Successful Application Tips for CAPS Innovative Awards

• Successful Application Tip #1: Help the reviewers understand the context surrounding your study. For example: Is it a pilot study for a larger effort? Is it a supplement to a larger study that adds a significant component? Is it a methodological study that will permit your research to advance?
• Successful Application Tip #2: When discussing significance, address two levels. First, if your study is carried out, what difference will it make to the HIV/AIDS epidemic? Second, what difference will it make to your work?

• Successful Application Tip #3: Provide sufficient detail so that reviewers who may not be familiar with your methods will be able to understand what is proposed.
• Successful Application Tip #4: Be sure to discuss the topics below, if they are relevant.
• Overview of design (several sentences summarizing the classification [randomized controlled trial, time series, etc.], the subjects, the key variables.
• Study subjects, if applicable (who will be studied and to whom the findings will be generalized)
  • communities of color, women, children, LGBTQ individuals in study population
  • inclusion and exclusion criteria that define the accessible population
  • design for sampling from the accessible population (consecutive, convenience, etc.)
• Variables (specify approaches to standardizing, blinding, validating, etc.)
  • intervention (include approach to randomization, if appropriate)
  • other predictor and confounding variables
  • outcome variables
• Analysis issues: Quantitative Studies
   
  • statistical hypotheses to be tested
  • plans for analysis
  • sample size estimates
  • Analysis issues: Qualitative Studies
     
    • plans for data reduction and analysis
  • Quality control and data management plans (specify systems for assuring completeness and accuracy of data)

• Resources, equipment, and physical facilities, if pertinent.
• Successful Application Tip #5: If "to be hired” designations are used, explain why, how this will be handled, availability of persons to fill the positions, etc.
• Successful Application Tip #6: Please explain in detail any aspects of the budget where the necessity of the cost may be unclear to the review committee.
• Successful Application Tip #7: Justify the sample size. It is understood that pilot studies using quantitative methods may not have adequate statistical power, but discuss how the data will be used to address the aims of the research.