2025 -2026 Request for Proposals is now open!

The CEO Clinical Learning Environment (CEO-CLER) Innovation Awards Program is sponsored by the Cambridge Health Alliance Senior Leadership Team, the Center for Professional and Academic Development and the Graduate Medical Education Committee

Initially funded by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, with continued support from our CHA CEO, the program aims to enlist graduate-level trainees in improving the clinical learning environment at CHA. All graduate level trainees in CHA-sponsored health professional education programs are eligible to apply for a grant up to $2,000 to support initiatives that will make positive change. Applicants who wish to continue a prior CEO CLER project are eligible to apply for a grant up to $1,000 to support the change project. However, new initiatives will be prioritized for funding.

In the 2025-2026 program, we are soliciting proposals for change projects in the following areas: 

1. Improving patient and staff safety, and High Reliability culture 

2. Nurturing trainee well-being

3. Improving the patient and family experience of care

4. Improving patient quality of care, including reducing health disparities, waste and cost of care

5. Cultivating clinician engagement, professionalism and teamwork

Project selection criteria include:

• Expected contribution to the clinical learning environment for trainees, staff, patients and/or families in one of the five aims above

• Clarity of the proposal including a well-articulated aim, a practical change idea, and a viable measurement strategy that demonstrates how the change leads to improvement

• Feasibility of the project with a scope right-sized for available time and resources

• Evidence of engagement with key stakeholders and support from appropriate leaders

• A plan for sustainability of the effort beyond the end of the academic year

Trainees are encouraged to collaborate across training programs, with multidisciplinary colleagues, and with patients and families. Trainees might consider using a CEO-CLER Innovation Award to join an ongoing existing improvement initiative at CHA. We suggest reaching out to faculty and program directors for project ideas and to discuss ideas with program directors ahead of submission. For projects related to well-being, please consider contacting Dr. Paula Gardiner (pgardiner@challiance.org) to discuss ideas.

Though we recognize that the distinction between research and an improvement project can be nuanced, note that the aim of the proposal should be linked to making institutional change at CHA. Tools and resources related to systems improvement that may be helpful in conceptualizing your project are available on our CHA PI website.  Grantees are expected to present their works-in-progress at the CHA Academic Poster Session in spring 2026. 

Deadlines and application instructions:
Friday, September 5 at 5pm - Proposals due (late submissions will not be accepted)

• New Projects: Submit your proposal here

• Continuing Projects: Submit your proposal here

• Three attachments are required with the proposal: 

• Budget template:

• As you build out your budget, please reach out to Meghan Horan at cpd@challiance.org for approved vendors. Of note: if your project is accepted, you must contact our office ahead of purchasing to ensure appropriate procedures and policies are followed

• Funds cannot be used to purchase gift cards or to provide trainee salary support

• For printing of materials / handouts: The CHA Storefront (Copy Center) can print at no cost. Search “Storefront” on Staffnet

• Project timeline template

• Learner/mentor agreement

Week of September 29 - Notifications sent to applicants and faculty sponsors

• Acceptance letters may include detailed formative feedback intended to strengthen the project.

• The Selection Committee may provisionally approve a project and request that the grantee incorporate and respond to feedback.

Questions? Contact the Center for Professional and Academic Development (cpd@challiance.org) 

Maren Batalden, Carolyn Fisher, Richard Pels, Elizabeth Gaufberg; CEO-CLER Innovation Grants Program: Empowering Residents as Clinical Learning Environment Change Agents. J Grad Med Educ 1 February 2019; 11 (1): 72–78. doi: https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-18-00278.1