Your idea could be worth $1,000!
The deadline for submissions for the 2012 competition is June 8, 2012.
About the Competition
To promote scholarly endeavors among resource development professionals, the AHP Journal Advisory Council annually reviews proposals for professional papers on the topics of health care development and philanthropy.
The author, or co-authors, of the selected proposals is commissioned by AHP, through a $1,000 grant provided by Gonser Gerber Tinker Stuhr, to complete a paper within a six-month period. After selection, the author-designate is requested to submit a working outline for the paper within eight weeks, and subsequent progress reports may be requested. The completed work will be published and becomes the property of AHP, with distribution rights also available to Gonser Gerber Tinker Stuhr.
The competition is open to all AHP-member resource development professions currently employed by not-for-profit or governmental health care organizations and co-authorship is permitted.
The finished paper must be 2,000 - 3,000 words and be based on the proposal. The original work will be edited as needed by the professional staff at AHP.
The winner of the AHP Professional Paper Competition is recognized at AHP's Annual International Conference. Attendance at the conference is not required, but encouraged.
Prior Winners
Recent AHP Professional Paper Competition winners have written on such diverse topics as:
Guidelines for Professional Paper Proposals
The proposal shall be the basis for the AHP Journal Advisory Council's selection of the grant recipient. The proposal should describe the merit of the intended paper and display the professionalism with which the commission would be approached. In two or three pages double-spaced, typed copy, the writer of the proposal should address all of the following areas:
- Tentative Title - Carefully chosen words or phrases that concisely describe the intent of the paper.
- Introduction - A brief general background on the topic to include the relevance of the proposed inquiry.
- Statement of Problem - A clear and concise statement of the particular problem/topic in health care development or philanthropy that the paper will address.
- Purpose of the Paper - A description, in sufficient detail, of what the paper will achieve (whether it is a proposed solution to a controversial issue, an historical overview of an aspect of philanthropy, an insight into a development topic, or a review of an innovative approach to a problem). This part of the proposal must demonstrate the intended paper's potential to provoke thought and define an original conclusion. In development terms, this is the "case statement" for the paper.
- Proposed Resources/Selected Bibliography - A review of the current literature on the topic and proposed resources and research. The finished paper should be well-documented and integrate previous contributions to the subject. The proposal should contain the intended sources of documentation or, if feasible, a proposed bibliography. This process will help insure original timely papers incorporating, rather than mirroring, already published pieces. If original research is proposed, the planned methodology should be provided.
- Name and Credentials - The author of the proposal should provide his/her name, contact address, telephone, and membership status with AHP. Although not a criterion for selection, the author should also list any previously published articles (include title, date, and publication).
- Signature - The author's willingness to accept, if chosen, the commission according to the preceding guidelines is indicated via a closing signature. You may use an electronic signature or sign and scan your proposal and email as an image/PDF document.
Submission Information
If you are an individual or institutional member of AHP and would like to submit a professional paper proposal, please send your proposal as an email attachment to AHP Communications. You will receive an email confirmation of receipt within two business days.
If you have questions, please contact the AHP Communications Manager at (703) 532-6243.