Apply for a Research Grant
The Research and Project Funding Committee oversees the grant program and makes funding recommendations to the AH&LEF board. In 2009, a total of $248,000 was granted through the research program. In general, proposals should be national in scope and have an impact across all lodging segments. From time to time, the Research and Project Funding Committee identifies a specific research topic and a Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued. We also welcome your input on topics you’d like to see researched as well.
Please review all instructions carefully, and we encourage you to review the summaries of previously funded projects before beginning your application.
Unsolicited applications are reviewed twice a year — once in the spring and once in the fall, with deadlines on March 1 and September 1.
Everyone should review AH&LEF's Research and Project Funding Guidelines and Application Instructions before submitting an application. These guidelines contain specific information regarding eligible use of funds, policy, and grant regulations, as well as the application instructions and submittal requirements. Applicants are encouraged to review the program's FAQs and the sample application before beginning the application process. All funding requests must be submitted utilizing AH&LEF's online application.
Click here to access AH&LEF's online application.
All applicants are assigned a user name and password and have the opportunity to edit their proposal up until they submit it for consideration. After hitting the submit button, applicants will be unable to make any edits. AH&LEF staff will send an email confirmation approximently 10 days after submittal. The application will be considered during the next review cycle. The deadline dates are March 1 and September 1. The Research Committee will meet approximately four to six weeks after the deadline date to review all applications. All funding recommendations are presented to the AH&LEF board, which meets in July and November, before final funding approval is given.
Note that applicants should keep the audience in mind when writing the proposal and explain in layman's terms. The research committee is comprised primarily of hotel operators and the final product/research result should be of value to the average hotelier. If the committee does not understand your proposal it will likely not be funded. Applications missing any critical information such as a narrative, methodology, budget, or appropriate contact information will not be reviewed. It must adequately describe the proposed research and how it will be conducted, if not it will either be denied funding or sent back to the applicant to re-submit at the next deadline date.
For more information on research projects or applying for a grant, please contact Christa Boatman at (202) 289-3139 / cboatman@ahlef.org or Michelle Poinelli, senior vice president of Foundation programs, at (202) 289-3181 / mpoinelli@ahlef.org.