Letters of Intent for New Research Support are due July 16, 2025 at 3pm EDT. Brief Proposals for Rapid Response Research are no longer being accepted as the deadline passed May 28, 2025 at 3pm EDT.
Through this Call for Proposals, we will award up to $5 million in research grants to support actionable, solutions-oriented health equity research through two types of funding: 1) Rapid Response Research awards will support early- to mid-career health equity researchers whose work has been interrupted by federal funding shifts; and 2) New Research Support awards will fund community-driven research that uplifts the knowledge, expertise, and power of Indigenous and other historically marginalized communities of color to develop or test solutions that advance racial and Indigenous health equity.
New Research Support
New Research Support awards will support research that centers community priorities and expertise to advance upstream solutions to racial and indigenous health equity. Lead applicant organizations must be community-based organizations with a strong track record of racial and/or Indigenous health equity work. We expect to award approximately $3M in New Research Support grants. There will be two funding levels, with at least 4 projects of up to $250,000 and at least 4 projects of up to $500,000 funded. Grant durations will be up to 36 months.
Letters of Intent are due July 16, 2025 at 3pm EDT.
Rapid Response Research
Rapid Response Research applications are no longer being accepted. The deadline to submit was May 28, 2025 at 3pm EDT.
Rapid Response Research awards are exclusively available to applicants who have already received federal funding for their health equity research but have since had their funding partially or fully rescinded. We welcome applications from organizations with Project Directors of all personal and professional backgrounds. We especially encourage applications that include Project Directors having backgrounds and life experiences that are underrepresented on research teams, including Indigenous, Black, Latino, and other persons of color. We expect to award approximately $2M in Rapid Response Research grants, with awards ranging from $50k to $200k for up to 24 months.
General CFP information below. For more specifics, visit Rapid Response Research and New Research Support pages.
Informational Webinar
Virtual Office Hours
Join E4A for drop-in virtual office hours. Held weekly, office hours will offer opportunities to ask questions about the funding opportunity - everything from what is a good fit to how to submit materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to questions that apply generally to the Call for Proposals, regardless of type of funding. Access specific frequently asked questions for the Rapid Response Research and New Research Support awards by clicking on the appropriate link.
General CFP FAQs
May more than one applicant from an organization apply under the call?
Yes, more than one application from a single organization will be accepted under the Rapid Response Research and New Research Support award types. However, we are prioritizing a diverse portfolio of grants for both types of awards, including organizational diversity; so, the number of grants awarded to one organization may be a consideration when making final funding decisions.
How much funding is available?
A total of five million dollars will be awarded across two award types. Two million dollars will be awarded through Rapid Response Research, with individual grants up to $200,000. Three million dollars will be awarded through New Research Support, with at least four grants of up to $250,000 and at least four grants of up to $500,000.
Why does the Call for Proposals (CFP) focus on racial and Indigenous health equity?
The impact of settler colonialism and racism continues to be deeply ingrained within our societal systems, leading to persistent health inequities. Indigenous Peoples, Black, Latine and other people of color in the United States and its occupied territories have experienced these historical and ongoing systems of oppression through land dispossession, cultural genocide, the enslavement of Africans and their descendants, the internment of Japanese Americans, the separation of Indigenous families by sending children to boarding schools, violation of treaties discriminatory immigration policies and practices, redlining, racially restrictive covenants, exclusionary zoning, racialized police violence, and voter suppression, among other policies and practices that are embedded in the fabric of U.S. society.
At the same time, progress has been made toward health equity. And health equity research - guided by community knowledge, power, and leadership - serves as a transformational catalyst for the public good. It helps identify what works, for whom, and under what conditions to guide policies, implementation, and funding decisions that create meaningful impact to improve health and wellbeing. A healthier nation, where all Americans can thrive and grow, benefits everyone, and should serve as a unifying goal, transcending ideological divides.
To sustain and build on this progress, we must continue to invest in health equity research, to ensure that health is a right for all, rather than a privilege for a few.
Are applicants permitted to submit applications for both the Rapid Response Research and New Research Support awards?
Yes, applicants are permitted to submit applications to both Rapid Response Research and New Research Support. However, it is important to note that our intention with this funding opportunity is to support a large and diverse portfolio of grantees. Therefore, we ask applicants to be discerning regarding the types and amounts of funding requested.
Is it allowable to apply for both Rapid Response and New Research with the same project, i.e. bridge a terminated federal grant to a new, related project?
No, it is not our intent that applicants use both funding types to piece together a larger total amount of funding. Instead, we intend for the two approaches to serve different purposes and to support different types of research. Additionally, New Research Support is intended to fund new research projects, rather than provide additional support for work that was already funded elsewhere. These new projects can, however, build upon past or existing research.
How do I submit my application?
All applicant materials - for both types of funding - must be submitted in the RWJF Application & Review (A&R) system by the stated deadline for the relevant award type (May 28 at 3pm ET for Rapid Response Research Brief Proposals and July 16 at 3pm ET for New Research Support Letters of Intent). Late submissions will be NOT accepted. Do NOT email application materials to E4A. Only materials submitted through the A&R system will be reviewed.
What resources are available to applicants?
There will be a webinar on May 2, 2025 (register here) during which E4A and RWJF leadership will provide an overview of the funding opportunity, share additional insights and nuance, and answer participant questions. E4A staff will also host weekly drop-in office hours on Zoom. Join a virtual conversation with our program staff.
If you have any other questions, please contact us at evidenceforaction@ucsf.edu.
Will reviewer comments be provided to applicants who are not funded?
Due to the large number of applications we anticipate receiving and because this is the last funding opportunity E4A will run, we will not be able to provide feedback on Rapid Response Research brief proposals or New Research Support letters of intent.
What if I have trouble submitting my application?
Late submissions will not be accepted. The application system is set to automatically stop accepting submissions at the stated deadline and we are unable to override the system or accept applications outside the system. We strongly encourage all applicants to submit their completed applications well ahead of the official deadline in case of technical difficulties or other issues impacting ability to submit. If you experience technical difficulties, please reach out to the program office for assistance (evidenceforaction@ucsf.edu).
Where can I learn more about other funding opportunities from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation?