Seed Grant Program: Building Evidence-Based Interventions Rooted in Neurobiological Knowledge - Call for Proposals

The Center for Empathy and Compassion Training in Medical Education invites applications for medical education project proposals for implementation in the 2026-27 academic year. 

The mission of the Center for Empathy and Compassion Training in Medical Education is to develop, evaluate, and disseminate educational programs to enhance empathy and compassion throughout health sciences training. The focus of this year’s call is the development of evidence-based practices rooted in neurobiological knowledge that help to incorporate empathy and compassion training into undergraduate and graduate health sciences education including those that aim to increase inclusive excellence in healthcare and health care education.

The intention of this seed grant funding is to implement novel health sciences education projects based on neurobiological knowledge and evaluate their efficacy; those shown to be effective will be disseminated.

Award Information

The maximum amount of funding available for a single project supported under this call is $25,000 for one year, with a typical budget expected to be $15,000-$25,000. A maximum of two projects will receive funding. All budget items must be justified. Proposals should speak to future sustainability of projects, including departmental resources or the School of Medicine. 

First stage applications

The goal of the first stage is to determine whether your project idea is in line with our Center’s mission and this specific call and appears to be promising for further development of a detailed project plan.

Please submit a letter of intent that will be scored by the review committee and should include: 

1) the project title

2) a list of project team members, their proposed role on the project and why they are appropriate for this role

3) an abstract (maximum 500 words), including:

   a) the proposed educational program, including the target audience and timeframe, and expected outcomes

   b) the relevance of project outcomes to the development of evidence-based practices rooted in neurobiological knowledge, the goals of the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, and specifically, the Center for Empathy and Compassion Training in Medical Education

   c) proposed methodologies

         i) for developing the program with an emphasis on practicality and feasibility (e.g., have you received approval in theory for adding your program to existing curriculum)

         ii) for scientifically evaluating the outcome of the program (e.g. pre-/post-surveys, comparison condition, observational assessments)

   d) audience, groups, or systems targeted for training and intervention

4) a detailed description of how neurobiology informs the project (max 200 words)

5) a statement that highlights how this project would foster inclusive clinical learning and care (max 200 words)

6) a summary of required resources for the project with a budget estimation

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the review, and those selected will participate in an iterative process, working together with the Center’s personnel, to develop the second stage application. 

Second Stage

The second stage application will involve a more thorough explanation of the project’s methods and a detailed budget and budget justification. The final version of the second stage application can be submitted at any time, but must be completed by late April 2026 to be considered for implementation in the ‘26-‘27 academic year. Second stage proposals will be reviewed and approved before funds are allocated. Invitation for development of second stage proposals does not guarantee eventual funding, but we hope to create fundable proposals via the iterative process.

Eligibility

Faculty, staff, and trainees at UC San Diego are all eligible for funding. Feasibility of the project given the responsibilities associated with the PI’s primary role(s) must be addressed in the first stage abstract. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

Application deadlines and notices

First Stage Application due date: January 20th, 2026

Notice of Invitation for Second Stage Application: Winter 2026

Second stage proposal due date: Rolling, with absolute deadline of April 24st, 2026

Submission process

Please submit your first stage application at the submission portal located here or by using the "Apply" button. You may also access this form from our website at empathyandcompassion.ucsd.edu under the “Funding Opportunities” and “Research Application Portal” tabs.

• If you do not have a Submittable account already, create an applicant account and complete the applicant profile using your ucsd email.
• Once you created an account and are logged in, you will be able to access the Letter of intent submission form. 
• Once the application is complete, please be sure to click ‘Apply.’
• To view the Status of your proposal at any time, you may log onto Submittable through the link: https://ucsdsanford.submittable.com.

Questions?

Contact Center Director, Lisa Eyler, PhD at lteyler@health.ucsd.edu.