Applications for Innovative Research in Mental Health (AZ-based)

The Institute for Mental Health Research (IMHR) is pleased to announce its Spring 2022 Grant Competition, in which we will award up to $700,000 in grants for innovative research in mental health.

These grants are available to credentialed investigators in the state of Arizona associated with any recognized research or health institution in the state. This funding mechanism is specifically meant to seed, through substantial pilot activity, research that will lead to significant subsequent funding from federal agencies such as NIH, NSF or other major national philanthropic organizations.

Priority Areas of Interest
For this call for applications, IMHR is focusing on four broad areas:

1) Child and adolescent mental health
2) Aging and mental health
3) Addiction
4) Mental health disparities relevant to Arizona.

We are particularly interested in proposals that include a “COVID impact” aim, either as a primary or ancillary focus of the application. Applications can range from basic to clinical research within the four priority areas noted above, but applications must be clear which area is being addressed. Applications that address multiple areas are encouraged.

Levels of Support
There are two levels at which applications may be submitted:

• Level 1 Awards support larger scale multidisciplinary projects with funding up to $125,000 for 12-24 months. Level 1 Awards are appropriate for applications that require more complex design, measurement and analyses, and for which multidisciplinary science provides the most robust approach. We anticipate making between two and four Level 1 Awards.

• Level 2 Awards will support more limited-focus seed research efforts, with funding levels of $25,000 to $50,000 for 12 months. Multidisciplinary research efforts are encouraged, but not required for Level 2 Awards. We anticipate making between four and eight Level 2 Awards.
IMHR Grants Program Expectations

The goal of IMHR’s grants program is to support novel, relatively small-scale research projects that support subsequent initiatives sponsored by federal agencies and philanthropy, and bring research dollars to Arizona scientists. To that end, all IMHR grantees are expected to pursue further larger scale funding from national sources that follows up on the successes of their IMHR-supported research.

IMHR has a history of supporting new, or early career investigators, and we continue to value the importance of assisting the early career development of mental health researchers in AZ. We encourage early career scientists to apply for support as Principal Investigators; the inclusion of more experienced investigators as co-investigators is encouraged, but not required.

IMHR is proud of the economic impact its support of AZ investigators has brought to Arizona. The 10:1 ratio of awarded federal support to IMHR support has brought additional millions to the AZ economy. Further return on investment is also possible through the creation of technology or other programs that can be developed to create economic benefit to the state and local economies.

Applications for IMHR grant support that may involve discovery with economic implications are particularly welcome.

Application Instructions
Level 1 grant applications will have a maximum allowable length of 6 single-spaced pages, and Level 2 applications will be limited to 5 pages maximum. Applications at both levels should include the following sections:

1) Background and Significance, including Aims and Hypotheses
2) Approach
3) Timeline and Feasibility
4) Translational Implications
5) Plans for larger scale subsequent research support.

COVID impact, if included in the application, should be addressed explicitly in section 1, and elsewhere in the application as relevant. The length of each section is determined by the investigator(s) and application needs.

A budget with justification (limited to two pages) must be included. Budget and reference pages are not included in the page count. Applications must use no smaller than 0.5 inch margins and 11-point font sizes throughout. NIH-style biosketch (limited to three pages) must be included for key personnel and letters of support from partnering agencies to assure feasibility are suggested. Biosketches are not required for project staff or consultants. (These items do not count toward the page limit.) Please note that IMHR does not provide indirect costs.

Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by members of IMHR’s External Council of Scientific Advisors (ECSA) which is comprised of accomplished state and national mental health scientists. Members of the Research and Grants Committee (RGC) of the IMHR Board of Directors may also participate in review as appropriate. Applications will be judged on the extent to which they address IMHR areas of interest; the quality of each of the 5 sections of the application; and the qualifications of the investigator(s). The IMHR Board of Directors will make final decisions about awards.

Critical Dates
Applications should be submitted electronically, and will be due on or before Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Notification of award is anticipated by Friday, September 23, 2022, or as soon thereafter as the review process can be completed.

Please direct questions and applications to Keith Crnic PhD, IMHR Chief Science Officer, through imhr_az@outlook.com.