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The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) is a membership society for clinicians, educators, scientists and industry leaders working in behavioral medicine. For funding-minded readers, its two concrete programs are the annual SBM Achievement Awards and the Bridging the Gap Research Award. This page summarizes both, as described on the official SBM pages on 2026-11-12, so you can see quickly who may apply and what is awarded.
What it is and who runs it
SBM describes itself as bringing together clinicians, educators, scientists and industry leaders to advance the science of behavioral medicine and well-being (sbm.org/about, read 2026-11-12). Its membership categories include professionals and students, healthcare systems, corporate partners, government agencies, legislators and organizations, plus an affiliate membership, and the site cites more than 2,400 experts.
SBM’s flagship journals are Annals of Behavioral Medicine (theoretical and empirical advancement, including original research, systematic reviews and meta-analyses) and Translational Behavioral Medicine (lab-to-clinic-to-community work, implementation science, policy and global health). The journals page notes that members can read the journals free after logging in, and that a 20% article-processing-charge saving applies where an institution has no Read & Publish agreement (SBM journals page, read 2026-11-12).
Eligibility (summary, with the official source)
Eligibility differs by program. Read the official call for each before preparing anything.
- Achievement Awards: nominations come from current SBM members, and nominees must be members in good standing, except for the Robert T. Croyle and Jessie Gruman awards, which are open to non-members. Self-nomination is allowed except for the Distinguished Mentor award. Board and Awards Committee members cannot nominate or be nominated (call for awards, read 2026-11-12).
- Bridging the Gap Research Award: open to postdoctoral student members of SBM; membership is required (Bridging the Gap page, read 2026-11-12).
What it funds or requires
Achievement Awards: amounts by award
| Award | Amount | Non-members eligible? |
|---|---|---|
| Distinguished Scientist | $2,000 | No |
| Elliot J. Coups Improving Health through Behavioral Medicine | $1,500 | No |
| Jessie Gruman Award for Health Engagement | $1,500 | Yes |
| Deborah J. Bowen Early Career Investigator | $1,500 | No |
| Distinguished Mentor | $1,500 | No |
| Outstanding Dissertation | $1,000 | No |
| Robert T. Croyle Behavioral Medicine Service | $1,000 | Yes |
| Health Policy Advocacy | $1,000 | No |
| Leading the Narrative | $1,000 | No |
The 2027 call also lists Distinguished Student Awards, among them the Linda Ciofu Baumann Student Clinical Excellence, Karen Calfas Physical Activity, Daniel Cukor Intervention Optimization, Ed Fisher International Student/Trainee Travel Scholarship, C. Barr Taylor Eating Disorders and Obesity, and Redford Williams Health Equity awards. Amounts and criteria for these are on the official call page.
Bridging the Gap Research Award
The award is $8,000 and may be used for equipment, data collection, analyses, consulting and professional development for grant preparation. The page states up to four awards in 2026 and special consideration for projects on health inequities, vaccination, climate change and misinformation. Recipients are paired with an SBM Fellow or expert for one year, plus a past winner, with at least three mentoring sessions.
Application or compliance steps
- Choose the award and confirm your membership status against the eligibility rules above.
- Identify the nominator (or self-nominate where permitted). Nominations come from current members.
- Submit through the online link for that award on the SBM website. The call states that only website submissions received by the deadline are considered.
- Include the supporting materials the call requires for that award.
The Bridging the Gap page, as read on 2026-11-12, does not state application steps or deadlines, so follow SBM’s current announcement for that award.
Typical timeline phases
For the Achievement Awards the call describes three phases: a nomination window ending at a stated deadline (11:59 pm Eastern Time in the 2027 cycle), email notification of winners afterward, and presentation at the society’s Annual Meeting. Exact dates change every cycle, so take them from the current call rather than from this page.
Common mistakes
- Assuming membership is optional. Most awards require good standing; only the Croyle and Gruman awards are open to non-members.
- Self-nominating for the Distinguished Mentor award. The call does not allow it.
- Involving Board or Awards Committee members. They can neither nominate nor be nominated.
- Submitting by another route. Only website submissions by the deadline are considered.
- Treating Bridging the Gap as a general grant. It is limited to postdoctoral student members and pairs funding with a year of mentoring.
Related programs
| Achievement Awards | Bridging the Gap Research Award | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | $1,000 to $2,000 per named award | $8,000 |
| Who may apply | Member nominees (self-nomination allowed except Distinguished Mentor); two awards open to non-members | Postdoctoral student members |
| Mentoring | Not stated | SBM Fellow or expert for one year, plus a past winner; at least three sessions |
| Stated use of funds | Recognition awards | Equipment, data collection, analyses, consulting, grant-preparation development |
For broader funder landscapes, see CASRAI’s guides on early-career fellowships, foundation grants for early-career investigators and how to apply for a research grant, and the dictionary entries for postdoctoral fellowship, early-career researcher and mentor.
FAQ
What is the Society of Behavioral Medicine?
A membership society that brings together clinicians, educators, scientists and industry leaders to advance the science of behavioral medicine and well-being, and publishes Annals of Behavioral Medicine and Translational Behavioral Medicine.
Do I have to be an SBM member to apply for an award?
Usually yes. Most Achievement Awards require nominees to be members in good standing; the Croyle and Gruman awards are open to non-members. Bridging the Gap requires membership.
How much is the Bridging the Gap award?
$8,000, for postdoctoral student members, as described on the official page on 2026-11-12.
Sources
- SBM: 2027 Achievement Awards call, read 2026-11-12
- SBM: Bridging the Gap Research Award, read 2026-11-12
- SBM: Academic journals, read 2026-11-12
- SBM: About, read 2026-11-12
