The program is closed for 2025. An announcement will be made next year for the next pilot projects cycle.
Environmental Health Disparities Research Pilot Projects
Grants up to $50,000 available
The MADRES Center is pleased to announce its Pilot Projects Program, supporting one-year research projects that aim to address scientific gaps in our understanding of the unequal burden of adverse environmental health impacts in susceptible communities. The goal of the program is to advance environmental health disparities research while also increasing representation of members of health disparity populations in scientific and community-based research.
The MADRES Center is seeking investigator-initiated applications from all environmental health disparities research areas. Pilot project proposals are not meant to fund work in MADRES. Proposals may be any topic or population with an environmental health disparities focus.
Proposals related to disparities in the following topics are particularly encouraged:
- Obesity and cardiovascular diseases
- Mental health
- Maternal and child health
- Immigrant health
- Environmental pollutants
- Acute and chronic stressors
- Environmental exposure mixtures
- Neighborhood-level exposures
- Structural racism, acculturation and environmental justice
Eligibility
Individuals with a postdoctoral or faculty appointment in any department or school/division at USC or CSUN who are (1) NIH early stage investigators and (2) self-identified members of an NIH-designated health disparity population are eligible to apply. Postdoctoral applicants are required to have a full-time faculty member as a faculty sponsor on their application.
NIH-designated health disparity populations include: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, socioeconomically- disadvantaged, underserved rural population, and sexual and gender minorities.
Proposal Guidelines
Each application will be required to include the major components of an NIH R03 grant application. In addition, applicants will be required to: (1) describe how a successful pilot project and/or expansion of the project will lead to an R01 or equivalent submission, (2) provide a plan for disseminating research results with consultation from the MADRES Community Engagement & Dissemination Core, and (3) provide evidence that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria.
All proposed projects should have a clear and identifiable environmental health disparities emphasis. Please follow guidelines listed in the Research Instructions for NIH and Other PHS Agencies Guidebook.
Key Program Dates
Full Application Instructions
Download the full application instructions here.