Apply for an AAN DEI grant to fund your innovation or project
August 10, 2026
The AAN’s DEI Innovator Grants and DEI Project Grants—programs that fund projects, events, and activities that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within academic neurology departments or the communities they serve—are accepting applications through October 20, 2026.
While both grants serve similar purposes, the Innovator Grant is designed for applicants who have little to no experience with DEI-related projects. The Project Grant, on the other hand, is for those who already work in the DEI space within their departments. Each award offers two $5,000 prizes, marking an increase from previous years.
Are you or a colleague interested in applying this year? Read on for a look at some of the 2026 recipients’ projects and tips for applicants, plus information on the Changemaker Award, which is also now open for applications.
DEI Innovator Grants
Funding opportunities can be limited in the DEI space, especially for those with less experience. Through collaboration with the AAN Diversity Officer Subcommittee and other institutions, the Innovator Grants help recipients implement new, untested, and innovative approaches to advancing DEI.
One of the 2026 recipients is Galina Gheihman, MD, at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School, who’s working with Mattia Rosso, MD, at Yale School of Medicine to develop a six-month “Depicting DEI” campaign as part of the . Designed to explore the intersection of DEI with clinical neurology, neurosciences, the arts, and humanities, the campaign will feature six monthly webinars, two interactive “booster sessions,” and an in-person art showcase at the 2027 AAN Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. The first booster session will be a poetry workshop led by Mark Harder, a person living with aphasia and founder of Poems in Speech.
“We hope this session, along with the many others planned throughout the campaign, will provide participants with humanities- and arts-based frameworks for advancing DEI both within neurology and beyond,” Gheihman said. “Our ultimate goal is to improve ourselves as humans and providers and improve care for our neurology patients through awareness of matters of DEI.”
Gheihman and Rosso also launched a national needs assessment survey that identified topics of interest to members of the Neurohumanities Network and the broader neurology community. Neurologists, neuroscientists, and other health professionals, as well as humanities scholars and artists, were all invited to contribute.
Both neurologists were appreciative of the chance to be mentored by leaders from the AAN Diversity Officer Subcommittee. They urged others who are interested in DEI but who don’t have much experience to apply.
“As beginners in this space, we were certainly doubtful whether we would have a chance to be selected for the grant,” Rosso said. “We were as surprised as anyone when we learned we were shortlisted for the finals, and so appreciative when we ultimately received the award for the grant. All innovative ideas are worth considering—if you have an idea promoting DEI in neurology and you are open to learn, grow, and collaborate through this process, you should go for it!”
DEI Project Grants
The DEI Project Grants are designed for recipients who already work in the DEI space in their academic neurology departments. At the end of the grant period, recipients present their projects and share their experiences in detail at a virtual meeting of the AAN Diversity Officer Subcommittee.
One set of 2026 recipients is Linda M. Selwa, MD, FAAN, and her daughter Katherine Selwa, MD. The two neurologists, both faculty at the University of Michigan, hosted a three-day program for underserved high school students featuring interactive neurology workshops, career shadowing experiences, and mentorship.
“We gave them time with a number of interdisciplinary professionals—neurologists; neuroscientists; EEG, EMG, and sleep technologists; speech pathologists; and physical therapists,” Linda Selwa said. “Our pre- and post-event questionnaires suggested that we had inspired most of them to consider health care professions.”
The Selwas plan to turn the program into an annual event, continuing to give high schoolers access to experiences, practical resources, and mentors. By exposing more young people to neurology, they aim to benefit both the students themselves and the future of medicine.
“This funding was transformational and allowed us to complete the first iteration of the project without limitations,” Selwa said. “We were able to provide food, print resources, and cover expenses in a way that gave us a path forward to what we would need to continue and grow the program.”
AAN Changemaker Award
The Changemaker Award honors an AAN member who has made a meaningful contribution to belonging, engagement, and empowerment in their academic institution, strengthening the future of neurology and promoting workforce development and mentorship. It includes a $1,000 prize, registration to the 2027 Annual Meeting, and a 30-minute presentation at the Annual Meeting highlighting their work.
The 2026 recipient, Alexis N. Simpkins, MD, PhD, MSCR, FAHA, FANA, FAAN, said she was honored to be recognized. “With neurological disease being expected to top the list of disorders globally, continued progress in the development of more effective treatment options and prevention strategies is essential,” Simpkins said. “To do this, we must work together to build sustainable, cross-disciplinary collaborative teams that are ready to treat patients affected today, reduce the future neurological disease burden, and actively encourage contributions from individuals with lived experience who can relate to the patients being served.”
Applications for the Changemaker Award will also be open through October 20, 2026.