Health Economics Grants

New Connections: Increasing Diversity of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Programming (Junior Investigators Program)
2008 Call for Proposals Round 4

Deadline: Nov 13, 2008

Program Area: Building Human Capital

Purpose:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) New Connections: Increasing Diversity of RWJF Programming aims to expand the diversity of perspectives that inform RWJF programming and introduce new researchers and scholars to the Foundation, while simultaneously helping to meet staff needs for data analysis. The program invites Junior Investigators—scholars from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities who have received their doctorate within the last seven years—to address specific questions posed by one of RWJF’s program areas using secondary data analysis. Eligible scholars include individuals from ethnic or racial minorities or low-income communities, first-generation college graduates, or others who historically have been underrepresented in research disciplines that RWJF supports.

In this funding round, RWJF asks applicants to address research questions from six program areas: Childhood Obesity, Coverage, Human Capital, Public Health, Quality/Equality and Vulnerable Populations. The six areas participating in this solicitation have each identified specific research questions they would like addressed in this funding cycle. Learn more in the call for proposals.

Program Information:

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

New Connections program applicants must:

* have completed a doctorate within the last seven years (obtained by June 1, 2002 or later);
* be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories at the time of application;
* be affiliated with or sponsored by a nonprofit university or an organization that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is not a private Foundation as defined under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code;
* be from a group that has historically been underrepresented in the research activities supported by RWJF, such as people from ethnic or racial minority groups, first-generation college graduates and people from low-income communities;
* be a first time New Connections Junior Investigator;
* provide evidence of research skills addressing various aspects of health and health care (research fellowship or equivalent training or experience); and
* be committed to the goals and mission of New Connections, RWJF and its specific interest areas.

The following factors will be used in the selection process:

* Significance and relevance of the proposal to RWJF and team-specific questions.
* Uniqueness of the proposal. We seek proposals that will develop new evidence about the topic that provides a major contribution to the understanding of the problem.
* How the proposed work complements existing literature on the topic. We prefer research that is likely to produce new information, rather than use different data to confirm prior research results.
* How well the proposal incorporates secondary analysis in answering RWJF- and team-specific questions.
* Soundness of the project’s conceptual framework and methodology.
* Availability and appropriateness of datasets needed to answer the research question.
* Clarity of deliverables described in the proposal.

An internal RWJF committee will review all proposals. RWJF does not provide individual critiques of proposals submitted.

Key Dates:

* October 22, 2008 (3 p.m.–4:30 p.m. ET)—Optional applicant Web conference call for Junior Investigator brief proposal applicants. To register, please visit www.rwjf–newconnections.org.
* November 13, 2008 (3:00 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of brief proposals (must be submitted online).
* January 29, 2009—Select applicants invited to submit full proposals.
* February 18, 2009 (3:00–4:30 p.m. ET)—Optional applicant Web conference call for full proposal applicants. To register, please visit www.rwjf–newconnections.org.
* March 12, 2009 (3:00 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of full proposals (must be submitted online).
* April 13–17, 2009—Finalist phone interviews.
* May 1, 2009—Notification of awards.
* June 15, 2009—Start of awards.

Total Award:
* RWJF will award up to 12 two-year grants of up to $75,000 each during this fourth funding round.
* New Connections grantees and alumni will also be eligible to receive a grant of up to $15,000 to support the publication and dissemination of the research they conduct under this grant. New Junior Investigators will be eligible for this additional grant during the last six months of their award.

Contact:

Hallene Williams, National Urban Fellow
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
rwjf-newconnections@rwjf.org
Fax: (609) 514-5970
Office: (609) 627-5770
http://www.rwjf-newconnections.org

William T. Grant Distinguished Fellows

The goal of the Distinguished Fellows Program is to increase the supply of, demand for, and use of high-quality research in the service of improved youth outcomes and well-being. To accomplish this goal, the program gives researchers the opportunity to immerse themselves in practice or policy settings and conversely gives influential mid-career practitioners and policymakers the opportunity to work in research settings.

The RFP will be reissued as the 2008-2009 William T. Grant Distinguished Fellows Application Guide on September 19, 2008. Deadline for Letters of Inquiry will be January 8, 2009.

Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for consideration, Fellows must:

* Be influential mid-career practitioners, policymakers, or researchers.
* Submit a proposal that advances the William T. Grant Foundation's Current Research Interests.
* Propose one or two tax-exempt private and governmental organizations that are willing to "house" and mentor the Fellow.

Q. What is the goal of the Distinguished Fellows Program?
A. The Foundation focuses on supporting research to improve the lives of youth ages 8-25 in the United States. The goal of the Distinguished Fellows Program is to increase the supply of, demand for, and use of high-quality research in the service of improved youth outcomes.

Q. Who is eligible to apply for the William T. Grant Distinguished Fellows Program?
A. Mid-career policymakers, practitioners, and researchers who are influential within their role and significantly able to affect attitudes and practices of others working in similar roles and settings. Support is restricted to researchers seeking to work in policy or practice settings, or policymakers and practitioners seeking to work in research settings.

Q. How do you define mid-career?
A. Mid-career is defined as having 8 to 20 years of cumulative experience in one's current role as a researcher, policymaker, or practitioner.

Q. How is someone judged to be an influential?
A. For the purposes of this RFP an influential is defined as a policymaker, practitioner, or researcher who is seen by colleagues in his/her role as particularly knowledgeable and well connected to others in the role and who uses knowledge, access, and connections to influence colleagues on matters important to youth.

Q. How do you define practitioner, policymaker, and researcher?
A. Practitioner refers to a person working in an organization or system that provides direct services to youth ages 8-25 (e.g., school districts, the child welfare system, community-based organizations) or in an organization meant to support such direct service organizations and systems (e.g., training and technical assistance providers, constituent group organizations).

Policymaker refers to a person currently working in a policymaking or policy-implementing organization (e.g., legislative or executive branch staff) or in an organization meant to support and/or influence such agencies (e.g., constituent group organization, advocacy organization).

Researcher is a person who works in a setting where he/she manages, designs, or conducts research, evaluations, and/or policy analyses.

Q. Are there any restrictions on the number of people per institution who may apply to the program?
A. There are no restrictions regarding the number of applicants per institution.

Q. What does the Distinguished Fellows award consist of?
A. Award recipients will be named William T. Grant Distinguished Fellows, and each Fellow will receive up to $175,000 (including direct and indirect costs of 7.5%) for the total duration of the fellowship. Fellowships may range between six months and two years. Fellowship activity must amount to a minimum of half of a person-year at the fellowship site(s) over the duration of the project. (Thus, the minimum duration is full-time for six months at the Fellowship site.) Awards are made to the applicant's employer, which must be a non-profit private or governmental organization.

William T. Grant Foundation

570 Lexington Ave., 18th Floor, New York, NY 10022-6837
Phone: 212.752.0071 Fax: 212.752.1398 E-mail: info@wtgrantfdn.org

Coverage Ideas From the Field

Deadline: Dec 2, 2008

Program Area:
Coverage

Purpose:
The Coverage Team at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is accepting proposals on a broad range of applicant-initiated projects related to national health reform. Up to $2 million will be allocated to support grants of up to $400,000 each. The grant period will begin May 2009 and extend for up to two years.

RWJF is committed to working to ensure that every American has stable, affordable health care coverage. Forty-six million Americans, including 9 million children, are uninsured, and millions more are at risk of losing health care coverage. Moreover, Americans, whether insured or not, are suffering from greater financial distress from the burden of rising health care costs. RWJF is encouraged, however, about the nation's renewed interest in health care reform.

This call for proposals will fund projects that will increase the likelihood that the nation's health care debate will lead to solutions and build momentum to drive federal policy-makers to act. In order for the debate to be successful, there are critical issues that need to be addressed, including a better understanding of how to design, implement, administer and sustain policies to expand health care coverage. We want to hear what ideas you and your organization may have to address and support efforts related to national health care reform.

Projects must be relevant to federal health care reform and may include:

evaluations of timely policy changes;
research and policy analyses that can advance the debate and lead to solutions;
development and testing of new tools, models and policies to expand health insurance coverage;
coalition building and convening; and
strategic communications to disseminate policy ideas.
This solicitation involves a two-step process: (1) submission of an abbreviated brief proposal; and, if selected, (2) submission of a full proposal.

Program Information:

How To Apply:
*Please read the Program Details before applying.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

Eligibility criteria include the following:

Preference will be given to applicants that are either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories at the time of application.
Several factors will be taken into consideration in reviewing the brief proposals. This includes the degree to which the project:

furthers the goal to ensure stable and affordable health care coverage for all Americans;
is relevant and timely;
makes a unique contribution to the field; and
is feasible and sustainable.

For the full proposal, the following will also be taken into consideration:

Clarity of project goals, hypotheses, methods and outcomes.
Evidence of access to needed data and populations.
Documentation of experience, qualifications and time commitment of the investigator(s) and key project staff.
Appropriateness of proposed budget and feasibility of project timeline.
Description of a plan for prompt dissemination of research findings to policy-makers and other relevant stakeholders.
Proposals will be reviewed by RWJF staff and, in some cases, external reviewers who will be chosen based on their experience in the area on which the proposal focuses. All funding decisions will be made by RWJF. RWJF does not provide individual critiques for proposals submitted.

Key Dates:
December 2, 2008 (3 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of brief proposals.
Mid-December 2008—Select applicants invited to submit a full proposal.
February 3, 2009 (3 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of full proposals.
May 1, 2009—Start of grants.

Total Award:

Grants of up to $400,000 each may be requested.
Up to $2 million will be available for this solicitation.
Grants may last up to two years in duration.

Contact:
Coverage Ideas From the Field
coverageideas@rwjf.org

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows
2009-2010 Call for Applications

Deadline:

Nov 14, 2008

Program Area:

Building Human Capital

Purpose:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows program provides the nation's most comprehensive experience at the nexus of health science, policy and politics in Washington D.C. The fellowship is an outstanding opportunity for exceptional midcareer health professionals and behavioral and social scientists with an interest in health and health care policy. Fellows experience and participate in the policy process at the federal level and use that leadership experience to improve health, health care and health policy.

How To Apply:

* This program accepts paper applications only.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

Exceptional candidates from academic faculties and nonprofit health care organizations are encouraged to apply. Applicants may have backgrounds in the following disciplines: allied health professions; biomedical sciences; dentistry; economics or other social sciences; health services organization and administration; medicine; nursing; public health; or social and behavioral health. Beginning in 2008, applicants will be able to select whether to apply from a sponsoring institution or as an individual. Track 1 applicants will maintain their affiliation with their originating academic institution or nonprofit health care organization. Track 2 applicants will have their fellowship stipend administered by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

RWJF is committed to programs that embrace racial, ethnic and gender diversity, and encourages applications from candidates who come from groups that historically have been underrepresented. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its territories at the time of application.

Members of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows Advisory Board will assess each applicant, based on the following criteria:

* Professional achievements.
* Potential for leadership in health policy.
* Potential for future growth and career advancement.
* Interpersonal and communication skills.
* Individual plans for incorporating the fellowship experience into specific career goals.

The Advisory Board will select semifinalists from the applicants and interview them in Washington, D.C. Applicants will be notified of their status in mid-January 2009. Interviews for the select group will take place in mid-February 2009. Those applicants who are selected for interviews will receive details about the remainder of the process upon invitation.

Key Dates:

*November 14, 2008—Deadline for receipt of applications.
*January 8, 2009—Selection of semifinalists.
*February 18, 2009—Board interviews of semifinalists and announcement of selections.

Total Award:

Up to 10 grants of up to $165,000 each will be made in 2009. Each fellow will receive up to $94,000 for the Washington stay (September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2010) in salary plus fringe benefits or fellowship stipend. Fellows will receive an additional allowance for relocation subject to limitations provided in detail on the program’s Web site.

Contact:

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows
mmichnich@nas.edu
Office: (202) 334-1506
http://www.healthpolicyfellows.org

Dissertation Fellowships
For Achieving Excellence in College and University Teaching

Administered by the National Research Council

On-line Application Deadline: November 28, 2008
Announcement of Awards: April 2009

Statement of Program Goals
Through its program of Diversity Fellowships, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Dissertation Awards

This year the program will award approximately 35 dissertation fellowships. The dissertation fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree.

Dissertation fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Research Council (NRC) on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
Eligibility

Eligibility to apply for a dissertation fellowship is limited to:

* All citizens or nationals of the United States regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation (must have become a U.S. citizen by November 28, 2008),
* Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors or other designations),
* Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level,
* Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree candidates studying in an eligible research-based discipline at a U.S. educational institution, and
* Individuals who have not earned a doctoral degree at any time, in any field.

(The term “national of the United States” designates a citizen of the United States or a native resident of a possession of the United States. It does not refer to a U.S. permanent resident who is a citizen of another country.)
Criteria for Selection

The following will be considered as positive factors in choosing successful candidates:

• Evidence of superior academic achievement

• Degree of promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers

• Capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds

• Sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and an ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college and university level

• Likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship

• Membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:

Alaska Natives (Eskimo/Aleut)

Black/African Americans

Mexican American/Chicanas/Chicanos

Native American Indians

Native Pacific Islanders (Polynesian/Micronesian)

Puerto Ricans

Review panels may also look at additional factors such as the suitability of the applicant's proposed institution and the likelihood that the applicant will fully utilize 9 to 12 months of support prior to receiving the Ph.D. or Sc.D.
Eligible Fields of Study

Awards will be made for study in research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. programs that include the following major disciplines and related interdisciplinary fields: American studies, anthropology, archaeology, art and theater history, astronomy, chemistry, communications, computer science, earth sciences, economics, education, engineering, ethnomusicology, geography, history, international relations, language, life sciences, linguistics, literature, mathematics, performance study, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, urban planning, and women’s studies. Also eligible are interdisciplinary ethnic studies programs, such as African American studies and Native American studies, and other interdisciplinary programs, such as area studies, peace studies, and social justice.

Individuals enrolled in the following practice-oriented programs will not be supported: business, management, administration, occupational health, nursing, consumer science, library and information science, speech pathology, audiology, personnel, guidance, social work, social welfare, public health, physical education, physical therapy, kinesiology, rehabilitation science, educational administration and leadership, fine arts, filmmaking, and performing arts. In addition, awards will not be made for work leading to terminal master’s degrees, the Ed.D. degree, the degrees of Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.) or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), or professional degrees in such areas as medicine, law, and public health, or for study in joint degree programs such as the M.D./Ph.D., J.D./Ph.D., and M.F.A./Ph.D.
Fellowship Institution

Fellowships are tenable at any fully accredited, nonprofit U.S. institution of higher education offering a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in the eligible fields of study.
Verification of Doctoral Degree Candidacy

* A valid National Academies Verification of Doctoral Degree Candidacy Form, signed by the adviser or other authorized official, must be received by the Fellowships Office of the National Academies by January 16, 2009 to confirm that an applicant has advanced to doctoral candidacy.
* Applicants should expect to complete the dissertation during the 2009-2010 academic year, but no later than fall 2010.

Stipend and Benefits

* One-year stipend: $21,000
* Expenses paid to attend one Conference of Ford Fellows (see below)
* Access to Ford Fellow Liaisons, a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to provide mentoring and support to current fellows.

Tenure

The tenure of a dissertation fellowship will be no less than 9 months and no more than 12 months, with tenure beginning no earlier than June 1, 2009 and no later than September 1, 2009.
Evaluation and Selection of Fellows

Applications will be evaluated by panels of distinguished scholars selected by the National Academies. The panels will use academic records, essays, letters of recommendation, the proposed timetable and plan for completion of the doctoral degree, the application itself, and other appropriate materials as the basis for determining the extent to which candidates meet the eligibility requirements and the selection criteria.
Conditions of Fellowships

Dissertation fellows are expected to be engaged in a full-time program leading to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in an eligible field of study.

Fellowships Office, Keck 576
National Research Council
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-334-2872
web site: http://national-academies.org/fellowships
e-mail: infofell@nas.edu

Postdoctoral Fellowships
For Achieving Excellence in College and University Teaching

Administered by the National Research Council

On-line Application Deadline: November 28, 2008
Announcement of Awards: April 2009

Statement of Program Goals
Through its program of Diversity Fellowships, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Postdoctoral Awards
This year the program will award approximately 20 postdoctoral fellowships.

The postdoctoral fellowships provide one year of support for individuals engaged in postdoctoral study after the attainment of the Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree.

Postdoctoral fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Research Council (NRC) on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
Eligibility

Eligibility to apply for a postdoctoral fellowship is limited to:

* All citizens or nationals of the United States regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation (must have become a U.S. citizen by November 28, 2008),
* Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors or other designations),
* Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, and
* Individuals awarded a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree no earlier than November 30, 2001 and no later than November 28, 2008 in an eligible research-based field from a U.S. educational institution.

(The term “national of the United States” designates a citizen of the United States or a native resident of a possession of the United States. It does not refer to a U.S. permanent resident who is a citizen of another country.)
Criteria for Selection

The following will be considered as positive factors in choosing successful candidates:

* Evidence of superior academic achievement

* Degree of promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers

* Capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds

* Sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and an ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college and university level

* Likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship

* Membership in one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding:

Alaska Natives (Eskimo/Aleut)
Black/African Americans
Mexican American/Chicanas/Chicanos
Native American Indians
Native Pacific Islanders (Polynesian/Micronesian)
Puerto Ricans

Review panels may also look at additional factors such as the suitability of the applicant's proposed institution and the likelihood that the applicant will fully utilize 9 to 12 months of postdoctoral support.
Eligible Fields of Study

Awards will be made for study in the following major disciplines and related interdisciplinary fields: American studies, anthropology, archaeology, art and theater history, astronomy, chemistry, communications, computer science, earth sciences, economics, education, engineering, ethnomusicology, geography, history, international relations, language, life sciences, linguistics, literature, mathematics, performance study, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, urban planning, and women’s studies. Also eligible are interdisciplinary ethnic studies programs, such as African American studies and Native American studies, and other interdisciplinary programs, such as area studies, peace studies, and social justice.
Individuals enrolled in the following practice-oriented programs will not be supported: business, management, administration, occupational health, nursing, consumer science, library and information science, speech pathology, audiology, personnel, guidance, social work, social welfare, public health, physical education, physical therapy, kinesiology, rehabilitation science, educational administration and leadership, fine arts, filmmaking, and performing arts.
Location of Work and Proposed Research

Fellowship applicants are encouraged to choose a host institution other than the institution with which they are affiliated at the time of application. Fellowships are awarded for full-time research at appropriate nonprofit institutions of higher education or research, normally in the United States, including universities, museums, libraries, government or national laboratories, privately sponsored nonprofit institutes, government chartered nonprofit research organizations, and centers for advanced study. Each applicant should designate a faculty member or other scholar who will serve as host at the proposed fellowship institution. If affiliating with another institution would create personal hardship, applicants may make special arrangements to travel several times to a research site for data collection or to confer with a chosen adviser.

Each applicant must present a clearly articulated plan of study or research that will further his or her career in higher education and should explain fully the particular benefits that would accrue from affiliation with the proposed institution. A fellow affiliating with a foreign institution may be asked to designate a U.S. institution to act as a liaison between the National ResearchCouncil and the foreign institution, particularly for handling the disbursement of fellowship funds.

The applicant is responsible for making all arrangements for affiliation with the proposed host institution prior to submitting an application.
Stipend and Benefits

* One-year Stipend: $40,000
* The stipend may be supplemented by sabbatical leave pay or other sources of support that do not carry with them teaching or other responsibilities. Fellowship funds may be disbursed through the employing institution if necessary for the continuation of health insurance or other benefits. No dependency allowance is available.
* Employing Institution Allowance: $1,500
* This allowance will be paid to the fellow’s employing institution after fellowship tenure is completed. The employing institution will be asked to provide a matching amount and to use the allowance and the match to assist with the fellow’s continuing research expenses.
* Expenses paid to attend one Conference of Ford Fellows (see below)
* Access to Ford Fellow Liaisons, a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to provide mentoring and support to current fellows

Tenure

The tenure of a postdoctoral fellowship will be no less than 9 months and no more than 12 months, with tenure beginning no earlier than June 1, 2009 and no later than September 1, 2009. Postdoctoral fellowships may not be deferred or delayed.
Evaluation and Selection of Fellows

Applications will be evaluated by panels of distinguished scholars selected by the National Academies. The panels will use the proposed plan of study, academic records, essays, letters of recommendation, indications of competence, including competence as a teacher, the application itself, and other appropriate materials as the basis for determining the extent to which candidates meet the eligibility requirements and the selection criteria.

The quality of the plan of study or research, the bibliography, the appropriateness of the proposed fellowship activities, the choice of host institution, and the potential for career enhancement will also be carefully reviewed.

Fellowships Office, Keck 576
National Research Council
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-334-2872
web site: http://national-academies.org/fellowships
e-mail: infofell@nas.edu

Institutional Program Unifying Population and Laboratory Based Sciences

Application deadlines for 2010 awards:

Letter of Intent: March 2, 2009 by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Full Application (by invitation only): May 15, 2009 by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
By electronic application only.

Five-year institutional training awards provide $500,000 a year to bridge the gap between the population and computational sciences and the laboratory-based biological sciences. The award will support the training of researchers between existing concentrations of research strength in population approaches to human health and in basic biological sciences. The goal is to establish training programs by partnering researchers working in schools of medicine and schools (or academic divisions) of public health.

Eligibility
Understanding human health will be a focal priority for the programs that are funded. There is ample room for building on institutional strengths to achieve this focus, for example: institutional interests in chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, genetic diseases, toxicology and environmental exposures, reproductive health, and other areas where questions relating to human health are ripe for exploration at both the population and molecular scales. Likewise, institutional strengths in applied mathematics and modeling, statistics, genomics, bioinformatics and other informatics and data-driven sciences including geography and demographics, and phenomic approaches could provide excellent foundations for programs which encourage such work, as would strengths in population biology; epidemiology; human or disease ecology, anthropology, econometrics, and other population-focused quantitative fields.
Supported programs will train graduate students to the Ph.D. level, but programs may additionally propose giving training access to postdoctoral fellows, medical students, medical residents, masters students, undergraduates, or other kinds of trainees. Some examples of problems where such an approach would be beneficial include but are not limited to

multifactorial disease processes
evolution of and relationships between host, pathogen, vector, and reservoirs
biomarker identification and validation
effects of environmental exposure to toxins, allergens, and immunogens

Proposals

Degree-granting institutions in the U.S. or Canada may submit applications.
Proposals must be driven by core components within medical and public health schools, but beyond those required components, departments or centers located within non-medical parts of a university, existing inter-institutional collaboratives, research museums, free-standing research institutes, and other non-profit institutions that provide advanced-level training are all acceptable as potential additional partners. Dental, osteopathic, and veterinary medical schools are appropriate applicants.
Comparative medicine and animal science departments are advised to discuss their planned proposal with the program officer to ensure that their proposal will be human-focused enough to be competitive.
Proposals that cross institutional boundaries are encouraged.
Research groups working at national laboratories and within the federal government are allowable as partners, but funding to students doing research within these institutions must be channeled through an appropriate degree-granting institution.
For-profit companies may not participate in the application, but could be valuable partners in such training programs. Proposals that may offer students access to research opportunities involving work in or data from the for-profit sector are welcome.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Post Office Box 13901
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3901

Telephone: (919) 991-5100
Fax: (919) 991-5160

American Council of Learned Societies Collaborative Research Awards Fellowship Details

* Maximum award: up to $140,000 per project, with no more than $60,000 awarded to a single participant for salary replacement
* Tenure: up to a total tenure period of 24 months, to be initiated between July 1, 2009 and September 1, 2011
* Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship Application system (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, November 12, 2008.
* Notifications will be sent in April 2009.

ACLS invites applications for the inaugural competition for the ACLS Collaborative Research Awards. These awards support collaborative research in the humanities and related social sciences (1). A grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supports this program. Collaborations need not be interdisciplinary or inter-institutional, but must involve at least two scholars; applicants at the same institution must demonstrate why local funding is insufficient to support the project. It is hoped that projects of successful applicants will help demonstrate the range and value of both collaborative research and inquiry in the humanities, and model how such collaboration may be carried out successfully. Collaborations that involve the participation of assistant and associate faculty members, or that of scholars at different kinds of institutions, are particularly encouraged.
Objectives

The aim of this program is to offer teams of two or more scholars the opportunity to collaborate intensively on a single, substantive project. Each project should

* Provide release time to pursue collaborative research;
* Yield tangible research outcomes, such as joint publications, web projects, or other collaboratively produced projects.

The award is for a total period of up to 24 months, to be initiated between July 1, 2009 and September 1, 2011. The award includes stipends to allow up to an academic year’s leave from teaching for participants, as well as up to $20,000 in collaboration costs to facilitate face-to-face and virtual interactions. Funds not dedicated to stipends may be used for such purposes as 1) travel to meet periodically during the tenure of the award; 2) materials, such as books or modest technical support to enable collaborative work; or 3) research assistance as is necessary to facilitate the collaborative project.

Awards amounts will range from $60,000 to $140,000 in total, depending on the nature and duration of the collaboration, the kinds of expenses projected to carry out the research, and the number of participants. Salary-replacement stipends are based on academic rank: up to $35,000 for Assistant Professor and career equivalent; up to $40,000 for Associate Professor and career equivalent; and up to $60,000 for full Professor and career equivalent.

Projects will be judged by their quality and the extent to which project participants have the expertise appropriate and necessary to carry out the work.
The Project Coordinator and the Application Process

One member of the project team must be designated as the Project Coordinator. The Project Coordinator is responsible for starting the application, entering the names and email addresses of the other participants, completing the project sections of the application, and submitting the application. The Project Coordinator is further responsible for ensuring that all participants in the project have submitted their elements of the application. It is anticipated that the Project Coordinator’s institution will administer the funds for collaboration costs.

Once the Project Coordinator has entered the participant list into the application, each participant will receive an email with registration information and a code to link them to the group application. Each project participant will complete the individual sections of the application (including personal and professional information), enter information for two reference letters, and upload a publications list. The Project Coordinator will complete the project section of the application and will the upload the project proposal. All participants will have reading access to the project section of the application, but only the Project Coordinator will be able to enter and update the project section.
Eligibility Guidelines:

1. The project coordinator must have an appointment at an institution of higher education; other project members may be independent scholars.
2. The project coordinator must be at a U.S.-based institution; other project members may be at institutions outside the United States.
3. All project participants must hold a Ph.D. degree or its equivalent in publications and professional experience.

Application Requirements

Applications must include:

* Completed application form
* Proposal (no more than 10 pages, double-spaced). The proposal should explain the process and product of the collaboration. It should make clear the goal of the collaboration, its structure, how credit and acknowledgement would be determined, and how the process and project of collaboration would be mutually informing. Finally, the proposal should explain how collaboration enables research that is intellectually innovative and produces a final outcome that would be more productive than the sum of individual efforts of the project members.
* Up to two additional pages of images, musical scores, or other similar supporting non-text materials
* Participant Information Sheet, listing all project members and identifying the project coordinator for administrative purposes
* Research Plan, including a timeline of the proposed research activities, including the location, duration, and names of individuals involved in each stage. This may be in the form of a graphic timeline or narrative description.
* Bibliography (no more than three pages) that places the project in intellectual context and should include representative work in all of the disciplines involved in the project
* Budget statement, outlining: salary replacement, and costs of research assistance, travel, and research materials
* Publications list for each participant (no more than three pages for each participant)
* At least four reference letters, with two letters for each project participant

Criteria Used in Judging Collaborative Research Award Applications

Peer reviewers in this program are asked to evaluate all eligible proposals on the following five criteria:

1. The intrinsic quality of the proposal and the clarity with which it is conveyed,
2. The significance of the project for research in the humanities (the general and specific fields in which it figures),
3. The plan of work,
4. The training and professional experience of the researchers (relative to their career stages), and
5. The extent to which the proposed project would serve as a model for other collaborative research projects.

1. Appropriate fields of specialization include but are not limited to: American studies; anthropology; archaeology; art and architectural history; classics; economics; film; geography; history; languages and literatures; legal studies; linguistics; musicology; philosophy; political science; psychology; religious studies; rhetoric, communication, and media studies; science, technology, and medicine studies; sociology; and theater, dance, and performance studies. Proposals in the social science fields listed above are eligible only if they employ predominantly humanistic approaches (e.g., economic history, law and literature, political theory). Proposals in interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary studies are welcome, as are proposals focused on any geographic region or on any cultural or linguistic group.

American Council of Learned Societies
633 Third Avenue, 8th floor (between 40th and 41st Streets)
New York, NY 10017-6795

Telephone: 212-697-1505
Fax: 212-949-8058

Within Our Reach Rheumatoid Arthritis Grants

Application Deadline
The application deadline is December 1, 2008. Applicants are responsible for submitting all required documents prior to this deadline. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the REF office by e-mail or by phone at (404) 633-3777.

For more information about this award, please contact the REF office by e-mail or by phone at (404) 633-3777.

American College of Rheumatology
Research and Education Foundation
1800 Century Place
Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30345

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research
2008-2009 Call for Applications
Oct 22, 2008

Program Area:
Building Human Capital

Purpose:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research program helps to develop a new generation of creative health policy thinkers and researchers within the disciplines of economics, political science and sociology. Each year the program selects up to 12 highly qualified individuals for two-year fellowships at one of three nationally prominent universities with the expectation that they will make important research contributions to future United States health policy.

Program Information:

Applications will be accepted online beginning Tuesday, July 29, 2008.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:
We invite recent graduates of doctoral programs in economics, political science and sociology, including junior faculty, to apply. We will give preference to applicants who have not previously worked extensively in health or health policy research.

Applicants must have received a doctoral degree after January 1, 2004, but no later than July 2009. For those expecting to receive degrees in 2009, all degree requirements must be completed by July 15, 2009.
All applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its territories at the time of application.
We embrace racial, ethnic and gender diversity in this program and encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds.
The following criteria will be considered in the application review process:

The applicant's potential to contribute creatively as a social scientist to future U.S. health policy thinking—either by identifying emerging health policy issues and problems or by bringing new insight to the examination and analysis of existing issues and problems.
The applicant's commitment to a career consistent with the program's purpose and goals.
The quality of the applicant's past research, including dissertation research.
The capability of the applicant to undertake this challenging program.
Recommendations by faculty and other individuals with whom the applicant has studied or worked.
All applications are screened by the national program office and forwarded to members of the national advisory committee, the program site directors, and RWJF staff for extensive review.

We will select approximately 25 finalists for interviews with faculty at one or more of the participating universities. From these interviewed finalists, we will select up to 12 scholars to enter the program.

Key Dates:
October 22, 2008—Deadline for receipt of applications.
January 6–30, 2009—Finalist interviews.
Late February 2009—Notification of acceptance.
August 2009—Fellowships begin.

Total Award:
Up to 12 fellowships will be awarded in this grant cycle.
Scholars will receive stipends from their university of $86,000 for year one and $89,000 for year two.

Contact:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research
Boston University Health Policy Institute
rwjf@bu.edu
Office: (617) 353-9220
http://www.healthpolicyscholars.org