Grants of up to $20,000 to encourage colonoscopy completion after an abnormal stool-based test
ASGE has launched the CRC Screening Microgrants Program, a health equity initiative designed to increase timely colonoscopy completion following abnormal stool-based tests (SBT) among medically underserved patients.
Funded by an unrestricted grant from Exact Sciences, now Abbott, the program will award microgrants up to $20,000 to selected GI healthcare teams for year-long quality improvement projects developed in collaboration with primary care or population health teams. Priority will be given to teams serving communities where follow-up gaps are most pronounced, including safety-net hospitals and CMS-designated Health Professional Shortage Areas.
“An abnormal stool-based test requires timely follow-up, yet too many patients face barriers that prevent them from completing a colonoscopy,” said ASGE President, Jason Dominitz, MD, MHS, MASGE. “This program will help healthcare teams build practical, sustainable systems that close that gap and advance colorectal cancer prevention in underserved communities, and thereby save lives.”
Funded projects may include patient navigation, open-access colonoscopy workflows, digital outreach tools such as text reminders and AI agents, or multicomponent interventions tailored to local patient needs and practice environments.
In addition to grant funding, recipients will participate in an ASGE learning collaborative supported by nationally recognized colorectal cancer screening quality-improvement experts. Participants will receive educational resources, peer-learning opportunities and benchmarking support while tracking colonoscopy completion within 90 and 180 days of an abnormal test.
The program will also generate and disseminate best practices through shared findings and a collaborative white paper summarizing project interventions and outcomes.
Applications must be submitted by Monday, October 12, 2026. Award recipients will be notified December 14, 2026, with projects beginning in January 2027.
View Program Details