Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity Grant Program

Overview

_NOTE: E4A will continue to accept letters of intent under the current CFP until November 1, 2024 at 3pm EDT. Evidence for Action (E4A) will be releasing an updated racial equity call for proposals (CFP) in January of 2025._

About RWJF

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health. Since 1972, we’ve supported research and programs targeting some of America’s most pressing health issues—from substance abuse to improving access to quality healthcare.

About Evidence for Action

Evidence for Action (E4A), 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. Our focus on racial equity means we are 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 Islander, 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 geared toward 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. It should be able to inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting the extent of a problem.

While we will consider research on various aspects of health equity, we prioritize studies of interventions that are designed to reduce race-based disparities (e.g., by confronting a root cause of disparities or targeting benefits to those experiencing the greatest burdens). RWJF is particularly interested in strategies focused on developing healthy and equitable communities; supporting the needs of children, families, and caregivers; and fostering alignment among health care, public health, and social service systems.

Please refer to FAQ for additional informations.

Eligibility

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Application Details

Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
Evidence for Action
Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity
BACKGROUND
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to building a national Culture of
Health that enables all in our diverse society to lead healthier lives now and for generations to
come. A Culture of Health is one in which good health and well-being flourish among all people,
and everyone has the opportunity to lead a healthy lifestyle. Structural racism poses obstacles
to achieving this ambitious goal by creating and upholding discriminatory systems, policies, and
practices, many of which perpetuate health disparities by race, ethnicity, and other identities.
Evidence for Action (E4A), a national program of RWJF, funds rigorous research that expands
the evidence needed to build a Culture of Health, with an explicit emphasis on advancing racial
equity.1 We recognize that 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, we partner with researchers, practitioners, community leaders, advocates,
and policymakers across the many sectors and domains that impact health and well-being 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.
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,
we also support our 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. Only through intentional and collaborative efforts to disrupt racism and translate research
to action can we hope to build a more just and equitable society and a Culture of Health.
THE PROGRAM
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. Our focus on racial equity means
we are concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being
1 Racial equity refers to the conditions in which race or ethnicity no longer predict a person’s ability to live a healthy life.
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander,
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+2 or a gender minority.
This funding is geared toward 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. It should be able to inform a specific
course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting
the extent of a problem.
While we will consider research on various aspects of health equity, we prioritize studies of
interventions that are designed to reduce race-based disparities (e.g., by confronting a root
cause of disparities or targeting benefits to those experiencing the greatest burdens). RWJF is
particularly interested in strategies focused on developing healthy and equitable communities;
supporting the needs of children, families, and caregivers; and fostering alignment among
health care, public health, and social service systems.
Examples of projects that may be a good fit for E4A include research to:
• Measure the impact of strategies that target structural or systemic inequities (e.g.,
reparations, eviction moratoria, anti-displacement-focused neighborhood revitalization) on
physical or mental health outcomes for marginalized populations;
• Determine whether changes in given practices (e.g., grassroots organizing, school
assignment, credit scoring, vaccine distribution) improve health and racial equity;
• Assess whether new policies or programs (e.g., public infrastructure investments, child tax
credits, police reforms) have differential health impacts across racial/ethnic groups;
• Replicate prior studies of interventions using samples of additional racial/ethnic groups, to
establish whether outcomes differ for different groups.
We are interested in estimates of both the effects of interventions on the health of specific
populations and their effects on improving health equity. Our preference is for studies that can
address both estimates.
Because some approaches to disrupting structural racism are in early stages of development or
trial, we will also consider other types of research that can inform action to advance racial
equity, which may include:
• Research to identify viable policy or programmatic responses to community needs and
priorities;
2 Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning; or an umbrella term used to refer to the community as a
whole.
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
• Pilot studies to demonstrate proof of concept or feasibility of promising novel initiatives
and/or provide early estimates of effectiveness;
• Implementation studies to improve the acceptability, sustainability, or scalability of initiatives
that promote racial equity;
• Development and validation of new key measures of racial equity that can be used to guide
and monitor progress toward equity goals.
These examples are intended to provide context and stimulate thinking, not to serve as rigid
guidelines or restrictions. Investigators are encouraged to submit innovative proposals using
any appropriate combination of research designs/methods, including quantitative, qualitative, or
mixed-methods approaches. We encourage studies that take advantage of natural experiments,
which involve changes in large-scale programs, policies, or practices that may provide unique
opportunities to establish causation.
Given the program’s focus on systemic and structural causes of inequities, applicants should
note that studies of interventions operating solely at the individual, household, or other
hyperlocal unit—for example, programs that encourage individuals to modify their personal
behavior in the absence of greater environmental or structural changes—are not a fit for E4A.
TOTAL AWARDS
There is not an explicit range for allowable budget requests. You should request the amount of
funding you will need to complete and disseminate findings from your proposed research
project—including direct and indirect costs for the entire duration of your grant. The size of the
budget will be weighed in relation to the importance and likely contribution of the proposed work.
Pilot studies and formative stage research are expected to correspond with lower budgets. As a
research funding program, E4A does not fund the costs of program implementation or
operations. Visit the Funded Projects section of our website for a sense of the budget range of
grants funded by E4A.
Grant periods are flexible up to 36 months; rare exceptions may be made for projects needing
up to 48 months if sufficient justification is provided. Our preference is for projects that produce
findings in the near term.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
• 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.
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
SELECTION CRITERIA
As an investigator-initiated program, E4A does not pose a specific set of research questions,
topics, or categories for funding. In general, research funded by E4A should apply a racial
equity “lens” in both its topic and approach. This means that research topics center the health
priorities of people or communities that have been impacted by structural racism; that problems
and solutions being studied are motivated and/or validated by people who are directly impacted;
and that the research process engages stakeholders at appropriate stages of the project.
Moreover, E4A-funded studies should be designed so that positive, negative, or null findings
can all be informative for policy or programmatic decision-making.
Studies will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
• Relevance—research aims are important to advancing racial equity and building a Culture
of Health; research can inform demonstrable policy or implementation priorities.
• Actionability—goes beyond theoretical implications and demonstrates potential for practical
and timely application in the real world; conditions (e.g., timing, relationships, windows of
opportunity) are favorable for translating findings to action; dissemination plans and tactics
are appropriate.
• Methodological rigor—studies designed to support causal inference are powered to detect
meaningful and plausible effect sizes, account for relevant context and covariates, and
include appropriate comparison groups; qualitative studies adhere to best practices in
design, sampling, analysis, and interpretation.
• Inclusion of health outcome measure(s)—outcomes may include diverse dimensions of
physical, mental, and socio-emotional health and well-being, or behaviors that are well
established as determinants of health and well-being, assessed using validated
instruments.
• Feasibility—evidence of timely access to appropriate data and/or study populations;
reasonable budgets, and timelines that account for sufficient and equitable engagement of
relevant stakeholders.
• Qualifications of team—expertise of academic researchers, practitioners, and individuals
or groups with issue-specific knowledge and experiences are integrated at appropriate
stages of the project; community members, advocates, policymakers, and/or other
stakeholders are engaged equitably and meaningfully.
Letters of intent (LOIs) will be evaluated based on the applicant’s ability to clearly articulate
these components. Full proposals will be evaluated based on more detailed explanations of
these elements, such as the context, justification, or needs that prompted the research question;
theoretical framework, conceptual model, or rationale that guides the design of the study;
specificity of the design or approach for sampling, data collection, and analyses; access to
needed data, settings and study populations; qualifications, experience, and track record of the
proposed team; plans for disseminating to and engaging community members, policymakers,
and other relevant stakeholders; and potential to make a meaningful commitment to advancing
racial equity. More detailed information can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions.
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
OUR EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITMENT
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is committed to building a Culture of Health that
provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. Achieving
this goal requires focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion. To that end, we are committed to
fostering diverse perspectives. We recognize that individuals’ perspectives are shaped by a host
of factors, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, age, socioeconomic
status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, familial status, education, religion,
legal status, military service, political affiliation, geography, and other personal and professional
experiences.
We know that the presence of diverse perspectives alone is not sufficient. Therefore, we also
are committed to creating inclusive environments where all individuals are encouraged to share
their perspectives and experiences. We believe that only through valuing our differences and
similarities, and remaining vigilant in advancing equity, will we be able to maintain an equitable
workplace and actively pursue equity in all aspects of our work. We commit to being continuous
learners and working alongside others to cultivate equity, diversity, and inclusion.
EXPECTATIONS FOR GRANTEES
E4A highly values peer learning, as well as dissemination of research to inform policy and other
decision-making. The following are expectations of all E4A-funded grantees:
• Pre-register the study—including research questions, hypotheses, main variables, and
analysis plan—on Open Science Framework (OSF) at the start of the grant period.
• Publish or disseminate findings, regardless of whether they are positive, negative, or null.
When publishing in peer-reviewed journals, ensure open access.
• Participate in periodic progress check-ins throughout the grant period with E4A national
program office (NPO) staff; present research findings to E4A leadership; and submit reports
annually.
• Attend up to two RWJF meetings annually (dates and locations vary).
• Participate in peer networking activities with other E4A and RWJF grantees. These activities
typically take place via virtual or online meetings.
• Build appropriate funds and time into the project budget and time line for stakeholder
engagement, conferences, meetings, and other forms of dissemination, including after
analyses are complete.
• Collaborate with the E4A team to develop and implement a strategy to disseminate findings
to and engage stakeholders both within and outside the research community. Dissemination
activities should go beyond publication in academic journals and include outreach to
relevant end users (e.g., white papers, policy briefs, op-eds, infographics, etc.).
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
OPEN ACCESS
In order to ensure RWJF-supported research is made accessible to a wide and diverse
audience, grantees who publish findings in peer-reviewed publications must do so in open
access journals and/or must include funds in their budgets to cover the cost of making the
resulting publications open-access (typically $2,000–$5,000 per manuscript).
USE OF GRANT FUNDS
Grant funds may be used for project staff salaries, consultant fees, data collection and analysis,
meetings, supplies, project-related travel, other direct project expenses, including a limited
amount of equipment essential to the project, and indirect costs to support the applicant
organization’s general operations. In keeping with RWJF policy, funds may not be used to
support clinical trials of unapproved drugs or devices, to construct or renovate facilities, for
lobbying, for political activities, or as a substitute for funds currently being used to support
similar activities. Additional budget guidelines are provided in the online application materials.
HOW TO APPLY
There are two phases in the competitive proposal process:
• Phase 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)—Applicants first must submit an LOI describing the proposed
research through RWJF’s online Application and Review system.
• Phase 2: Full Proposals—Applicants whose LOIs meet the outlined selection criteria are
invited to submit a full proposal narrative of up to 10 pages, along with a detailed budget,
dissemination plan, and other supplemental information.
All LOIs and full proposals for this solicitation must be submitted via the RWJF online system.
Visit http://www.rwjf.org/cfp/E4A3 and use the “Apply Online” link. If you have not already done
so, you will be required to register at my.rwjf.org before you begin the application process. All
applicants should log in to the system and familiarize themselves with online application
requirements.
At either the LOI or full proposal stage, the NPO may provide feedback or request further
clarification or revisions that would improve the proposal’s fit with E4A program goals.
Applicants whose LOIs do not meet certain selection criteria—but satisfy other criteria—may be
offered Technical Assistance (TA). Guidelines and information, including a list of frequently
asked questions, a description of TA services, and archived videos that provide an overview of
the CFP and grantmaking process are available on the E4A website.
APPLICATION TIME LINE
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 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. Funding recommendations will
generally be made within eight weeks of receipt of the full proposal. In circumstances when a
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
research opportunity is time sensitive, reviews may be expedited. An explanation of the time-
sensitive nature of the research should be included in the LOI application.
EVALUATION AND MONITORING
An independent research group selected and funded by RWJF will conduct an evaluation of the
program. As a condition of accepting RWJF funds, we require grantees to participate in the
evaluation.
Grantees are expected to meet RWJF requirements for the submission of narrative and financial
reports, as well as periodic information needed for overall project performance monitoring and
management. We may ask project directors to participate in periodic meetings and give
progress reports on their grants. At the close of each grant, the awardee is expected to provide
a written report on the project and its findings suitable for wide dissemination.
APPLICANT SURVEY PROCESS
The principal investigator of the proposal may be contacted after the submission deadline by
SSRS, an independent research firm. The principal investigator will be asked to complete a
brief, online survey about the proposal process and applicant characteristics. This voluntary
questionnaire will take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Responses provided to SSRS will
not impact the funding decision for your proposal in any way.
SSRS will protect the confidentiality of your responses. RWJF will not receive any data that links
your name with your survey responses.
PROGRAM DIRECTION
The Evidence for Action national program office is housed at the Center for Health and
Community at the University of California, San Francisco, and provides direction and overall
assistance for the program.
Email: evidenceforaction@ucsf.edu
Website: www.evidenceforaction.org
Please direct questions about the program, selection criteria, or application content to the NPO
staff. Email is the preferred method of contact. Please see the “How to Apply” section for
information about the online application process.
Responsible staff members at the national program office are:
• Amani Allen, PhD, MPH, director
• Erin Hagan, PhD, MBA, deputy director
Responsible staff members at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are:
• Claire Gibbons, PhD, MPH, senior program officer
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Call for Proposals
Proposal Deadline: Open
• Alonzo Plough, PhD, MPH, vice president, Research-Evaluation-Learning Unit and chief
science officer
• Tejal Shah, program financial analyst
This program has a national advisory committee that makes recommendations about grants to
RWJF staff. All final grant decisions are made by RWJF.
ABOUT THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION
For more than 45 years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health
and health care. We are working alongside others to build a national Culture of Health that
provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. For more
information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on
Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.
Sign up to receive email alerts on upcoming calls for proposals at www.rwjf.org/manage-your-
subscriptions.html.
50 College Road East
Princeton, NJ 08540-6614
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