PRELIMINARY GRANT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

I. APPLICATION PROCEDURES

A. The application must be completed in full and submitted together with all supporting materials requested in the application form.

B. The cover page, Principal Investigator's biographical sketch (only no other investigators), and the one-page proposal are required.

C. Your complete application must be received by May 1, 2008. Only electronic applications in MS Word format will be accepted. Send all materials via email or CD to the Research Director.

D. After review by the NOCSAE Board of Directors, full proposals will be invited by July 1, 2008. Invited proposals will be due for external review by October 1, 2008, with funding anticipated in February 2009.

II. THE SCOPE OF THE APPLICATIONS

A. Applications should describe projects based upon basic and/or applied research bearing a rational relationship towards increasing our understanding of sports injury mechanisms and injury prevention through the use of protective sports equipment. Projects related specifically to equipment design are not appropriate. Projects analyzing athletic performance are not appropriate.

B. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate evidence of recurring injury where the injury is either "catastrophic," "serious," or "costly". Catastrophic injury is a life threatening injury or an injury that often leads to permanent disability. Serious injury is less than catastrophic but is sufficiently serious to require immediate medical attention and a lengthy healing or recovery period. Costly injury is an injury that because of its nature or location may incur a significant health care or institutional cost.

C. The primary focus of NOCSAE research has been and will continue to be head and neck injury.

D. Any individual and institution residing in North America is eligible. All applications regardless of origin will be evaluated by the same strict scientific guidelines.