Piggy bank

Innovation Award

The Innovation Award provides funds to support groups engaged in innovative projects related to the provision of clinical care, education or research within the Department of Pediatrics. Teams from all disciplines, focus areas and project types are encouraged to apply. The competition opens each year in the Fall.

Individuals or teams will “pitch” project ideas that can be completed for up to $10,000. All members of the Department and project stakeholders are encouraged to attend the live presentations. Project leads will present their ideas to a review panel comprised of members of the Department of Pediatrics leadership and faculty/physician members of the Department.

The intent of the award is to provide funds to support groups engaged in small, impactful, innovative projects related to the provision of clinical care, education or research within the Department of Pediatrics. The Department has identified a number of key themes with which projects should align, but  would like to emphasize the openness of this program and encourage project teams from all disciplines and project types to consider applying.

  1. Eligibility

    The Project Lead must be a primary member of the academic (UCalgary) and/or clinical (AHS) Department of Pediatrics. Other project team members may be from the Department of Pediatrics or other academic or clinical units in Calgary or elsewhere. The Department strongly encourages collaboration between sections/units and with other child health and wellness leaders outside Pediatrics. 

  2. Key Themes

    • Wellness – projects to promote department member wellness at work
    • Clinical improvements – projects that propose a solution to existing issues in the clinical setting
    • Education- projects that address emerging needs of the next generation of medical learners and continuous faculty development
    • Research – pilot projects or early-stage innovative ideas to kick-start research projects/programs
    • Indigenous health advocacy – projects that will inspire us to think about how we work with Indigenous communities

Project Leads and their teams will submit a project outline using the web form. The projects will be screened to determine if they are invited to the next step. The screening process is primarily administrative and to assess alignment with identified key themes.

Once invited to pitch the project, teams will have 4 weeks to prepare a presentation. Teams will have 7-10 minutes to present with 2 minutes for questions from the review panel. The presentation format is open; Teams are encouraged to get creative about their approach with props or other presentation materials. The Project Lead will be asked to provide details on presentation requirements prior to the event.

The presentations will take place in front of an audience, including the review panel. The presentations will also be streamed. All members of the Department and project stakeholders are encouraged to attend the presentations.

The review panel will score the presentations and successful teams will be notified after the event. Support will be provided to set-up project accounts and get projects off the ground. Additional in-kind support for services such as analytics, data source navigation and other services are also available to successful teams.

  1. Evaluation criteria

    Screening criteria

    • Is the application complete? (i.e., no missing information)
    • Does the project align with the key themes?
    • Is the project exciting/innovative?
    • Is the budget justified? Does it include any non-allowable expenses?

    Review criteria (Scale 1-5: 1=Poor, 2=Fair, 3=Good, 4=Very good, 5=Excellent)

    • Project strength
    • Innovation score
    • Presentation score
    • Project feasibility (e.g., team composition, scope, timeline)

How to compete

Submit a project idea

Submissions will only be accepted electronically via the Department of Pediatrics website.

Submit project outline here

Wait to hear if you're invited

Check your email to see if you are invited to present.

Prepare a presentation

Teams will have 7-10 minutes to present. Get creative!

Important Dates

Oct. 10, 2023

Project outline due

Oct. 16, 2023

Notice of presentation

Nov. 29, 2023

In-person presentations - Session 1

Dec. 6, 2023

In-person presentations - Session 2  

Dec. 11, 2023

Results announced week of December 11

Progress Reports

Progress reports for current award holders are due December 29, 2023. 

Submit progress report