Voucher Program | Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC)

The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) Resources and Services (R&S) Voucher Program is intended to promote collaboration among the various partner institutions of the CTSC and designed to support investigators in the acquisition of preliminary data or other project components for grant submission.

Projects must be multi-institutional, where at least two (2) CTSC partner institutions are involved -OR- one (1) CTSC partner institution and one (1) community partner are involved.

Projects that involve late-stage clinical and translational research (T3-T4*), early-stage investigators, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), and Dissemination & Implementation (D&I) will be prioritized.

Studies conducted outside the United States, as well as those funded by pharmaceutical companies or other industries, are not eligible for a CTSC Voucher award.

Voucher awards are to be used for necessary costs (including eligible CTSC services), up to $7,500, and are limited to one (1) voucher award per project. Please note: Principal Investigators (PIs) can only hold one active voucher at a time and must use all funds before applying for another. Vouchers cannot be reserved for future use or transferred to other projects, researchers, or expenses. Each application can propose using one or more services.

For a list of Voucher Program offerings through the CTSC, see the Voucher Services Catalog linked on this page.

Funding Priorities

Studies that use at least two (2) CTSC partner institutions
New/early-stage investigators pursuing extramural grant funding
Investigators with diverse/underserved backgrounds
Voucher funding will be focused on late-stage clinical and translational research (T3-T4*), including the use of human samples.
Early-stage investigators (or those with new research direction) pursuing high priority areas for our CTSC, namely health disparities and Dissemination & Implementation (D&I).
Early-stage investigators conducting an investigator-initiated study that is anticipated to lead to extramural grant funding.
Investigators who have not previously been awarded a voucher.

Voucher Criteria

PI(s) in good standing (ie. Required institutional training for research and reporting of Conflicts of Interest) with a primary appointment at CWRU, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth Medical Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Northeast Ohio Medical University and/or University of Toledo are eligible to apply for vouchers.

The study project must align with at least one of our central CTSC goals. These goals include:

1. Identify the fundamental barriers to optimal recruitment of underrepresented groups in clinical trials, innovate, test and disseminate interventions aimed at breaking down these barriers to diversify study engagement and close the health disparities gap.

2. Facilitate and expedite innovation in multicenter clinical and translational research by fully integrating community and stakeholder partners to ensure that our research results in health improvements for all.

3. Disseminate and implement findings from novel and responsive research programs across clinical and community settings to advance access to health interventions that aim to promote health equity.

4. Create and disseminate inclusive and high impact educational and training programs for translational research professionals of all disciplines and levels, both in clinical and community settings

While the research project does not need to be fully completed within the award period, project activities supported by vouchers must be expended within 3 months of the award letter’s designated date.*

*Special cases can apply for 3-month extension. Please contact a Voucher Administrator for further information.

Application Components	Criteria
Research Navigator Review - Meets Voucher Requirements (If any of these requirements are not met, the application will receive an automatic return and encouraged to resubmit)	Two or more CTSC institutional sites and faculty investigators AND/OR at LEAST one CTSC faculty investigator and one community partner investigator (within Ohio) Service selected for requested funding Eligible itemized quote(s) of services including cost of each line item, financial contact, and clear information on how the voucher will be spent 1-page proposal of a translational or clinical research study that aligns with central research goals Voucher budget is within $7,500 limit per application Investigator has no active voucher award or has not applied within a 6-month period Services requested for funding will be completed within 3 months of award letter*
1-page Research Proposal Elements
Project Overview Hypothesis, rationale, aims, research plan/methods & innovation/translational impact	The project’s research question/hypothesis, specific aims, and research plan/methods are clearly articulated and easy to understand. Each institution's and investigator's responsibilities are well-defined, ensuring clarity in roles. Additionally, the project’s potential impact is clearly indicated.
The Project Scientific Advancements and Dissemination	The project will build research capacity and further advance science through publication of a peer-reviewed manuscript, preliminary data with grant submission proposed and/or a presentation at a nationally/internationally recognized conference, and/or support larger funding opportunities.
Activities and Time Frame	Project services/activities requested for funding will be completed within 3 months of award letter*. Projects utilizing voucher funds for regulatory support (e.g. IRB, IND/IDE, FDA) must have regulatory application submitted within the 3-month period. Projects that require IRB approval to get started with services/activities supported by the voucher program must have IRB application already submitted prior to applying for a Voucher.
Budget and Funding Utilization	Itemized quote includes the cost of each service (e.g., flat rate or hourly rate), contact information for the financial representative, and contact information for the investigator or the individual for whom the services are intended. Quote cannot include support for Principal Investigator salary.

Application Process

Vouchers will be reviewed and allocated on a rolling basis based on the requested amount (see Table 1 for review and turnaround times).

Table 1. Voucher Awards and Review Turnaround Times
Requested Amount	$0 to $5,000	> $5,000 to $7,500
Review by	R&S Admins	R&S Module Leads
Turnaround	3-5 days	2-4 weeks 4-6 weeks**

**if additional review by Subject Matter Expert(s) is deemed necessary

SPARC link

InfoReady link

Voucher Quote Template link

Translational Spectrum:

T1 seeks to move basic discovery into a candidate health application. Research examples include: human physiology, first in humans (healthy volunteers), proof of concept, Phase 1 Clinical Trials.
T2 assesses the value of application for health practice leading to the development of evidence-based guidelines. Research examples include: Phase 2 and Phase 3 Clinical Trials.
T3 attempts to move evidence-based guidelines into health practice, through delivery, dissemination, and diffusion research. Research examples include health services research related to dissemination, communication, and implementation, and clinical outcomes research.
T4 seeks to evaluate the “real world” health outcomes of population health practice. Research examples include: population level outcome studies; studies of the social determinants of health.