Spark Awards
Spark Awards
The CTSI Spark Awards are designed to support preliminary research and generate essential data for new and ongoing projects. Spark Awards provide investigators with resources to advance their research, aiming to jump-start pilot studies and support future extramural grant applications or scientific initiatives.
CTSI will award Spark Awards to Ohio State and Nationwide Children's Hospital investigators worth up to $3,000. CTSI will award up to $5,000 for projects involving researchers from two different Ohio State colleges or a collaboration between Ohio State and Nationwide Children’s investigators.
Scope of Projects
Proposals must encompass activities to support a future grant application or major scientific initiative, or provide additional support critical to the success of an existing project.
Award Amount
$3,000 - $5,000
Application Dates
Applications will be received through March 15, 2026, or until designated funds are exhausted.
Recent Spark Awardees
Matthew Wysong, DO, and Jenna Merandi, PharmD
They applied for a Spark Award to support their project “Building a Safer Future: Evaluating Learning Teams in a Pediatric Hospital.”
For more information:
If you were looking for the CTSI voucher program, that program has been retired. While we acknowledge the value and contributions of the voucher program, we are excited to announce the Spark Awards, a new CTSI funding mechanism that will continue to support our research community.