Foundation supports the vision and mission by supporting the generation of new knowledge through actionable research to:

• Optimize Leadership Effectiveness
• Achieve Equity in Health Care
• Improve the Health Care Experience.

Purpose

The purpose of this RFP is to better understand and support front-line nurse leaders or managers directly overseeing clinical staff nurses, as they lead in changing healthcare environments. The AONL Foundation aims to optimize outcomes and generate knowledge related to the value of nurse manager in organizations. Through this funding the AONL Foundation aims to support the generation of timely, innovative and cost-effective solutions that can be implemented in the near future to improve the work experience for nurse managers.

The front-line nurse leader/manager faces many challenges in their role. The AONL and AONL Foundation Longitudinal Nursing Leadership Insight Study has reported the challenges shared by these leaders over five studies.  AONL’s Workforce Task Force has published several resources in the last two years focusing on the nurse manager/front line leader, including the Nursing Leadership Workforce Compendium, and The Role of the Nurse Manager: Evolution of the Role in High-Turnover Environments. Lastly, the Beyond Gratitude initiative reinforces the need to validate the role of the nurse manager. Building on these works, The AONL Foundation seeks to apply funds to support knowledge development answering questions in this vein. Examples include:

• What is the impact of large spans of control on nurse manager effectiveness?
• What is the impact of leading in a “Teaming” versus “Strong Core” team environment?
• What new competencies do nurse managers/front line nurse leaders need?
• Which nurse manager competencies impact the work environment or patient care?
• What is the impact of competitive employment markets and high staff turnover on nurse manager satisfaction?
• What is the impact of nurse manager turnover on staff turnover, staff satisfaction and patient outcomes?
• What is the impact of new care delivery models on nurse manager workload?
• What strategies effectively help to mitigate nurse manager burnout?
• Describe the relationship between nurse manager meeting attendance requirements and unit performance metrics.
• What is the proportion of nurse manager time spent in service recovery?
• Identify effective nurse manager communication strategies with a diverse workforce.
• The relationship between nurse manager satisfaction and CNO support sessions with managers
• Strategies to better recognize nurse manager contributions

This grant award can support observational or interventional research to address the requested learnings.

Observational studies might be preliminary investigations to describe diversity among nurse managers and the impacts of having a diverse nurse manager team. Studies that address the value of the nurse manager and are linked to larger, ongoing projects will also be considered. Investigators may use any of the qualitative traditions (ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, etc.), descriptive quantitative designs, or mixed methods to explore these topics. Studies that are translatable to practice in the near future or set groundwork for continued funded outcome-focused research are encouraged.  

Interventional studies must directly address measuring or proving the value of nurse managers and the impacts on the manager, teams, and/or organizations. Interventions should include all appropriate organizational stakeholders (e.g. a project addressing recruitment of diverse nurse managers should include organizational leadership, human resource personnel, hiring manager, and others as needed.) It is expected that the interventions will have the potential to be sustained in the organization or setting and should be scalable for implementation in other settings.
 

Eligibility Criteria:

• Principal investigator must be a current licensed Registered Nurse.
• Members of the board of directors, officers, and staff of the AONL Foundation, AONL, the American Hospital Association and its affiliates are not eligible to apply.
• Researchers currently funded by the AONL Foundation are not eligible for this award.
• Priority may be given to diverse applicants.

Guidelines

• This grant award applies only to research studies and does not include evidence-based projects.
• Documentation of Institute Review Board (IRB) approval is required prior to initiation of funding (timetable for IRB approval or proof of IRB approval to be included in proposal).
• Implementation of the research project must commence immediately upon receipt of the funds.
• Research project must be completed within timeframe established above, inclusive of dissemination.
  • Dissemination should include presentation at a national conference and submission of a manuscript for publication in a peer reviewed journal. A webinar and/or other format may also be considered.
    • Please note, if planning to submit an abstract to present at an AONL Annual Conference, that abstract should reflect completed study.
  • A portion of the award money will be dependent upon completion of award study.
  • The AONL Foundation should be acknowledged in all publications and presentations that use/reference the findings.
• Budget proposals:
  • AONL Foundation provides funding for direct expenses, and allows up to 10% of total grant funds to be used for indirect expenses or overhead expenses.
  • No investigator time will be supported. All other research-related expenditures including salary support for research assistants or statisticians, incentivizing study participants, supplies, software, printed materials, copying, communications, and expenses related to attending and presenting study findings at conferences are acceptable expenses.
    • When building budget to attend and present findings at a national conference, consider all travel, poster design and printing, presentation design and production, and other associated costs.
• All research proposals are expected to primarily address either the AONL Foundation priority Optimizing Leadership Effectiveness or Improving the Health Care Experience. Proposals may also address the third priority area Achieving Equity in Health Care. 

Review Process

All submitted proposals will undergo a blind review by members of the AONL Foundation Board of Director’s Research Review Committee. The grant award recipient will be selected based on consideration of eligibility and merit of the research proposal.  Review criteria will include:

• What is the overall impact of the proposed research study on the defined purpose?
• What is the significance and innovativeness of the planned study?
• Is the study strategy, methodology and data analysis plan rigorous and can it be accomplished in the projected timeframe?
• Is the support (budget) requested justified to the proposed research?

Priority will be given to:

• Research work that advances nursing leadership. 
• Proposals that identify original research opportunities.
  • If the research opportunity proposed is a replication study, large-impact studies will receive priority.

Previous research completed, and research experience will be taken into account. 

Expectations of Grant Recipient

• At the beginning of the grant period, the principal investigators will provide a jpg head shot and a narrative biography of no more than 300 words for each investigator.
• At the midpoint and at the conclusion of the research study the principal investigators will submit an interim and final report, respectively, on the progress of the study.
• At quarterly intervals, principal investigators and study team will meet with AONL Foundation staff and a member of the Research committee designated as the study’s research liaison.  These informal check in meetings will help keep everyone apprised of the study and current status.
• Upon conclusion of the study and within the timeline the principal investigator will:
  • Submit an abstract and, if accepted, present study findings at a national conference
  • Submit manuscript for publication to at least one peer reviewed nursing research journal
  • Submit a summary of the study to be added to the online AONL Foundation’s Research Repository
  • Allow study findings to be incorporated into the AONL Foundation’s marketing and communications
  • Aid the AONL Foundation in demonstrating impact of the research
• Principal investigator will ensure proper acknowledgment of AONL Foundation and the underwriting donor in all publications and presentations.

Proposal Application Details

An electronic copy (Microsoft Word or PDF) of the entire proposal shall be submitted online via AONL Foundation's website. Applications should be no longer than eight (8) single-spaced pages with 1-inch margins in Times New Roman or Arial 12-point font. References should be cited using APA format and are to be included within the 8-page limit. Copies of planned surveys or other measures, and permissions for use, are to be to be included as appendices.

A second copy (Microsoft Word or PDF) of the entire proposal—with all identifying information of researcher(s) and institution(s) removed—shall be submitted online via the AONL Foundation's website. The same page limit applies.

Please see complete grant details for proposal specifics.

Apply Today!

Complete Grant Details

Grant Detail:

The AONL Foundation plans to award one (1) grant of $15,000.

Acknowledgment

Funding for this research study is made possible thanks to the generous donors supporting the AONL Foundation. Thank you for your support.

Inquiries

For questions about the submission or review process, please contact Erica Cheng, Program Specialist, at echeng@aha.org.