Grant Information

Our Mission

The mission of the Men of Distinction Annual Awards is to recognize Houston men (Honorees) who have distinguished themselves through excellence in community achievement, by holding an annual fundraising luncheon and thereby providing support for superior biomedical research, education, and patient care focused on pediatrics in the Texas Medical Center, which directly benefits the Houston community.

Purpose

Proceeds from the Men of Distinction Luncheon provide support for a clinician/research scientist partnership (Awardees) directly benefiting children. In this way, community attention and philanthropic support is focused on the importance of improving healthcare for children through medical research.

The work of the Honorees and Awardees is featured at each annual luncheon so that Men of Distinction will become synonymous with supporting “bench to bedside” medical partnerships.

Application Process

Each year, pediatric research, education, and/or patient care programs in the Texas Medical Center are eligible for Men of Distinction support. Awardees are selected annually by a committee composed of members of the Men of Distinction Board and a liaison from the Texas Medical Center.

Choice of the Texas Medical Center Awardees rests with a committee composed of current and founding Men of Distinction Board members, luncheon co-chairs, Honorees, and/or members of the medical center supported by the luncheon.

Organization Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants’ organization must have a tax-exempt status under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
  • Proposed programs MUST FOCUS on research, treatment, education or patient care for CHILDREN in the Texas Medical Center and the city of Houston.
  • A cover letter must accompany the application signed by an officer of the organization.
  • The organization must be able to demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
  • If chosen, the Honoree/Award recipient MUST attend the annual awards luncheon.
  • An annual report must be submitted by April 1st of the following year demonstrating how the funds were used and the outcomes made possible through this funding.

Grant Application

All applications will be submitted electronically using the following checklist and must be received electronically by October 15th. The Men of Distinction Awards Committee may request that beneficiary applicants make a brief presentation to the Committee describing, in broad terms, their research/patient care program and how it benefits humankind.

Application Checklist

  1. A cover letter should be included with the application and should
    • be submitted on the organization’s letterhead,
    • be signed by an officer of the organization
    • include a statement that the CEO
      • has seen and approved the request, and
      • endorses the request as a priority.
  2. Please include in your application
    • a. the name of the organization
    • the title of the program
    • the telephone number and email address of the contact person, if other than the CEO
    • a statement of need
    • information on how the program will benefit children in Houston, Texas
    • an estimate of how many lives will be impacted through this program (i.e. scope of the project).
    • a detailed budget of how the grant money will be used
  3. Provide a one page (or less) description of the program, in lay terminology
  4. Provide a brief bio on the researcher(s) and/or physician(s) leading the program