Request for Applications: Health Policy Research (RFA-GSCC )

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Logan Ryan
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1 Request for Applications: Health Research (RFA-GSCC ) The Gulf States Collaborative Center for Health Research (Gulf States CC) (U54MD008602), led by the Bayou Clinic, Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike, in collaboration with The University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, invites applications for community-based research projects on health policy. The research projects should examine the socioeconomic, environmental, and/or health and health-system policies that contribute to disparate health outcomes in vulnerable populations and should assist in generating policy change and health system improvement that increase community resilience and improve the health of vulnerable populations in the Gulf States region (Alabama and Mississippi). I. Funding Opportunity Description Background Health is influenced by many determinants, both inside and outside the health system. The Gulf States CC is interested in all factors that impact the health of minority, low-income, and other vulnerable populations. Increasingly, governments and businesses are being encouraged to consider the consequences to health, and to health disparities, of proposed policies in transportation, housing, education, taxes, land use, and so forth a health in all policies approach. Health impact assessments are being commissioned to study the potential health consequences of policies concerning such diverse topics as minimum wage laws and freeway widening. The health in all policies approach has been adopted by individual communities, state governments, and federal initiatives, including the interagency health promotion council established under the Affordable Care Act of Most health policy research is intended to inform health policy at the national or state level. Health policy researchers have given less attention to policy translation at the local level. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) offers an opportunity to identify and address local health policy questions. By integrally involving community members throughout the research process, CBPR is often able to generate evidence that is both relevant and actionable. By conducting CBPR, health policy researchers may be able to directly influence local health policy and the health of local communities. Although federal policies and programs are necessary to eliminate health disparities, it is up to local governments and organizations to implement those initiatives. Local policy can target the unique needs of minority communities and populations in ways that are impossible at the national level. Widespread research efforts to influence local policy might, therefore, have a larger aggregate effect on eliminating health disparities than research that only informs federal policy. Purpose The Gulf States Collaborative Center for Health Research seeks to fund community-based research projects that a) investigate the policies (or lack thereof) producing disparate health outcomes in vulnerable populations and b) generate policy change to increase community resilience and improve the health of vulnerable populations in the Gulf States region (Alabama and Mississippi). Health policy research is concerned with how policies are developed and implemented and how groups and individuals involved in policy making influence policy outcomes. By nature, health policy research is interdisciplinary, involving knowledge from various sectors to draw a comprehensive picture of how health policies can shape and be shaped by health systems and the broader determinants of health. As health policy includes policy made both in the public and the private sector, the Gulf States CC encourages policy research on both of these levels. Funding Opportunity Announcement: RFA-GSCC

2 The Gulf States CC encourages research on both the formal policies (e.g., written documents, rules and guidelines) relevant to health and the informal policy practices (e.g., how policies are experienced in day to day life), as we seek to understand why and how policies are developed, communicated, implemented, and evaluated, including how researchers and communities influence policy-making. The Gulf State CC is interested primarily in prospective policy analysis to support health policy and health system change. Such analysis is an important support for advocacy efforts and a key component of health system leadership and governance activities. Therefore, research that explicitly seeks to influence policy is particularly encouraged. Some examples of research questions that may be pursued include, but are not limited to: assessment development implementation and evaluation What polices are in place that impact the chronic disease burden in Gulf States communities? How do those policies vary across communities? What chronic disease health disparity concerns are most prevalent among community residents? How do social, economic, cultural, and/or environmental policies (or lack of policies), impact the health topic of concern in the community? Locally, regionally, or nationally? What strategies have been used to address the health disparity? What has been the outcome of those strategies? Have policy initiatives been considered as an approach to impacting the area of concern? If so, what was the outcome? How might the policy be revised to be more successful? How can policy be used to address the chronic disease burden in the Gulf States communities? How can grassroots community support be garnered to support advocacy for policy change? Were the policies implemented as intended? Were the objectives met? What were the unexpected outcomes? Did the policies benefit the intended audience? Did the chronic disease burden change? Available Resources To stimulate academic-community partnerships, the Gulf States CC will assist in connecting academic investigators with appropriate community partners, and vice-versa. Applicants are highly encouraged to contact the Gulf States CC representative at their respective institution for a consultation about available resources and services. Contact information is provided at the end of this document. Additionally, study design and statistical support may be provided, if needed. II. Award Information Available Funds: The Gulf States CC intends to commit approximately $300,000 for this round of applications. Funding is contingent upon National Institutes of Health appropriations. Number of Awards: Three to four projects will be funded. Award Budget: Application budgets are limited to up to $100,000 in direct costs for the entire duration of the project. Indirect costs are not allowed. Award Project Period: The award project period is up to 2 years, with the possibility of a no-cost extension upon submission of a written request no later than 60 days prior to the end of the project period. Twice-a-year progress reports will be required for all funded projects, and funding will be contingent upon making adequate progress consistent with the proposed research plan. Funding Opportunity Announcement: RFA-GSCC

3 III. Eligibility Information 1. Faculty members at The University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Alabama at Birmingham are eligible to apply. Applicants at the levels of Instructor or Assistant Professor must have a senior faculty serving as a mentor. Collaborations with community partners are required. 2. Community organizations, in collaboration with an academic investigator from The University of Southern Mississippi and/or the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Projects may have more than one Investigator. For each application, an academic investigator and a community investigator will share the leadership of the project by both serving as Principal Investigators. Applicants may participate in more than one application per cycle but may not submit more than one application as the Principal Investigator of a project. IV. Application and Submission Information Key Dates Letters of Intent Due: February 3, 2014 by 11:59 pm Central Standard Time Invitations to Submit a Full Application: on or before February 17, 2014 Applications Due: April 1, 2014 by 11:59 pm Central Standard Time Announcement of Recipients: on or before May 1, 2014 Project Start Date: July 1, 2014 Progress Reports: First progress report at 3 months after funding, then every 6 months LETTERS OF INTENT AND APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY AT BY 11:59 PM (CENTRAL STANARD TIME) ON THE DATE DUE. Letter of Intent (1 page): Include PI/Investigator(s) names and title(s), mentor(s) and title(s) if applicable, project title, purpose of the study, and description of the specific aims, timeline, and project cost. If you are an academic investigator and have a community partner with whom you are working, please include information about your partnership. If you do not yet have a community partner or are not sure which community partner would be best for your project, please indicate so. The Gulf States CC Collaborations and Partnerships Core will assist you with the selection of an appropriate community partner and facilitate the relationship. If you represent a community-based organization and have an academic investigator with whom you are working, please include information about your partnership. If you do not yet have an academic partner, please indicate so. The Gulf States CC Collaborations and Partnerships Core will assist you with the selection of an appropriate academic partner and facilitate the relationship. Letters of Intent will be evaluated on the relevance of the proposed project to the theme and focus of this Request for Applications. Application: Investigators should submit an NIH-format application on combined PHS 398 forms ( as a single Word or PDF file. Applications should be single-spaced, with at least 0.5-inch margins, and should use 11- or 12-point Arial or Times fonts. Applications should include: Face Page Project Summary/Abstract and Relevance Project/Performance Sites Key Personnel Other Significant Contributors Mentorship Plan for Instructors and Assistant Professors only (limit to 1 page) Funding Opportunity Announcement: RFA-GSCC

4 Table of Contents Detailed Budget Budget Justification Biographical Sketches (4-page: Resources/Equipment Research Strategy (6 pages, plus 1 page Specific Aims): a. Specific Aims (1 page) b. Significance c. Innovation d. Approach Human Subjects Research (if applicable) References/Literature Cited Targeted Enrollment Table Letters of Support are optional V. Funding Restrictions The following types of expenditures are allowable: a. Research supplies b. Technical assistance c. Domestic travel when necessary to carry out the proposed research d. Publication costs, including reprints e. Cost of computer time f. Special fees (pathology, photography, etc.) g. Stipends for students/fellows if their role is to support the project h. Equipment costing less than $2,000 i. Registration fees for scientific meetings j. Salary for investigators and key personnel The following types of expenditures are not allowed: a. Secretarial/administrative personnel b. Tuition c. Foreign travel d. Honoraria and travel expenses for visiting lecturers e. Per diem charges for hospital beds f. Non-medical services to patients g. Construction or building maintenance h. Major alterations i. Purchasing and binding of periodicals and books j. Office and laboratory furniture k. Office equipment and supplies l. Rental of office or laboratory space m. Recruiting and relocation expenses n. Dues and membership fees in scientific societies VI. Application Review Information Applications will be evaluated on the scientific merit of the project, its relevance to the scope of the Gulf States CC, the proposed mentorship plan, if applicable, and the applicant s potential for future funding. It is expected that awarded projects will lead to future grant funding, including federal and foundation grants. Funding Opportunity Announcement: RFA-GSCC

5 Review Criteria Overall Impact. Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the five scored review criteria below: Relevance and Significance. Is the project relevant to the focus of the RFA? Does the proposal address an important issue? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, policies, and/or practice improve? Investigator(s). Are the investigators, collaborators, and mentors well suited to the project? Do they have appropriate experience and training? Does the proposed mentorship plan ensure accomplishment of the project aims? Innovation. Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, or interventions? Approach. Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? Future Funding. What is the likelihood that the pilot project will lead to extramural funding? VII. Gulf States CC Contacts BayouClinic USM UAB Julie Taylor, Executive Director julie@bayouclinic.org; David Butler, PhD, Associate Professor, International Development Doctoral Program The University of Southern Mississippi David.Butler@usm.edu; Michelle Martin, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Preventive Medicine University of Alabama, Birmingham mymartin@uabmc.edu; Application Submissions Contact Gabriela Oates, MA, Director of Research, Minority Health/Health Disparities Research Center University of Alabama, Birmingham goates@uab.edu; Funding Opportunity Announcement: RFA-GSCC

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH GRANT SOAR- USC

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH GRANT SOAR- USC SUPPORTING OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN ONCOLOGY (SOAR) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BACKGROUND The University