Applications for Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has issued a call for proposals for its Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity program.

Evidence for Action (E4A) funds research that expands the evidence needed to build a Culture of Health, with an explicit emphasis on advancing racial equity. According to RWJF, achieving racial equity is not possible without a focus on the foundational and structural drivers of health, often referred to as the social determinants of health (e.g., housing, education, built environment, economic opportunity, law enforcement, and others). Therefore, the fund partners with researchers, practitioners, community leaders, advocates, and policy makers to develop evidence about what works to dismantle or remedy unjust systems and practices and produce more equitable outcomes for people and communities of color.

Evidence for Action prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. The foundation is concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islanders, and other races and ethnicities) — as well as the ways in which racism intersects with other forms of marginalization, such as having low income, being an immigrant, having a disability, or identifying as LGBTQ+ or a gender minority.

This funding is focused on studies about upstream causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals' options and behaviors. Research should center on the needs and experiences of communities exhibiting the greatest health burdens and be motivated by real-world priorities and should inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting the extent of a problem.

E4A seeks grantees who are deeply committed to conducting rigorous and equitable research and ensuring that their findings are actionable in the real world. In addition to research funding, RWJF also supports grantees with stakeholder engagement, dissemination of findings, and other activities that can enhance their projects' potential to "move the needle" on health and racial equity.

Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories. Submissions from teams that include both U.S. and international members are eligible, but the lead applicant must be based in the United States. Preference will be given to applicant organizations that are either institutes of higher education, public entities, or nonprofits that are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or Type III supporting organizations. Other types of nonprofit and for-profit organizations are also eligible to apply. RWJF may require additional documentation.

A webinar will be held October 13, 2021, from 1:00-2:15 p.m. ET. Registration is required. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and applicants will generally receive notice within six to nine weeks of applying as to whether they are invited to submit a full proposal. Full proposals will be due two months from the date of notification.

For complete program guidelines, application instructions, and to register for the webinar, see the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.