Lessons for Success Program

Lessons for Success is part of ASHA's Academic & Research Mentoring (ARM) Network. Each ARM Network program serves a distinct role in fostering the development of researchers in communication sciences and disorders at different career stages.

Purpose

Lessons for Success aims to provide intensive training to a promising group of early career scientists in the areas of (a) grant preparation and funding opportunities, (b) development and management of a successful research program, and (c) advancement of professional competencies. With participants completing assignments prior to and during the conference, this grant-writing "boot camp" provides invaluable advice and guidance from senior faculty with strong histories of research funding.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements by the time of application (please note, as of 2020, grant-writing eligibility requirements have been modified):

• PhD students at the level of candidacy who have been awarded F31, or equivalent, funding, or
• Postdoctoral fellows or faculty below the rank of associate professor who either:
  • have been awarded extramural research funding below the level of an R01 (or equivalent)* or
  • have applied for federal research funding* (awarding of federal funding is not required) 

*Eligible funding includes research grants from a foundation (e.g., ASHFoundation, Deafness Research Foundation), and small research grants, fellowships, career-development awards, or minority supplements from a federal (e.g., National Institutes of Health, Institute of Education Sciences, and Department of Veterans Affairs) or state funding agency. You must be the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI of the proposal.

The following are not eligible: intramural awards, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards, loan repayment awards, scholarships, personnel preparation grants, small business innovation research grants (e.g., SBIR), community service grants, or any proposal for which your role is Co-Investigator, or any role other than PI or Co-PI.

Questions about eligibility? Contact research@asha.org.

View past participants of Lessons of Success.

Not eligible for Lessons for Success? Consider these other ARM Network options that provide guidance on grant writing:

• Individuals who are not yet eligible for Lessons for Success might consider applying for Pathways.
• Those too advanced for Lessons for Success might consider applying for the Clinical Practice Research Institute (CPRI) or the Dissemination and Implementation Science Travel Award (DISTAnce).

Format

Lessons for Success consists of a combination of lectures, mock reviews, and small-group sessions. Attendance is limited to approximately 30 participants who show promise for a productive research career and who are selected through an application process. Each participant is assigned a Lessons for Success faculty member. This is a working conference in which each participant prepares materials in advance and then refines those materials on site with guidance from the assigned faculty member.

View a  typical agenda.

ASHA may seek periodic updates on the scholarly achievements of Lessons for Success participants in the years following the program (e.g., publications, grant submissions). Participants are expected to provide these data because they are critical to ensuring the continuation of this program.

How to Attend

The Lessons for Success application period opens in October and closes in December. Applicants will be notified by the end of February.

Applicants must complete the online application form, upload several PDF documents through the online application system, and submit the entire application package by the established deadline. See the application instructions for details, including deadlines and conference dates. Senior investigators in communication sciences and disorders review each application.

There is no registration fee. Funds are provided for participants’ travel, hotel, and meals, in accordance with ASHA travel policies.

Interested in Pathways, as well? You can apply to either Lessons for Success or Pathways, but not both in the same year. After participating in Lessons for Success, you are no longer eligible to apply for Pathways. Attending Pathways first is the only way to participate in both programs, and Pathways provides good preparation for Lessons for Success.  

Questions? Contact research@asha.org.

Lessons for Success is supported by an R13 grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and is co-sponsored by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation). It is planned and coordinated by the Research and Scientific Affairs Committee, the Lessons for Success Advisory Committee, and ASHA's Academic Affairs and Research Education team.