Macy Faculty Scholars Program

Funding Agency: Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation
Funding Type: Early Career
NOI or Proposal: Proposal
Submission Limit per Institution: 2
Available Tickets: 2
Sponsor/Solicitation URL: Visit Sponsor Website

Penn State Deadline

June 12, 2026

Sponsor Deadline

July 30, 2026

Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu.edu.

Important Notes

SAVE THE DATE: An informational webinar for applicants will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 3 pm ET. RSVP Today.

The Macy Faculty Scholars Program aims to identify and nurture promising early career educators in medicine and nursing, and provide Scholars with protected time, mentoring, curricular activities, and a national network of colleagues with the goal of accelerating the Scholars’ careers.

With an emphasis on mentorship and cultivating a professional network, the program will provide a national cohort of educational mentors, fellow scholars, and leaders to further enhance each new Scholar’s experience and development. The Foundation envisions that the Macy Faculty Scholars will become the drivers for change in health professions education, toward the goal of creating an educational system that better meets the health and public health needs of the diverse individuals and communities served throughout the country. The Program will help develop the next generation of national leaders in medical and nursing education by identifying outstanding educators, physicians, nurses, and role models—individuals who represent the breadth of diversity seen in learners, patient populations, and health care settings, accelerating Scholars’ careers, to turn their teaching practice into scholarship, and to help them become impactful leaders locally, nationally, and beyond.

In their proposed educational project, applicants to the program might explore many possible innovations in health professions education. Candidates are expected to be at the assistant professor rank with roughly three to eight years of experience as a faculty member.

This is a career development award; the excellence and potential of the applicant are just as important as the project. Macy is interested in candidates for whom the program will have the maximum impact at this point in their career and who also have the greatest possibility for future impact on learners and innovation in health professions education at their home institutions and beyond.

Priority areas

The Foundation has particular interest in innovative projects that involve the learning environments where clinical care is delivered. Within these clinical learning environments, the Foundation is interested in projects that:

  • Advance equity, diversity, and belonging.
  • Enhance collaboration among health professionals, educators, and learners.
  • Prepare future health professionals to navigate and address ethical dilemmas that arise when the principles of the health professions are in conflict with barriers imposed by the health delivery system.

Award information

Chosen Scholars will receive salary support of up to $100,000 per year for two years for 50% protected time to pursue a mentored educational project at the home Institution. An additional $25,000 per year for project support and professional development activities. In addition, Scholars will receive funding to participate in a Harvard Macy Institute course, for travel to the Macy Faculty Scholars Annual Meeting, and for other program related travel.

Indirect costs are not funded as part of the award. It is expected that the Scholar’s institution will cover indirect costs as an in-kind contribution and to cover fringe benefits.

 

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Be a benefits-eligible faculty member in a United States accredited nursing school, allopathic medical school, or osteopathic medical school. Candidates should have approximately three to eight years of faculty experience at the time of application.
  2. Be a doctorally prepared faculty member in good standing at the sponsoring school.
  3. Be nominated by the dean of the nursing or medical school. There can be only one nominee per nursing or medical school, and a nursing or medical school with a first-year Macy Faculty Scholar is precluded from nominating a candidate.
  4. Have an educational scholarship project with the appropriate institutional support.
  5. Have a faculty mentor who will advise the candidate on the candidate’s educational project and career development.
  6. Have an institutional commitment for the protection of 50% of the candidate’s time.
  7. Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories.

 

Selection Criteria

  1. Evidence that the candidate is viewed by learners as an effective educator.
  2. Whether the candidate is in a position to directly influence learners in the local environment.
  3. Evidence of an ability to turn daily work into scholarship that has been disseminated.
  4. Merit of the proposed project and the likelihood that it will influence national trends in health professions education and—ultimately—improve the health of the public.
    • Note: The Foundation has a particular interest in projects that involve the clinical learning environment. Within these environments, The Foundation is interested in projects that address one or more of Macy's three priority areas.
  5. Evidence of a strong mentor and of institutional support.
  6. Shows potential to become a national leader in health professions education.

 

 

 

This announcement provides only opportunity highlights. Please carefully review the program guidelines and the sponsor's website for any requirements and expectations related to eligibility, PI and Co-PI limits, budget, collaboration, priority research areas, letter of intent requirements, and review criteria before submitting to this internal competition.

Description of Award

Submission Instructions

Internal Nomination Process

The Office of Foundation Relations is the designated institutional contact responsible for communicating with the Foundation and is collaborating with Limited Submissions on the internal downselect process. The Office of Foundation Relations is available to consult on proposal narrative elements and answer other foundation-related questions.

Penn State College of Medicine applicants should please contact Maria Petrilak, Associate Director, Foundation Relations, (mpetrilak@pennstatehealth.psu.edu) for additional support.

College of Nursing applicants should please contact Karen Kemirembe, Associate Director, Foundation Relations (kuk195@psu.edu) for additional support.

Interested applicants should follow the Submit Application button to complete the form and upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: Last name_Macy_2026) no later than 4:00 p.m. on the internal submission deadline:

1. Cover Letter (1 page, pdf):

  • Descriptive title of proposed activity
  • Candidate name, departmental affiliations(s) and contact information
  • Mentor name(s) and departmental affiliation(s)
  • Number and title of this funding opportunity

2. Personal Statement ( 500 words maximum) - Statement describing the candidate’s story – the journey to becoming a health professions educator and goals for the future.

3. Project Description (500 words maximum) - Description by the candidate of the educational project to be undertaken.

4. Statement of support from department chair or center director - Must include department commitment that candidate will have at least 50 percent protected time to pursue a mentored educational project.

5. Name of the senior faculty member (other than the mentor) who will provide the additional letter of support.

6. 2-page CV's of candidate and mentor

 

 

Formatting Guidelines:

  • Font/size: Times New Roman (12 pt.)
  • Document margins: 1.0” (top, bottom, left and right)
  • Standard paper size (8 ½” x 11)

Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu.edu.