RISE Resources
Resources at Your Fingertips
Discover resources for funding your new ideas, connecting with experts and disseminating your results.
2024-2025 RISE Progress Report
We are pleased to share our 2024–2025 Progress Report, highlighting our mission-driven achievements and initiatives. This report demonstrates how RISE drives excellence in health science education at Michigan Medicine by championing innovation, supporting innovators at every stage—from ideas to integration—and connecting educators to vital resources. RISE is helping shape the future of healthcare education and strengthening teaching, research, and practice.
Upcoming Medical Education Conferences
Looking to expand your professional network, disseminate your scholarly work, and stay on top of emerging trends? We’re excited to share a comprehensive list of conferences happening throughout the year—a valuable resource for learning, collaboration, and growth. Mark your calendars and discover opportunities to connect with thought leaders and peers in health science education.
Click here to explore a list of upcoming medical education conferences.
Funding Opportunities
RISE has curated this list of funding sources the help you bring your education innovation idea to life. Below you will find resources within Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan and beyond.
RISE supports individuals in developing and piloting innovations, while also developing them as innovators through its Innovator Development Program. Individuals who apply for the RISE Innovation Development Program may be considered for the following funding options: project funding to support the proposed innovation in ($1,500, $2,500, or $5,000) and up to 0.15 FTE support (or the equivalent 15% reduction in other responsibilities for staff and learners to accommodate the effort). RISE specifically seeks to support innovators with new ideas that have the potential to change existing approaches in teaching and learning, scale to different areas and learners, and improve practice and health. All Michigan Medicine faculty, staff, and learners are eligible to apply.
The RISE Prize is awarded to the HPE Connect 2026 abstract that best demonstrates an educational innovation with real impact. The winning abstract will exemplify how new ideas in teaching and learning can transform educational practice, scale successfully beyond an initial pilot, and/or produce measurable improvements in learning and/or health outcomes. At RISE, we define education innovation as the creation and application of new approaches in teaching and learning that drive meaningful change in practice and ultimately advance health outcomes.
Purpose
The RISE Prize recognizes innovative approaches in teaching and learning that:
- meaningfully advance or enhance existing practices
- scale successfully to new settings or learner groups
- produce measurable improvements in educational practice and health outcomes at Michigan Medicine and beyond
Eligibility
Eligibility is limited to University of Michigan faculty, staff, and learners who have an accepted abstract to HPE Connect 2026. Current and past RISE Innovator Development Program participants are not eligible.
Abstract Evaluation
The abstract will be evaluated using the RISE Health Science Education Innovation Guiding Framework Rubric and will determine the extent to which the education innovation meets the following criteria:
- Degree of Impact: How the education innovation transformed teaching and learning by enhancing or replacing existing education tools, processes, and/or methods.
- Scale of Implementation: How the education innovation moved beyond a pilot phase and has been scaled across multiple courses, learner groups, or departments—within the same institution or across others.
- Translation of Outcomes: How the education innovation resulted in improved learning outcomes, increased skills, and/or better health and science outcomes.
The abstract receiving the highest combined score across all three domains will receive the RISE Prize.
We recognize that eligible innovations may not be at the highest level in all three domains; however, we encourage those interested in being considered for the RISE Prize to ensure these three domains are clearly articulated in their abstract.
Please also clearly state the number of learners (at any level) impacted by the education innovation.
Award Details
The RISE Prize recipient will receive $1,500 applied towards the continued development of their innovation, periodic meetings with the RISE Core Team for advice and guidance, and an award presented during the HPE Connect 2026 conference on April 13, 2026.
Please contact [email protected] with any questions.
The Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM) funds small, focused projects that have the potential to improve health care decisions and the ethical practice of medicine. Awards are up to $20,000, with most awards ranging from $5,000-$10,000.
The Clinical Simulation Center (CSC) Research Fund funds proposals that apply best practices in simulation-based education for UME, GME and other health care professionals. Awards are a maximum of $15,000 per project.
The Graduate Medical Education Innovation Fund provides $50,000 – $100,000 to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of GME through disruptive innovations for the benefit of health care, and that demonstrates the true value proposition of GME.
The Michigan Diabetes Research Center (MDRC) Pilot/Feasibility (P/F) Grant Program provides a minimum of $250,000 per year for P/F grant awards and $100,000 per year for P/F Regional P/F grant awards. The ultimate goal of the grant program is to enable awardees to generate a sufficient body of preliminary information for a successful application for major research funding from the National Institutes of Health or other national granting agencies.
The Women's Health Innovation Fund advances innovative research that could transform women's health care. This fund supports the science and discovery that can accelerate breakthroughs, improve diagnoses, and ensure that women everywhere have access to the care they need.
The Biointerfaces Institute Innovation Fellowship aims to train intellectually outstanding and culturally diverse individuals with scholarly and technical expertise to explore the commercial potential of biointerfaces innovation research. We are seeking a diverse cohort of individuals who see themselves actively pursuing careers in innovation, health technology development and entrepreneurship. We are looking for individuals who, in addition to having entrepreneurial interest and technical expertise, will bring a diversity of experiences beyond their research scope and can communicate them with a broad audience. The Innovation Fellowship is a full-time position for up to two years at a competitive $60,000 salary with full benefits.
Center for Socially Engaged Design Innovation in Action has two primary goals (1) To empower students to innovate solutions to world’s biggest challenges and (2) To create a nurturing and challenging environment to take risks and move beyond the classroom. First prize $10,000, Second prize $7,500, Third prize $5,000 and Poverty Solutions “Best Innovation in Economic Mobility” Award $2,500.
The Center for Academic Innovation provides seed funding that enable research on special topics in higher education and academic innovation to get the support they need to get off the ground. The maximum is typically $5,000.
The Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prize, sponsored by the Office of the Provost, CRLT and the University Library honors original, specific innovations designed to improve student learning. The award will provide $5,000 to five faculty members (or teams) for their innovative projects to improve student learning.
The Faculty Development Fund funds up to $6,000 for individual faculty proposing innovative revisions to courses or innovative course development or initiating smaller innovative projects to improve student learning at the University of Michigan. It also funds up to $10,000 to departments, programs and other large faculty groups to work together on more extensive education projects.
The Gilbert Whitaker Fund for the Improvement of Teaching funds up to $6,000 for individual faculty proposing innovative revisions to courses or innovative course development or initiating smaller innovative projects to improve student learning at the University of Michigan. It also funds up to $10,000 to departments, programs, and other large faculty groups to work together on more extensive education projects.
The Lecturers’ Professional Development Fund funds up to $2,000 for the many contributions of Lecturers and to provide them with access to funds beyond those ordinarily available each will be awarded for professional development activities that involve teaching, research, and/or creative endeavors.
The Research Catalyst and Innovation (RCI) Program includes four new funding mechanisms totaling more than $1.5 million in annual support. The program infuses funding and fosters increased collaboration to catalyze research and spur innovation across the three University of Michigan campuses.
Research Commons is a digital hub for researchers across the University of Michigan to easily identify and apply for internal funding opportunities to advance their work. The hub is managed by The Office of the Vice President for Research.
The Taubman Institute welcomes applications from existing teams of active collaborators, newly formed teams, or from individuals who have novel ideas to apply for the Taubman Institute Innovation Projects. There is no deadline. Letters of intent are accepted on a rolling basis.
The Research Scouts Program, part of Michigan Medicine’s "Great Minds, Greater Discoveries" research plan, empowers faculty to fund innovative early-stage projects within the university. Modeled after the Hypothesis Fund, this initiative provides each selected Research Scout $150,000 to invest in bold, creative ideas, fostering connections, and sparking new scientific directions. In its inaugural year, 24 faculty scouts funded 46 projects, supporting 51 U-M researchers with a $3.2 million total investment. The next program will select up to 20 scouts who can make single or combined awards, actively identifying promising projects through themed events and reviews rather than traditional proposals.
The American Medical Association (AMA) Accelerating Change in Medical Education Innovation Grant Program offers funding to conduct research, implement innovations or disseminate effective approaches in medical education aimed at preparing future physician’s to succeed in our rapidly evolving health care system. Awards of $10,000 and $30,000 are available to individual AMA faculty members or small groups of faculty.
The Central Group on Education Affairs (CGEA) promotes scholarship in medical education and advance the community of scholarship within the Central region. A maximum award of $7,000 is available for multiple-institution projects and $5,000 for single-institution projects. Consistent with the requirements of scholarship, all funded projects must be collaborative and investigatory in nature, and their results must be made public, available for peer review, and freely available for others to build upon.
CORD/EMG Emergency Medicine Education Scholarship is intended to provide a vehicle for emergency medicine education researchers early in their career that promotes the development of well-conceived projects while allowing for grant writing experience and recognition of successful grant applications.
The Group on Educational Affairs (GEA) funds research projects up to $10,000 that address important problems or questions in medical education. Proposals that foster collaboration are strongly encouraged. This includes collaborations among GEA sections (UME, GME, CPD), across GEA regions (CGEA, NEGEA, SGEA, WGEA) and/or proposals that engage multiple schools, professions or departments.
The Picker Gold Graduate Medical Education (GME) Challenge Grant Program provides 18-month grants to support the research and development of innovative projects within the graduate medical education setting, designed to facilitate successful patient-centered care initiatives. Our goal is to help physicians incorporate practices that bring patient needs and wishes into the center of all healthcare interactions.
ScholarRx seeks grant applications as part of the Medical Education Research and Innovation Challenge (MERIC), a novel program designed to promote global educational scholarship and innovation. The MERIC small grant program supports health science education investigators seeking to collaborate with ScholarRX to test educational innovations and address questions ranging from educational methods and pedagogy to curricular development and student assessment.
The Stemmler Fund provides support for research and development in innovative assessment methodologies or techniques, with the potential to advance assessment in medical education or practice. Expected outcomes include advances in the theory, knowledge, or practice of assessment at any point along the continuum of medical education, from undergraduate and graduate education and training through practice. Both pilots and more comprehensive projects are of interest. Awards of up to $150,000 are available to medical schools accredited by the LCME or the AOA.
The NBME Strategic Educators Enhancement Fellowship (SEEF) is designed to support faculty who are early in their medical education research career. Those interested in developing skills in medical education and assessment research, and working collaboratively to develop new approaches to medical education assessment are encouraged to apply.
The NBME Emerging Innovators Grant Program empowers early- to mid-career faculty, researchers, and program leaders to explore visionary ideas and make a lasting impact on the medical education landscape.
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation provides funding to projects that are in alignment with their mission to advance the core values of medical professionalism as a force to improve the quality of health care. Their current grant programs support our larger initiatives by: supporting practicing physicians who are advancing the ideals of medical professionalism, enhancing or expanding existing practices designed to build trust in the health care system by identifying and countering misinformation in health care and public health, and supporting programs that incorporate health equity into internal medicine education and training.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation grant programs seek to improve access to high-quality, high-value care by supporting innovative health care research. The Foundation is interested in evidence-based and community-inspired solutions that improve the health of Michigan residents.
The Michigan Health Endowment Fund makes grants to nonprofit organizations and agencies doing innovative, evidence-based work to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents. Grantees are seen as partners, and the Health Fund works closely with them to hone great ideas, address unforeseen challenges, and evaluate the impact of their work.
The Frankel Cardiovascular Center (FCVC) Innovation Challenge funds up to $100,000. Proposals submitted must address a problem related to the Frankel Cardiovascular Center or cardiovascular care.
Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan (U-M) announces an open grant funding opportunity for faculty at U-M Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses to pursue research projects focused on strategies to address poverty with effective, real-world solutions. Annually, five (5) awards of $20,000 each are available for research projects or as seed funding to leverage larger external awards. A faculty member must serve as a Principal Investigator and partnerships with faculty across multiple campuses are strongly encouraged.
The Bold Challenges research initiative will integrate social and technical sciences from across the University of Michigan (U-M) to address bold societal challenges that intersect equity, health, infrastructure, and sustainability. The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has designed a four-phase research accelerator program that will support up to 12 interdisciplinary teams during year one of the initiative. The research accelerator will leverage, connect and supplement existing programs across U-M to generate momentum and provide continuity for teams as they develop their research agendas and seek external support. Funding of up to $25,000.
The Macy Foundation offers two types of grants: Board Grants and President’s Grants. Board Grants are awarded through a competitive application process tied to specific Requests for Applications (RFAs), typically released in January with awards made in the Summer or Fall. These grants range from one to three years in duration. President’s Grants, by contrast, are smaller (up to $25,000), last one year or less, and are awarded on a rolling basis at the president’s discretion, aligned with the Foundation’s priority areas.
The Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Awards (MTRAC) are made possible by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and co-managed by Fast Forward Medical Innovation and U-M Office of Tech Transfer. The purpose of these awards are to accelerate the transfer of technologies from Michigan’s institutions of higher education to the private sector for commercialization. MTRAC Awards offer funding up to $150,000, with all awarded projects requiring a cost share from the investigator/institution. The awards provide mid-stage, translational research funding and resources for proof-of-concept and late-stage translational studies with a high potential of commercial success.
The University of Michigan Foundation Relations team has compiled a searchable database of foundations covering a broad range of content areas. The foundation profiles include advice, history, contact names and other insight for those seeking funding. Foundation Relations liaisons will help with approaching the foundation and applying for funding.
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation funds up to $75,000 to early career researchers in recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) issued a call for proposals for its national Evidence for Action program, which funds expansion of the evidence supporting a “Culture of Health,” defined as one in which good health and well-being flourish across geographic, demographic and social sectors; public and private decision-making is guided by the goal of fostering equitable communities; and everyone has the opportunity to make choices that lead to healthy lifestyles. The deadline for proposals remains open.
Pfizer Independent Medical Education Grants program involves a publicly posted Request for Proposal (RFP) that provides detail regarding a specific area of interest and sets timelines for review and approval. Organizations are invited to submit an application addressing the specific gaps in research, practice or care as outlined in the specific RFP. The grant requester (and ultimately the grantee) is responsible for the design, implementation, sponsorship, and conduct of the independent initiative supported by the grant, including compliance with any regulatory requirements.
The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) issued a call for letters of nomination for the Hubbard Award. This award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of assessment in medical education.
The University of Illinois at Chicago Ilene B. Harris Legacy Research Fund funds up to $40,000. The goal of the fund is to further the mission of the department by supporting health professions education research projects that address important problems or questions in health professions in ways that advance innovation and/or methodological approaches. Proposals from medical education scholars employed at any non-profit institution of higher education are welcome.
Get Involved at Michigan Medicine
Ready to make an impact in medical education at Michigan Medicine? Click here to discover over 30 unique opportunities to teach, mentor, and advance scholarship—spanning every stage of medical education. Whether you’re passionate about guiding future clinicians, sharing your expertise, or collaborating in educational innovation, this resource provides details for how to explore and get involved in shaping the next generation of healthcare leaders. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of Michigan Medicine’s dynamic medical education community!
University of Michigan Resources
The University of Michigan offers several resources that can assist you in your innovation idea development and/or implementation. Below is a list of some key resources available within our organization.
- The ADVANCE Program focuses on four areas relevant to the success of a diverse and excellent faculty: recruitment, retention, climate, and leadership development. They work directly with many departments, schools and colleges to bring positive changes to the work environment. They also offer many documents (handbooks, and handouts), research reports, lists of resources and programs (workshops, group discussions, seminars) that are designed to facilitate departmental, school and college efforts.
- The Cancer Data Science Shared Resource (CDS-SR) provides Rogel Cancer Center investigators assistance in all quantitative aspects of cancer research — including biostatistics, bioinformatics, computational biology, analytics and other emerging data-driven and date-intense endeavors.
- The Center for Academic Innovation offers solutions to advance learning, facilitate problem solving, foster equity and inclusivity, and increase access and affordability. The Center offers assistance with extended reality (XR), online and hybrid programs, online open courses, public engagement, software applications, and teach-outs.
- The Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM) acts as the premier intellectual gathering place of clinicians, social scientists, bioethicists, and all others interested in improving individual and societal health through scholarship and service. CBSSM offers training, mentoring, and support to investigators and trainees.
- The Center for Education Design, Evaluation & Research provides design and evaluation services to both internal university partners and external clients across the state of Michigan. Previous and current partners include U-M faculty, the State of Michigan, community-based non-profits, and federal programs.
- The Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) at the University of Michigan provides health research, analyses, surveys, demonstration projects, backbone support, and consulting to government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, health systems, and health care providers and payers. Key focus areas include affordable care, Medicaid policy, health care issues, coronavirus, long term care, care transitions, mental health, and substance use.
- The Center for Interprofessional Education is a coordinating center for IPE and collaborative care efforts at the University of Michigan. The Center offers assistance with curriculum development, clinical innovation and evaluative research.
- The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) promotes excellence and innovation in teaching. CRLT offers as range of services including support for teaching, digital education, assessment and research.
- The Clinical Simulation Center (CSC) provides an innovative instructional environment and learning laboratory. CSC offers a range of services including consultations, curricular development, and instructional design.
- Consulting for Statistics, Computing and Analytics Research (CSCAR) provides individualized support and training to University of Michigan researchers in a variety of areas relating to the management, collection, and analysis of data. The team at CSCAR also supports the use of technical software and advanced computing in research, supporting researchers across campus to overcome challenges that arise in their investigations.
- The Center for Surgical Training and Research (CSTAR) is a community of educational scholars conducting research in teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum (including simulation), educational policy and the learning environment. In addition, it is one of few centers in the country working at the intersection of surgical education and health services research, with a particular focus on influencing international medical education policy. Based in a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach, they are translating their research into system-wide changes.
- The Duderstadt Center provides a nexus for creative and technological innovation across disciplines. The Center houses the Art, Architecture, and Engineering Library, the College of Engineering Computer Aided Engineering Network (CAEN), the Digital Media Commons, and the Millennium Project.
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Michigan helps turn ideas into action by supporting, connecting, and providing opportunities between students, faculty, and staff.
- Fast Forward Medical Innovation (FFMI) connects biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship to accelerate the University’s ability to move great ideas to patient impact. FFMI offers a wide range of programs, training, funding, and mentorship.
- The Ginsburg Center supports faculty, academic program staff, and GSIs doing community engagement by helping to integrate mutually beneficial community engagement experiences into courses, research, and programs. Ginsburg staff can help academic partners connect with community organizations, design or refine community-engaged efforts, prepare students for community engagement, and assess impact of community engagement.
- Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) plays an integral role in the success of Michigan Medicine by providing clinicians, educators, researchers, students, and staff with exceptional technology-related information, products, services, and support. HITS also provides institutional expertise related to IT strategy, security, infrastructure, and resource management. (See the Our Project Process Infographic)
- Innovation Partnerships is a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Research that provides service to U-M faculty by serving as the primary gateway for researchers seeking to increase the impact of their work by connecting with the private sector — whether this be through corporate sponsored research collaborations, licensing discussions, or connections with entrepreneurs and investors to support startup company formation.
- The mission of the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI) is to enhance the health and well-being of local, national, and global populations through innovative, interdisciplinary health services research.
- Michigan Creative offers a range of creative services (e.g. web, video services) to the U-M community.
- Michigan Innovation Accelerator Course – Surgery Research goal is to identify novel surgical innovations and technologies at the University of Michigan, and partner with those investigators to help accelerate their technologies so they can move forward and create impactful change for patients.
- The Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Innovation Team provides human-centered design consultation to help researchers transform ideas into full people-centered interventions.
- The Michigan Institute for Data and AI in Society (MIDAS) is a university-wide organization that advances data science and artificial intelligence (AI) and enables their transformative use across a wide range of research domains for lasting scientific and societal impact. They support innovative research and collaboration and provide research resources, offer training for faculty and other researchers, host three postdoctoral training programs, and develop extensive research collaboration with academia, industry and government.
- Michigan Media is the video production unit of the University of Michigan. They produce creative videos, scripts, engaging visuals and top-tier production.
- Precision Health at the University of Michigan brings the best and brightest together to 1) develop fundamental social, medical, computational, and engineering science; 2) translate these basic science discoveries into promising treatments that are evaluated in partnership with Michigan Medicine patients and regional health systems; and 3) evaluate and increase the public health impact of effective therapies, working with community health systems, policy makers, and payers to implement these therapies nationally.
- The School of Education is top-ranked in education and education research. Faculty have expertise in education practice, policy, evaluation, and research. The School of Education shares important many resources for educators.
- The School of Information Design and Innovation offers students the opportunity to partake in consulting projects focused on data, design, librarianship and archival work.
- The Statistical Analysis of Biomedical and Educational Research Group (SABER) unit of the Department of Biostatistics provides expertise in the design, conduct, and analysis of multi-center clinical trials and multi-disciplinary research. Whether it be just a statistical, methodological, or an operational issue, SABER applies its resources to deliver time-effective design and quality-based output that meet investigational needs.
- The Weil Institute is transforming critical care through innovation, integration & entrepreneurship. Their unique approach uses multidisciplinary team science, big data analytics, specialized funding sources and tailored commercialization pathway plans to push research from the bench to real applications in patient care.
RISE Newsletters
RISE Newsletters
Our RISE Newsletter features information about institutional, national and international innovation training, calls for awards & grants, dates for upcoming conferences and dissemination and publication opportunities.
