Public Policy Grants

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

The online application system for the 2009-2010 fellowship year is now open.

The Fellowships help to establish and nurture critical links between federal decision-makers and scientific professionals to support public policy that benefits the wellbeing of the nation and the planet. The Fellowships are designed to:

* educate scientists and engineers on the intricacies of federal policymaking;
* provide scientific expertise and analysis to support decision-makers confronting increasingly complex scientific and technical issues;
* foster positive exchange between scientists and policymakers;
* empower scientists and engineers to conduct policy-relevant research and other activities that address challenges facing society; and
* increase the involvement and visibility of scientists and engineers in the public policy realm.

The Fellowships support the AAAS objectives to improve public policymaking through the infusion of science, and to increase public understanding of science and technology and are part of AAAS Science & Policy Programs.

The annual deadline for receipt of all application materials, including three letters of recommendation, is 15 December at 11:59 p.m. U.S. west coast time. We accept applications each year from September through 15 December, for the fellowship class that begins the following September.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

1200 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-326-6400

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

American Dental Education Association/Sunstar Americas, Inc./Harry W. Bruce, Jr. Legislative Fellowship

A $15,000 stipend to pursue a cumulative three-month fellowship at the ADEA Office in Washington, DC, working on issues related to the legislative agenda.

This public policy fellowship provides a unique learning experience in Washington, DC. This fellowship is
designed to familiarize dental school faculty or administrators with the federal legislative process as it relates to
dental education.

Overview
The fellowship coincides with congressional consideration of the federal budget and other important legislative
and regulatory activities important to dental education and research. The Fellow functions as a staff member
within the ADEA Center for Public Policy and Advocacy and works on specific ADEA legislative priorities. The
ADEA Center for Public Policy and Advocacy strives to appropriately match the Fellow’s interests and
expertise with current issues before Congress. Past issues on which Fellows have worked include Medicare,
graduate medical education reimbursement, federal support for health professions training programs, Ryan
White HIV/AIDS dental reimbursement, higher education taxation, and student loan funding. The Fellow’s
responsibilities may include drafting policy, legislative bills, position papers, and testimony; educating members
of Congress and other decision-makers on matters to important dental education; and participating in various
national coalition gatherings. The Fellow receives a taxable stipend of $15,000 to cover travel and expenses
for approximately three months (cumulative) in Washington, DC. (ADEA is flexible in the arrangement of time
away from the Fellow’s institution.) The Fellow’s institution shall continue to provide salary support for the
duration of the experience. Since its inception in 1985, the Harry W. Bruce, Jr. Legislative Fellowship has been
generously underwritten by Sunstar Americas, Inc.

Eligibility
An applicant must:
• be a full-time faculty member or administrator at an ADEA Member Institution
• be an ADEA Individual Member

Deadline for applications: December 8, 2008.

American Dental Education Association
1400 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-289-7201
Fax: 202-289-7204
www.adea.org

Dear Colleague:

It is our pleasure to invite you to nominate up to two individuals for the 2009 Lewis Hine Awards for Service to Children and Youth. These nationally recognized awards, now in their 24th year, are presented annually by the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) to ten recipients -- five professionals and five volunteers -- for their unheralded and exceptional service to young people...

We depend on leaders such as you to identify the outstanding work being done in your community on behalf of children and youth. That work can be of almost any kind, from health and welfare to education and recreation.

The deadline for this year’s nominations is Thursday, October 23, 2008. A distinguished national panel of judges will then make the selections, which will be announced early in 2009.

The Lewis Hine Awards seek to identify not the one-time hero, but the individual who has made a commitment to the well-being, growth and development of youth. That commitment may be carried out in a paid job or through volunteering. In either case, the individual’s efforts should symbolize the exceptional work done to improve the lives of young people.

We will bring the awardees to New York City for a media-covered ceremony where their outstanding public service will be recognized and each will receive an award of $1,000.

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS TO:
NCLC 2009 Lewis Hine Awards
Selection Committee
1501 Broadway, Suite 1908
New York, NY 10036

Nominations will NOT be accepted by fax or email.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Please call 212-840-1801

Request For Applications: Incentive Grants for New Investigators in Gambling Research

APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 3, 2008
The Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related
Disorders is pleased to announce the availability of Incentive
Grants of up to $25,000 per year for two years. The purpose of this
award is to encourage new investigators to enter the field of gambling
studies by providing seed funds for research on gambling and gamblingrelated
problems. Investigators who have a terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D.,
M.D., M.P.H., J.D.) and who have no more than 10 years of post-graduate
research training experience at the time of the application receipt date
(November 3, 2008) are eligible to apply for an Incentive Grant.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
To be eligible for an Incentive Grant,
applicants must have a terminal degree
(e.g., Ph.D., M.D., M.P.H., J.D.) and no
more than ten years of post-graduate
research training experience at the time of
the application receipt date (November 3,
2008). This grant category is intended to
support new investigators (e.g., postdoctoral
fellows, assistant professors, or
equivalent). Students and investigators
with rank higher than assistant professor
are not eligible to apply.
Applicants are eligible for a maximum of
two Incentive Grants for New Investigators.
Previous awardees at the post-doctoral or
assistant professor level are encouraged to
apply for a second award. However, awards
cannot overlap in time. Applicants must
not submit more than one application per
cycle.
PRIORITY AREAS
The Institute requests proposals for
investigator-initiated research that will
consider the influence of cognitive,
personality, emotional, neurobiological,
economic, and psychosocial influences
associated with the etiology, maintenance
of and recovery from gambling disorders.
While a broad range of topics will receive
consideration, the Institute is especially
interested in the following areas:
• Treatment outcome
• Self-guided recovery and brief
interventions
• Determinants of disordered
gambling
• Resilient and vulnerable population
segments
• Comorbidity
• Prevention and responsible gaming
• Neurobiology of gambling disorders
• Social and economic impact

The Division on Addictions
Cambridge Health Alliance
an affiliate of Harvard Medical School
Station Landing
101 Station Landing, 2nd Floor
Medford, MA 02155
Phone: (781) 306-8600

Email: info@divisiononaddictions.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

American Association for the Advancement of Science.Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program

Purpose
Increasing public understanding of science and technology is one of the principal goals of AAAS. The association has improved coverage of science and technology in mass media for more than 30 years through the Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program. This highly competitive program strengthens the connections between scientists and journalists by placing advanced science, mathematics and engineering students in newsrooms across the country. The AAAS Fellows use their academic training in the sciences as they research, write and report today's headlines, sharpening their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues to non-specialists.

Program
The AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows work for 10 weeks during the summer as reporters, researchers, and production assistants in mass media organizations nationwide. Fellows collaborate with media professionals at radio and television stations, newspapers, and magazines. As part of their job, the student-scientists and their host-journalists strive to make science news easy for the public to understand.

The fellowship program is designed to enhance coverage of science-related issues in the media in order to improve public understanding and appreciation of science and technology. Fellows have the opportunity to observe and participate in the process by which events and ideas become news, improve their communication skills by learning to describe complex technical subjects in a manner understandable to the lay public, and increase their understanding of editorial decision making and the way in which information is effectively disseminated. The program has supported nearly 500 Fellows.

Criteria:

1. Applicants must be enrolled as college or university students (in their senior year, or in any graduate or post graduate level) in the natural, physical, health, engineering, computer, or social sciences or mathematics in order to apply.
2. Post doctoral applicants must apply for the summer fellowship within one year of defending their thesis.
3. Students enrolled in English, journalism, science journalism, or other non-technical fields are not eligible for these fellowships.
4. Successful applicants will attend an orientation at AAAS headquarters at the beginning of the summer and a wrap-up session at the end of the summer. They will prepare reports on the progress of their fellowships throughout their placement.

Award
AAAS typically selects from 20-25 Mass Media Fellows each summer. Fellows are provided a weekly stipend of $450 as well as travel expenses to and from AAAS and their sites.

Applicants will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of experts in the sciences, education, and media. The committee will make recommendations to the AAAS staff, who are responsible for the final decisions and for negotiations between the candidates and the media hosts. A telephone interview will be conducted with semi-finalists sometime in late February or early March. Candidates will receive final notification of the status of their applications by 15 April 2009.

Mail completed forms to:
AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program
1200 New York Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (202) 326-6441

The Greenwall Foundation
BIOETHICS
Program Guidelines

Through its interdisciplinary program in bioethics, The Foundation provides funding for physicians, lawyers, philosophers, theologians and other professionals to address micro and macro issues in bioethics, providing guidance for those engaged in decision-making at the bedside as well as those responsible for shaping institutional and public policy.

The Foundation is especially interested in the work of junior investigators and pilot projects that may lead to NIH support, and it is prepared to address issues regarded by some as sensitive or potentially controversial.

The Foundation is not normally interested in proposals to support equipment purchase, facility construction or renovation, or general operating expenses, and will not normally consider grants to private foundations, endowment funds, or individual applicants.

Grant making in bioethics is focused on five programs: (1) research and project grants; (2) The Greenwall Faculty Scholars Program; (3) The Greenwall Fellowship Program in Bioethics and Health Policy; (4) The Oscar M Ruebhausen Visiting Professorship; and (5) The Kornfeld Program in Bioethics and Patient Care.
Proposals should be submitted electronically in a single PDF document to admin@greenwall.org. In addition, three copies of the proposal should be mailed to The Greenwall Foundation, 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2500, New York, New York 10170. Requests for support should include:

* Cover page, with applicant's name, institution, and contact information (mailing address, telephone number, facsimile number, and email address), project title, project grant period, and amount requested
* Executive Summary (one-page)
* Statement (not to exceed 8 pages single spaced) of (1) objectives and specific aims, (2) background and significance, (3) preliminary data, (4) research design -- methods and data analysis, and (5) plans for dissemination and future work
* References
* Appendices, including survey instruments, letters of support, and unpublished articles especially relevant to the work at hand.
* NIH-type curriculum vitae (not to exceed 4 pages) with statement of principal investigator's other financial support
* Summary budget (expense and income) specifying the amount requested from The Greenwall Foundation for this project - please download and use this form
* 501(c)3 tax exemption letter

The application should be in Times New Roman 12 point font. (Please note that this is larger than the NIH minimum.)

Proposal deadlines are:

* February 1 for the spring grant cycle
* August 1 for the autumn grant cycle

Proposals, both electronic and hard copies, must be received at The Foundation's offices by close of business (5:00 pm EST) on these dates or, should these dates fall on a weekend, on the next business day.

Applicants are encouraged to telephone The Foundation's President regarding their proposals well in advance of the application deadlines.

Applicants whose proposals are declined are customarily requested to wait a full year before submitting another proposal for consideration by The Foundation's Board.