Applying for 2026 Grants

Research grant funding is available through the Diplomate Research Grant Program and the Surgery Resident Research Grant Program, which is only available to surgery residents in the first two years at an ACVS registered residency training program. Applications are submitted online and reviewed by the ACVS Research Committee using a detailed set of review criteria. The Research Committee sends its recommendation for grant funding to the ACVS Board of Regents for approval. Applicants are notified and provided with reviewer comments by May 1.

To be considered for funding for 2026, applications must be received through the ACVS online submission system by January 15, 2026, at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time). Any other electronic format or paper copy of the application will not be accepted.

• Only one application will be considered from each principal investigator per funding cycle.
• Similar or identical grant applications cannot be submitted to more than one ACVS Foundation research grant program in the same year.

Surgery Resident Research Grant Program

• Residents in the first two years at an ACVS registered residency training program are eligible to apply.
• Funding up to $20,000 per grant is available.
• The resident must substantially participate in writing the application, submit the application in their name, and include required details for the Diplomate supervisor and any co-investigator(s).
• The research study should be designed to be completed within a year.

Diplomate Research Grant Program

Diplomate Research Grants are designed to fund projects that address a surgical problem using novel theoretical concepts, methodologies, instrumentation, or intervention. Funding up to $20,000 per grant is available.

• ACVS Diplomates are eligible to apply.
• Funding up to $20,000 per grant for projects that address a surgical problem using novel theoretical concepts, methodologies, instrumentation, or intervention.
• The research study should be designed to be completed within a year.

Important Notes

Before submitting a research grant application, it is imperative to ensure that the application is well-written, proposes innovative research and adheres to the guidelines in the Instructions and Tips document. Failure to do so will considerably lessen the Research Committee’s consideration for recommending grant funding. To facilitate the receipt of as many high-quality applications as possible, the Research Committee welcomes your questions about your research proposal and will aim to respond within 10 business days.

Research grant funds may only be used for direct expenses of the project. Travel, consultative fees, publication fees, personnel costs, institutional overhead, or other indirect expenses will not be funded by the ACVS Foundation grant programs.

Progress Reports

For funded research projects, principal investigators must submit an ACVS Foundation Sponsored Research Annual Progress Report by April 1, until the Research Committee indicates that reports are no longer required. Information to report includes accomplishments of the project, manuscripts and publications, and actual or planned challenges. Submit completed reports as an attachment to Tracey Delaney, staff liaison to the Research Committee (tdelaney@acvs.org).

• Failure to submit the progress report on time or inadequate progress will make the principal investigator or, in the case of Surgery Resident Research Grants, the Diplomate supervisor and the surgery resident ineligible for an ACVS Foundation research grant for a period of five years.
• For projects with unacceptable progress and incomplete projects funded three or more years prior, the Research Committee will vote on whether to impose a five-year ban from funding.

Completing a Research Study

Each research project will be given a year for completion and all data and material resulting from the study shall be submitted to the ACVS Research Committee for review, as appropriate. Within one year of completion of the project, a manuscript is to be submitted to a refereed journal, such as Veterinary Surgery. The investigators are strongly encouraged to give Veterinary Surgery first consideration for publication and presentation of material resulting from the research project. The principal investigator should submit a letter of acceptance of the publication to the chair of the Research Committee, c/o Tracey Delaney (tdelaney@acvs.org), within 60 days of final acceptance for publication.

Investigators are expected to acknowledge the ACVS Foundation’s support on any work, presentation, or publication that incorporates research obtained from the funded research project, as shown below:

• Research funding by the ACVS Foundation Surgery Resident Research Grant
• Research funding by the ACVS Foundation Diplomate Research Grant

No-Cost Extensions for Projects Exceeding the One-Year Completion Date

If extenuating circumstances cause a delay in completing the research project so that it cannot be completed within one year, the principal investigator may submit a request for a no-cost extension by submitting a letter (prepared on official letterhead) to the chair of the Research Committee, c/o Tracey Delaney (tdelaney@acvs.org).

Example of a request for a no-cost extension