Every year ASPE provides incentive grants to members who propose unique research or development projects related to use of standardized patients. Awards of up to $10,000.00 US are announced at the Annual Conference.

Past recipients have been honored with awards for research validating communications skills instruments, studying patient satisfaction data, validating training techniques in feedback and role portrayal, evaluating stealth SP projects, studying SP recruiting and retention. Thanks to these awards, recipients have also developed tools for the SP educator such as a compendium of social histories and a web text of special effects simulation, both of which SP educators can use as they develop cases.