Awards

Apply for the ASH Minority Hematology Fellow Award

The ASH Minority Hematology Fellow Award (MHFA) provides up to $100,000 over a two- to three-year period to individuals preparing for academic careers in hematology.

To be eligible applicants must:

  • Be MD/DO, PhD, or MD/DO and PhD researchers in mentored postdoctoral training positions.
  • Have fewer than three years of research experience after completion of their degree.

Supported Research

Applicants must submit proposals to conduct research in hematology. Proposals that fall within any of the categories discussed below are encouraged.

  • Basic Research
  • Translational Research
  • Patient-Oriented Clinical Research
  • Outcomes-Based Research

For additional details on eligible research categories, please consult the Research Definitions page.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to qualify:

  • Identify as being a member of a community that is underserved and underrepresented in hematology. Applicants are asked to self-identify, and participants for the award are drawn from this pool.
  • Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada, J1 Visa holders, or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. To be eligible for consideration, an applicant must be planning and committed to conducting the relevant research project in the contiguous United States or Canada with an ASH member mentor.
  • Possess an MD/DO, PhD, or MD/DO and PhD degree.
  • Be in their first or second year of fellowship at the time of application and plan to pursue a career in hematology research.
  • Propose research focused on a hematologic condition.
  • Have fewer than three years of research experience after completion of their degree (PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Award applicants only).
  • Applicants may submit applications to both the ASH Minority Hematology Fellow Award (MHFA) and the ASH-Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Award (ASH-AMFDP) if they deem themselves eligible for both awards. Find more information here.
  • Have clear and documented support of an established mentor who has active funding (e.g., NIH, federal, foundation, or private) and will remain funded for the duration of the award term, or who is recognized through national clinical leadership (if the project is clinical). The mentor must be an ASH member in good standing for the duration of the award term. If the mentor is not in a hematology-related field, a supporting letter from an ASH member is required.
  • Provide documented support from the program director for dedicated research time during the award period.
  • Provide a document from an institutional leader who has the authority to ensure that at least 75 percent of the applicant's full-time professional efforts will be devoted to research during the funded period.
  • Eligible applicants may not hold other ASH awards during the MHFA award term.

Please note: assistant professors and National Institute of Health employees are not eligible to apply.

MHFA and ASH-AMFDP Application Eligibility

If an applicant is offered both awards, he/she can complete their first year of research with the MHFA program (June 2023– June 2024) and begin research under the ASH-AMFDP program beginning in July 2024.

You should consider applying for ASH-AMFDP if:

  • You already have a significant amount of research experience and preliminary data, and can benefit from four years of mentored research training
  • You will have completed the clinical portion of your fellowship before the start of the award
  • You are an Assistant Professor

You should consider applying for the MHFA if:

  • You are still in fellowship training
  • You have limited to no research experience
  • You still have the clinical portion of your fellowship to complete

Should you have questions about determining eligibility for these programs, please contact [email protected] and [email protected]

Application Process

The MHFA application, as well as all supporting documents outlined below, must be submitted through the ASH online awards system.

All applications must include the following:

  • Applicant NIH Biographical Sketch
  • Research Mentor NIH Biographical Sketch
  • Applicant Career Development Plan
  • Personal Statement
  • Project Proposal
  • Mentor Letter of Support
  • Institutional Commitment Letter from Training Program Director

For more information about the required materials, please see the Required Documents PDF.

Apply now

Evaluation, Selection, and Notification

Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the MRI Study Section (ASH Committee on Promoting Diversity). Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • A focus on hematology research
  • The applicant’s qualifications and experiences; factors to be considered include, but are not limited to, the potential for future independent investigation and commitment to a career in hematology research
  • Quality of the mentor and the plan for mentor-applicant interaction and career development
  • The significance, feasibility, and originality of the proposed hypothesis, research, and methodology
  • Availability of institutional resources to support the proposed project

Accepted applicants and their mentors will receive official notification of acceptance by mid-March.

Terms and Conditions

  • All awards will be activated on July 1 and will conclude on June 30 of the final year. Payment will be made to the appropriate financial officer for the institution as indicated on the proposed budget form.
  • As a condition of acceptance of the ASH Minority Hematology Fellows Award, it is required that:
  • All funds must be used for the research project specified in the application submitted to ASH in strict compliance with the budget included with the application or any subsequent budget approved by the Society
  • Monies cannot be used toward salary/benefits for the mentor or toward an institution's overhead or indirect costs.
  • MHFA recipients cite support from the American Society of Hematology in any publication describing research conducted during the period of the award.
  • The award recipient must dedicate at least 75 percent of his/her full-time professional efforts to research during the funded period.
  • Award recipients complete program surveys during and after the award period, which ASH will use to measure the effectiveness of the MHFA program.

Transfers

In the event the fellow transfers to another institution during the funding period, continuation of the funding at the new institution may be allowed with prior approval from ASH. To obtain permission, the fellow must make a request in writing to the Society before the transfer occurs.

Reallocation

Fellows may request a reallocation of funds from one expense category to another by submitting the request in writing to the Treasurer at the Society's headquarters. This written request must specify the dollar amount, which categories are impacted, and a justification as to why this change is necessary.

All transfer and/or reallocation requests must be sent to [email protected]. ASH staff will work with the ASH Treasurer to make final determinations.

Changing Mentors

Please contact [email protected] if you need to change primary mentors. This must be approved by the Chair of the ASH Committee on Promoting Diversity.

Progress Reports

MHFA recipients are required to submit to ASH an end of year evaluation form and a current biosketch.

The evaluation form is a series of short questions. The form should be accompanied by a letter from a division head or department chair requesting second year funding. It should also provide assurances that the fellow’s work has progressed and that both appropriate facilities and the mentor will continue to be available.

Fellows with two-year awards will need to submit an evaluation form at the end of the first year of their award. Fellows whose award is spread over three years should submit an evaluation at the end of both the first and second year.

Failure to submit the evaluation report, including the letter, after the first and/or second year will render the fellow ineligible for the second or third year of funding.

Final Reports

A final written report (not to exceed four pages) is expected within 60 days of the end of the award period.

MHFA recipients, along with the financial officers from their institutions, must also submit a financial report detailing how the funds were used over the two-or three-year period. This report must be submitted within 60 days of the end of the award period.

Both final reports must be sent to [email protected].