CTSI Spark Awards

About this program

The Ohio State University Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), in partnership with Nationwide Children's Hospital, offers Spark Awards to fund preliminary research that generates essential data to jump-start pilot studies and support future extramural grant applications or major scientific initiatives. Awards of $3,000 are available to Ohio State and Nationwide Children's investigators, with up to $5,000 for projects involving investigators from two different Ohio State colleges or collaborations between Ohio State and Nationwide Children's; applications are closed until Fall 2026. Proposals must directly support a future grant application or major scientific initiative or provide critical support to an existing project, and applicants must be affiliated with Ohio State or Nationwide Children's and follow CTSI application guidance and FAQs.