Call for Project Proposals

Who Can Apply

Eligibility

Eligible applicants may include:

• Faculty and educators at dental, dental hygiene and dental therapy programs.
• Researchers and academic professionals in oral health and related fields.
• Clinicians and practitioners engaged in innovative care delivery models.
• Institutional and program leaders.
• Interprofessional teams that include oral health education partners.

To be eligible for consideration, funding proposals must:

• Be submitted by a current ADEA member. Team projects will be considered; however, the project lead must be a current ADEA member.
• Address one ADEA ETFOHE Task Force thematic area while noting one or more “area(s) of focus.”
• Represent work that is currently in progress, recently completed or ready for implementation.
• Include clear outcomes, impact and potential for scaling or replication.
• Provide a detailed budget of all proposed expenditures. (May include in budget expenses/travel to the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition.)
• A letter of support from the dean (PDF) if representing an institution or other administrative head if representing a corporation or entity.
• Comply with all submission guidelines and deadlines.

Thematic Alignment

All proposals must align with one of ADEA ETFOHE’s three thematic areas.

Within each thematic area, proposals must identify one or more “area(s) of focus” in the proposal development (see “How to Apply” for more information on the areas of focus within each thematic category).

Submission of multiple proposals by the same individual across different theme areas may disqualify one or more proposals from the review process.

Questions

If you are unsure whether your project is eligible or aligned with ADEA ETFOHE’s thematic areas, we encourage you to contact communications@adea.org with questions before submitting.

How to Apply

The ADEA ETFOHE Task Force Call for Project Proposals submission process is designed to support prospective applicants in developing strong, well-aligned proposals.

Please refer to the Grant Funding Proposal Questions (PDF) for the full list of questions and information required for your proposal.

Project Proposal Submission

Proposals should be submitted through the application portal. Full proposals will be reviewed using an established rubric (PDF) and aligned with ADEA ETFOHE’s thematic areas and the evaluation criteria described below.

Thematic Alignment

All proposals must align with one of ADEA ETFOHE’s three thematic areas:

Application Submission Notes

• In each grant cycle, only one application submission per individual or program will be accepted. Multiple submissions from one individual or program may result in all submissions being returned without consideration.
• Individuals serving as an ADEA ETFOHE team member are not eligible to submit a proposal to the ADEA ETFOHE theme area for which they serve as a reviewer or committee member.
• Submitted proposals that reveal a conflict of interest will be excluded from review.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered or returned for resubmission.
• Critiques or individualized feedback on applications will not be provided.
• Due to the volume of applications, ADEA may be unable to respond to inquiries regarding application review status. Applicants should refer to the published application process timeline for anticipated notification dates.
• Only materials requested in the application instructions will be considered during review. Additional materials submitted with the application may not be reviewed.

What Happens After Application

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by the ADEA ETFOHE Task Force using an established rubric (PDF) specific to the noted primary theme.

Strong proposals will demonstrate:

Review and Selection

Following the full proposal review period, the ADEA ETFOHE Task Force will select projects for recognition and support. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their submission.

Selected projects will be announced in January 2027 with an expectation of presenting on the selected proposal at the 2027 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition in Chicago, IL (currently slated for Monday, March 15) and highlighted through ADEA communications and publications.

Reviewer Conflict of Interest

To maintain a fair and impartial review process, proposals will be reviewed by individuals with relevant expertise in the topic area. Because reviewers may have affiliations with institutions or academic units, an institution or academic unit may not submit a proposal for an ADEA ETFOHE thematic area if a member of that institution or academic unit is serving on the review panel for that topic.

This restriction applies to the institution or academic unit with which the reviewer is affiliated, regardless of whether the reviewer would directly review that proposal. Reviewers will not be identified publicly in advance of the review process.

Applicants who are unsure whether this restriction applies to their institution or academic unit should contact communications@adea.org before submitting a proposal.

Post-application Requirements

After an application has been reviewed, applicants will receive written notification regarding the outcome of their submission and any next steps. Applicants selected for funding may be asked to provide additional documentation, clarification or administrative information before an award is finalized.

Selected recipients may be required to complete an award agreement or other administrative documentation before funds are disbursed. Funded projects must comply with all applicable institutional, privacy, human subjects, data use and regulatory requirements, including institutional review board approval or exemption when applicable.

Notification of Significant Change During the Application Phase

Applicants must notify ADEA promptly if an unforeseen significant change occurs during the application phase, including but not limited to a change in principal investigator, project leadership, institutional structure, organizational status or project scope.

Significant changes should be reported by email to communications@adea.org.

What to Expect as a Recipient

Funding Information

ADEA ETFOHE will be awarding grants in the amount of $10,000 up to $225,000.

ADEA ETFOHE Task Force grant funds may be used only for reasonable, necessary and directly related expenses that support the approved project as determined by ADEA, including implementation, evaluation and dissemination activities. Applicants must disclose any institutional matching funds, in-kind support or other committed resources in the proposal budget and budget justification. Institutional matching is not required unless otherwise specified.

Funding Restrictions

ADEA ETFOHE Task Force does not fund:

•  Operational phases of established programs.
•  General institutional operating expenses, including rent, utilities or routine administrative costs.
•  Organization or institutional budget shortfalls.
•  Capital campaigns, annual funds or unrestricted fundraising activities.
•  Capital expenses, including facilities and equipment, except when clearly justified as part of an approved programmatic effort.
•  Indirect, fringe benefit or overhead costs.
•  Recurring personnel costs that the institution should provide.
•  Goods or services purchased before notification of the grant award.
•  Conferences, meetings or special events that are not part of a larger approved programmatic effort. (Applicants may include in their budget expenses for travel to the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition.)
•  Films, television, radio programs or other public awareness initiatives, unless they are key components of the approved project.
•  Direct patient care services.
•  Clinical demonstration projects focused primarily on patient care delivery rather than education, systems change, evaluation or scalable model development.
•  Projects that support only an individual research agenda and do not advance a broader ADEA ETFOHE-aligned programmatic effort.
•  Discretionary or emergency requests.
•  Lobbying, political campaigns or endorsements.
•  Excessive travel expenses not directly related to the approved project or project outcomes.
•  Food, gifts or incentives that are not reasonable, necessary and directly tied to approved project activities.
•  Costs already supported by another funding source.

Statement of Intent to Fund

Financial support for ADEA ETFOHE Task Force project funding is at the discretion of ADEA and is subject to available resources, ADEA ETFOHE Task Force approval and alignment with the goals of the initiative.

The amount of funding available, the number of projects funded and the final award amounts may vary from year to year. Submission of a full proposal does not guarantee funding.

Payment and Accounting of Grant Funds

Grant funds will be made payable to the recipient’s organization or institution for accounting and tax purposes and will be distributed in accordance with ADEA procedures. The principal investigator is responsible for ensuring that funds are used only for the approved project purpose and for maintaining a full and accurate accounting of all expenditures.

The recipient’s organization or institution must use awarded funds for the specific purpose described in the approved proposal and budget. ADEA may require written documentation detailing how grant funds were used, the status or results of the funded project and any outcomes or deliverables associated with the award.

All projects will be required to provide progress documentation every quarter. Final documentation is due by February 28 following the closing of the grant cycle or within 60 days of completion of all funded project activities, whichever occurs sooner.

Any funds not used during the grant cycle must be reported to ADEA prior to March 1 or upon completion of the grant if it occurs before March 1. Upon request and approval, unused funds may be carried forward through a no-cost extension. Recipients with an active no-cost extension may be ineligible for a new or renewal award until all previously awarded funds have been used and required documentation has been submitted.

Authorization

By accepting ADEA ETFOHE Task Force project funding, recipients authorize ADEA to use their formal name, their organization or institution’s formal name, project title and summary description in promotional and informational materials.

Funded projects may be featured on the ADEA website, social media channels, newsletters, blogs, annual reports, conference materials and in other ADEA communications or publications.

Frequently Asked Questions