Application Instructions

This grant is jointly sponsored by the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM), the Society for Health Psychology of the American Psychological Association (SfHP), the Society of Behavioral Medicine, USA (SBM), and the International Behavioural Trials Network (IBTN) in partnership with its Canadian sister association, the Canadian Behavioural Interventions and Trials Network (CBITN).

Purpose

The purpose of the grant is to facilitate a mentorship collaboration with an international laboratory or research group under the guidance of an identified international mentor. In 2025, four awards will be competitively granted; each award is sponsored by one of the sponsoring organizations (ISBM, SfHP, SBM, or IBTN/CBITN). Proposed mentorship collaborations must be based on aims to pursue a specific research project or a specific program development project in the areas of health research, clinical behavioral health, behavioral medicine, or health promotion. The research or program development project must be feasible within one year.

Please note that for the 2025 competition, HBIC Award funding can be used for international travel.

Eligibility

• Applicants can be trainees (graduate, professional students – e.g., residents) and early career professionals (e.g., fellows, faculty) within 5 years of completing their terminal degree.
• There are no restrictions as to the applicant’s age. Please see FAQ section for details about accounting for career interruptions in calculating eligible years.
• Applicants from the following countries listed by the World Bank are given special consideration.
• Applicants are eligible for an award sponsored by organizations of which they are members (i.e., SfHP, SBM, IBTN/CBITN or a member society of ISBM).
  • View the list of the member societies of ISBM.
  • Applicants from low and lower-middle income countries in which there are no currently active behavioral medicine organizations can be considered for the ISBM-sponsored award, or they can apply for IBTN membership, which is free.
  • If an applicant is a member of multiple sponsoring organizations, they will be considered for the award sponsored by each organization. Please note, the applicant may only receive a single award.
• There is no country restriction to apply for funding from the ISBM, SBM, or IBTN. If you are applying for funding from the SfHP, you must be currently based in the USA.
• The international mentor must not have served as a mentor for a Health and Behavior International Collaborative Award within the last two years.

Terms of the Grant

• In 2025, successful applicants will receive $3,000 USD to offset costs of activities that contribute to the building of a mentor partnership (e.g., travel and research costs, capacity building, or other suitable activities).
• The international mentor must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to work with the applicant to complete the project or academic goals described in the proposal.
• The 2025 award can be used to support airfare, travel, or conference attendance.
• One year after receiving the award, trainees must complete a brief report for the Health and Behavior International Collaborative Research Award Committee describing the progress and any available outcomes of the project. Successful applicants will receive a link to the form one year following receipt of the award.
• The trainee must acknowledge the Health and Behavior International Collaborative Research Award and the sponsoring organization (e.g., ISBM, SfHP, SBM, or IBTN/CBITN) in publications and other products arising from work achieved as a result of this award.

Application Documents

Please note that all application documents must be combined into a single document for submission.

The Applicant must:

Complete the online application form, which will ask you to upload the following:

1. A maximum 2-page letter of intent (11 pt. font, ½ inch (1.27 cm) margins) providing:
   • Description and justification for purpose and anticipated benefit of the international collaboration;
   • Overview of the rationale and methodology for the proposed project and collaborative activity;
   • Evidence of communication with the international research mentor (prior communication/discussion with mentor is expected);
   • Clear outline of specific objectives of the proposed project/collaboration;
   • A clear plan for executing the above objectives, including preliminary timetable of activities during the collaboration with specific emphasis on the feasibility of the project within the proposed timeline. This includes a clear outline of any virtual/distance collaborative activities and how they will be managed across time zones;
   • Outline of a plan for continued collaboration.
   • A budget plan (how funds will be utilized) including any additional resources committed by the mentor or institution. Of note, it is not expected that the HBIC award of $3,000 will be sufficient to fund the entire project. Please submit a budget and funding sources and statuses for the entire project and identify within that budget what the HBIC award will fund.
2. Curriculum vitae for the applicant (maximum of two pages)
3. A one-page letter of support from the home institution or current research mentor attesting to:
   • support of the applicant’s project/collaborative activity and its anticipated benefits;
   • support of the applicant’s plans to produce scholarly work as a result of the award;
   • the strengths/qualifications of the applicant; and
4. Evidence of membership of the sponsoring organization(s) (e.g., payment receipt, email confirmation of membership, etc.).

The Applicant must ALSO include the following documents about the international research mentor:

1. Curriculum vitae (maximum of two pages)
2. A one-page confirmation letter in which the international mentor:
   • Agrees to be the trainee’s mentor for the proposed project;
   • Testifies to any previous communication with applicant as well as the applicant’s qualifications for the proposed project;
   • Confirms that they have sufficient time and resources to support planned activities during the specified time period. The international mentor is asked to include a specific statement regarding any resources or supplementary resources available to offset potential additional costs (e.g., extended activities);
   • States that they have not served as an international mentor for the Health and Behavior International Collaborative Award in the past two years.
   • Confirms that they are a member of one of the sponsoring organizations at the time of application.

Award Selection Process

Applicants are competitively considered for funding by each organization of which they are a member. Two representatives from each sponsoring organization will use a standardized scoring system to rank their choice of applicants.

The scoring system will be developed by the International Collaborative Awards Committee with special attention to:

1. scientific merit (i.e., background, methodology) of the proposed project;
2. clarity and feasibility of the proposed objectives/plans of the project;
3. qualification of applicant;
4. support of the hosting institution/international mentor;
5. potential for ongoing scientific collaboration.

The Health and Behavior International Collaborative Award Committee (which these representatives comprise) will collaboratively determine the final awardees.

Deadline

Applicants are notified via email regarding the outcome of their applications.

Frequently Asked Questions for Applicants

Frequently Asked Questions for Mentors

Inquiries

If you have additional questions, please contact us at H.B.InternationalAward@gmail.com.