Dear Mentor:

Thank you for your interest in mentoring an investigator in our Fellowship Program. Experience has proven that the mentor’s contribution is essential to the fellow’s success. Because the mentor is intimately involved in the application process and throughout the duration of the fellowship, we greatly appreciate the mentor’s work. We hope that as a mentor or prospective mentor, you will contact the Foundation with any questions, so we may help you do your great work with the fellows.

When considering whether to mentor an investigator, please consider the following. First, your institution must be invited by the Foundation to submit an application. So please check with your Department Chair to determine whether the Foundation receives nominations from your institution. If you would like to recommend your institution to the Foundation, contact us to determine whether this is possible.

If you are already at a selected institution, please speak with your Department Chair about whether your candidate should be the institution’s nominee. The Department Chair may nominate only one candidate for the ADHD Fellowship and one candidate for the depression Fellowship.

Second, consider that the Foundation generally supports research by post-doctoral investigators who have obtained Ph.D.s or M.D.s and who have completed clinical training. The investigator should be a junior faculty member, although the Foundation will consider applications by Ph.D.s or M.D.s in research training programs. Regardless, the investigator should have demonstrated evidence of strong research ability and a commitment to the field of pediatric psychiatry and psychology. If the investigator is a T32 recipient, please note that the Foundation will not fund salary, but will fund research costs for the work that the T32 grantee performs as part of his or her T32 obligations.

Third, you should be aware that the Foundation weighs heavily the following factors about the project when making its awards: originality, soundness, the potential for contribution to the field, the quality of institutional support, and the mentoring and training plan. It also considers the likelihood of the project’s leading toward a larger project that could receive government or other grant funding.

It is also important to consider that the Foundation expects mentors to review the primary investigators' applications to the Foundation. Should your project be selected for a grant, the Foundation expects you to meet with the fellow regularly to offer guidance and instruction and it requires your review of the fellows' progress reports.

The Foundation conducts a two-phase competition, and you will be required to make letter submissions in both rounds. With regard to the first round, the Foundation requests that you submit a letter of recommendation (1–2 pages) detailing the candidate’s work, its importance, and the nature of the mentor’s continued involvement. Your letter should address the factors noted above as well.

If your nominated investigator is selected for the final round, you will be required to submit a second letter with some additional information. Instructions will be given to you should you reach that round.

Please note that the Foundation requires the primary mentor to be on the faculty of the institution that is nominating the investigator. If the research project requires a substantive contribution from a mentor at a different site, the Foundation requires a secondary mentor from that site. The secondary mentor must also submit a letter of recommendation in the nomination round. The letter should document his or her willingness to participate in the training as well as the nature of the mentorship and expected time commitment. Additionally, your letter should address how this co-mentorship will be achieved.

Again, I must stress how important the role of the mentor is to the selection of the investigator and the ultimate success of that investigator’s project. We are grateful for your contribution and your continued interest in our Fellowship Program.

Please contact the Foundation with any questions.

Sincerely,

Sally Klingenstein Martell
Executive Director

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Foundation at info@ktgf.org and we will respond promptly.