Section Involvement Grant program for recruitment and engagement

The American Medical Association is proud to support local initiatives through its medical student leaders. The Section Involvement Grant (SIG) program is available to all medical schools to assist local AMA medical school section recruitment and engagement efforts throughout the school year.

Local AMA sections are eligible to receive up to $1,500 per academic year, maximum $500 per application for recruitment and engagement activities and $250 for community service and travel. 

SIGs play a critical role in local section "seed funding." While the grant program may not match anticipated expenses dollar for dollar, the goal is to help with events, projects and initiatives.

A recruitment grant supports the efforts of a local AMA medical student section, led by a medical student outreach leader, to recruit the incoming M1 class as AMA members. Grants may be used to plan events, activities and recruitment campaigns to promote the importance of an AMA membership, member incentives and benefits, and leadership opportunities within the AMA. Recruitment events are most effective July through September.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Activity fair or orientation table supplies
• Lunch and learns or coffee chats
• "What is the AMA?" presented by student e-board

An engagement grant is intended to serve as seed funding to energize, empower and support a local AMA medical student section for an advocacy or education event. Organize an activity that addresses topics relevant to public health, medical education, medical practice, patient safety or community outreach.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Lunchtime lecture on the opioid epidemic with a guest speaker
• AMA Advocacy Week education event
• Health fair

Medical students are taking initiative and finding ways to support their local communities. These initiatives may include community-based relief efforts, equity training and more.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Health equity workshop
• Care kit packing for people without housing
• Letter writing to individuals in isolation without access to technology
• Local community service clean-up

The AMA has several member-exclusive medical student events throughout the year, including the Medical Student Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., and activities and sessions at the AMA Annual and Interim Meetings. Local AMA sections are eligible to apply for up to two grants per academic year, with a maximum of $250 per grant request. Each section must also have already submitted or must concurrently submit an application for a SIG for recruitment, engagement or community service events. 

Apply for a Section Involvement Grant.

• Submit an application

Please submit a brief recap (required) within two weeks following your activity. Not completing this requirement may result in the loss of future funding opportunities. In order to be considered for the Event of the Month and the Event of the Year, a recap must be submitted.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact us at [email protected].

Q: How are grants awarded?

A: Once an activity/event has been determined by the local campus section, a student applies for a recruitment, engagement or community service grant. Grants are awarded at the sole discretion of the AMA and are not a guaranteed source of funding. Each application is evaluated on an individual basis. Local sections are eligible to receive up to $1,500 (up to $500 per application for recruitment and engagement activities and $250 for community service and travel) in total grant funding during the school year.

Q: What is the timeline to apply?

A: To receive funding before an event, students should submit the application six weeks prior to the activity date. The check will be distributed approximately four to six weeks from the time the submitter is notified of grant approval. If you’ve been approved for a grant and have not received your check within this timeframe, please contact [email protected] for assistance. Students who apply less than six weeks before the activity date may not receive their check before the event, but they are still strongly encouraged to apply. If you have a last-minute event request, please still submit a SIG, our team will work closely with you to process quickly. 

Q: Who is the check made payable to?

A: Checks are made payable directly to the student’s medical school section: “SCHOOL NAME AMA-MSS.” Checks are mailed to either the student applicant’s address (preferred) or directly to the medical school. The AMA cannot issue checks directly to individuals. Work with your section treasurer or student affairs office to discuss distribution of funds, and to make sure that you have correct information on the name of the account and address for where the check will be sent when submitting your grant. Once the check is received, please take action to deposit or cash the check within 30 days to allow us to quickly resolve any issues that may arise with payment. 

Q: When can I expect to receive the check?

A: Once the grant is approved, checks will be distributed in approximately four to six weeks from the time the submitter is notified of grant approval. If you do not receive your check in this timeframe, please contact [email protected] for assistance. If there are any issues with the check or the bank, including cashing or depositing the check, please notify us within 90 days at [email protected]. 

Q: Is grant funding guaranteed?

A: The Section Involvement Grant program is not a guaranteed funding source. We highly encourage students to seek funding from multiple sources (student activities office, state society, etc.) to reach funding goals/needs.

Q: What are some activities that grant funding is not used for?

A: The Section Involvement Grant is unable to provide funding for the following activities (but not limited to): Purchase of AMA membership, donation matching, monetary incentives (cash or otherwise) for event participation, events/activities in violation of the AMA Code of Conduct, gift cards/gifts exceeding in $5.00 value per event/activity attendee, and raffle items of any kind.

Q: Is grant funding available for reimbursement?

A: The application for grant funding should be submitted in advance of the event or initiative. However, you may submit a grant request for events previously held during the academic year, but approval is not guaranteed.

Q: Can I request funding for travel to AMA events?

A: Yes! You can request up to $250.00 for travel to AMA events. In order to request a grant for travel, you must have previously applied for, or concurrently submit, an application for a recruitment, engagement, or community service activity. Travel requests may be limited to two grants per section per year.