Exploring Equitable Futures Grant Program

Exploring Equitable Futures Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Last Updated: January 05, 2026

Summary

The Exploring Equitable Futures Grant Program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, aims to transform health equity by addressing systemic racism. It supports innovative thinkers across various fields to envision a future where health is a right for all. By exploring social, technological, and economic trends, grantees are developing solutions that challenge existing barriers to health, fostering inclusive and accountable public health systems that benefit everyone in society.

Overview

Background The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. We have set three ambitious goals for our work: Economic Inclusion for Family WellbeingEquitable and Accountable Public Health and Healthcare SystemsHealthy and Equitable Community Conditions Making progress toward those Generational Goals requires changing the systems that underpin our society. Currently, those systems create and uphold inequity by placing more value on some lives than others, based on race, class, and other factors. To create a more equitable future, we must identify and dismantle structural racism in our systems. We must create space for health practitioners, community leaders, and researchers to rethink the way our systems work, dream up new possibilities, and put one foot in the future to anticipate opportunities or roadblocks that future may bring. Through our Ideas for an Equitable Future team, we support visionary thinkers—scientists, anthropologists, engineers, technologists, creatives, and others—who are imagining what the world might look like in the next 10 to 100 years.With our funding, they explore how those futures may unfold in ways that could slow down or speed up our collective efforts to dismantle structural racism and improve health equity. By applying this future-facing lens, our grantees are uncovering how emerging social, cultural, scientific, technological, environmental, and economic trends and forces could shape the future of health for everyone. They are also discovering and experimenting with cutting-edge ideas that have the potential to tear down barriers to health and wellbeing and reinvent our systems so that they work better for us all.

Eligibility

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Application Details

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
Exploring Equitable Futures
BACKGROUND
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is taking bold leaps to transform health in our
lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.
We have set three ambitious goals for our work:
• Economic Inclusion for Family Wellbeing
• Equitable and Accountable Public Health and Healthcare Systems
• Healthy and Equitable Community Conditions
Making progress toward those Generational Goals requires changing the systems that underpin
our society. Currently, those systems create and uphold inequity by placing more value on some
lives than others, based on race, class, and other factors. To create a more equitable future, we
must identify and dismantle structural racism in our systems. We must create space for health
practitioners, community leaders, and researchers to rethink the way our systems work, dream
up new possibilities, and put one foot in the future to anticipate opportunities or roadblocks that
future may bring.
Through our Ideas for an Equitable Future team, we support visionary thinkers—scientists,
anthropologists, engineers, technologists, creatives, and others—who are imagining what the
world might look like in the next 10 to 100 years. With our funding, they explore how those
futures may unfold in ways that could slow down or speed up our collective efforts to dismantle
structural racism and improve health equity.
By applying this future-facing lens, our grantees are uncovering how emerging social, cultural,
scientific, technological, environmental, and economic trends and forces could shape the future
of health for everyone. They are also discovering and experimenting with cutting-edge ideas
that have the potential to tear down barriers to health and wellbeing and reinvent our systems
so that they work better for us all.
Learn more about RWJF’s Generational Goals and our focus on systems change.
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 1 OF 7

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Exploring Equitable Futures call for proposals (CFP) is to support projects
that seed new and unconventional ideas that could radically advance health equity for
generations to come.
We aim to fund projects that:
• Explore the future by researching and experimenting with ideas that are ahead of the curve
or at the edge of our collective imagination;
• Shine a light on the emerging trends and forces that are shaping our future for better or
worse—and suggest ways to navigate them to mitigate harm and advance health equity;
• Dream big and challenge conventional wisdom to surface possibilities and uncover new
paths to dismantle structural racism and build a more equitable future.
These projects should address one or more of RWJF’s Prioritized Systems.
We are particularly interested in projects that seed new and unconventional ideas within the
Health Science Knowledge System—or that reimagine this system completely. At RWJF, we
believe that the knowledge and evidence that’s needed to guide better decisionmaking, as well
as policies that influence health, must include wisdom generated and shared by communities,
including those that have been traditionally ignored or undervalued. With our grantees and
partners, we are working to transform the way we produce, share, and use health evidence so
that it is rooted in equity and justice. As such, we are interested in projects that explore
questions such as, but not limited to:
• How might trends, such as artificial intelligence and decreasing trust in institutions impact
efforts to transform the Health Science Knowledge System?
• How might a reimagined Health Science Knowledge System produce knowledge that
advances health equity? In a desired future, who gets to frame research questions? How
does research reflect the priorities and concerns of community members? What qualifies as
evidence?
• How might new structures, processes, and incentives ensure the future Health Science
Knowledge System produces, validates, disseminates, and applies evidence to improve
health?
Learn more about the kinds of ideas funded in the past by the Ideas for an Equitable Future
team at www.rwjf.org/ideasforthefuture.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Preference will be given to applicants that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or Type III supporting organizations.
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 2 OF 7

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
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.
SELECTION CRITERIA
This CFP calls for a Brief Proposal Application as a first step. We evaluate these Brief
Proposals based on the extent to which the proposed project seeds an idea that (1) is new and
unconventional and (2) meaningfully advances health equity.
Here are the kinds of questions we ask as we review a Brief Proposal. This broad list is
intended to help you assess whether your proposed project is a good fit for this CFP. We
recognize that no single project will likely answer all of these questions.
Idea:
• Does this project deepen or shift our understanding of possible futures?
• Does it represent a new way of thinking or doing—something that has not been tried before?
• Does it imagine just, healthy futures and take action to make those futures real?
• Does it have the potential to disrupt or reinvent existing systems?
• Is it an idea or solution that is on the fringe or ahead of its time?
• Is there potential for this idea to be a catalyst for meaningful change?
Health equity focus:
• Does this project address one or more of the Foundation’s three goals to advance health
equity (make public health and healthcare more equitable; strengthen communities; and
ensure that families can thrive)?
• Does this project align with RWJF’s Strategic Framework to achieve health equity?
• Is there potential for this project to be a catalyst for health equity?
• Does this project have a focus on the Health Science Knowledge System or one or more of
RWJF’s other Prioritized Systems?
• Does the project team have a deep understanding of the system(s) that the project seeks to
address?
• Does this project seek to dismantle structural racism and other structural barriers to health
equity?
• Does the proposal demonstrate an understanding of structural racism?
• Does the proposal demonstrate an understanding of community power and how to engage
meaningfully with community members?
• Does the project team have the practical experience and expertise to understand the root
causes of the problems they are tackling and the context in which they are working?
We encourage you to consider carefully whether your idea is a good fit for this funding
opportunity. In addition to reading this call for proposals, please visit Exploring Equitable
Futures CFP Resources at www.rwjf.org/cfp/Ideas. You’ll be able to preview a sample Brief
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 3 OF 7

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
Proposal Application and read program-specific FAQs about the Exploring Equitable Futures
CFP and general FAQs about applying for a grant.
Note that we receive far more proposals than we can support, and a large majority of those are
centered on ideas that are already widely practiced—rather than new and unconventional
ideas—and thus, are not a good fit for this funding opportunity.
Other activities this CFP does not fund include, but are not limited to:
• Direct healthcare delivery or services, such as hospital or clinic charity care
• Direct services that work to meet basic needs, such as food or goods distribution
• Clinical interventions, including app-based interventions and diagnostic apps
• Clinical trials
• Theoretical research, or purely lab-based activities that are not linked to systems impact or
practical applications
• Sustaining or expanding existing programs, such as extracurricular activities, recreational
activities, community educational programs, medical pathways programs, and others
• Transportation services for healthcare clinics, hospitals, or other programs
• Capital projects, such as the renovation or purchasing of a facility or building
APPLICATION PROCESS
There are two phases in this competitive proposal process:
• Phase 1: Brief Proposal: Applicants must submit a Brief Proposal with a project description
and summary and include a preliminary budget.
• Phase 2: Full Proposal: Select Phase 1 applicants will be invited to submit a Full Proposal
accompanied by a detailed budget, budget narrative, and additional information.
To respond to this call for proposals, you will need to submit a Brief Proposal Application. After
review, we will invite select applicants to move to Phase 2 and submit a Full Proposal.
We evaluate those Full Proposals using the Brief Proposal selection criteria outlined above,
along with the following additional criteria:
• Qualifications and experience of the project team and appropriateness of disciplines and
perspectives represented;
• Plan for engaging members of the communities that will be impacted by the work in the
planning and execution of the project;
• Appropriateness of proposed budget and project timeline, including the realistic feasibility of
completing the project within the specified funding period;
• Approach for communicating, disseminating, and translating findings to advocates,
decisionmakers, policymakers, and community members, if applicable;
• Review of financial statements and tax status to ensure compliance with IRS regulations.
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 4 OF 7

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
HOW TO APPLY
Brief Proposal Applications for this solicitation must be submitted via the RWJF online system.
Visit www.rwjf.org/cfp/Ideas and click on the “Apply Online” link. If you have not already done
so, you will need to register at my.rwjf.org before you begin the application process. You will
receive an email invitation with a link to the RWJF online system and additional instructions. To
begin your Brief Proposal Application, select the link in the email and follow the instructions.
During the application process, applicants may send questions to ideasforthefuture@rwjf.org.
Prior to asking a question, please review the program-specific FAQs about the Exploring
Equitable Futures CFP and the general FAQs about applying for a grant at
www.rwjf.org/cfp/Ideas. Due to the volume of proposals we receive, RWJF does not
provide individual critiques of proposals submitted.
TOTAL AWARDS
There is no set number of awards or set award amount under this opportunity. You should
request the amount of funding you will need to complete your proposed project—including direct
and indirect costs—for the entire duration of your grant. While there is no standard award size
for a grant awarded through this CFP, in 2023, grants awarded by RWJF’s Ideas for an
Equitable Future team, including those awarded through this CFP, were generally between
$250,000–$500,000. Grant periods typically range from one to three years.
USE OF GRANT FUNDS
Award funds should cover actual costs of the project including personnel and other direct costs.
If the grantee is a public charity, grant funds will also cover 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,
and for lobbying or political activities.
OUR EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITMENT
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is working to take bold leaps to transform health in our
lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.
Achieving this goal requires focusing 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.
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 5 OF 7

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
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.
MONITORING
RWJF monitors our grantees’ efforts and careful stewardship of grant funds to assure
accountability. Grantees may be required to submit periodic narrative and financial reports.
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). See our Open
Access policy for more information.
PROGRAM DIRECTION
Direction and technical assistance for this program are provided by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation. Responsible staff members at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are: Lori
Melichar, senior director; Sabrina Ton, program associate; Shakila Woltz, grants management
specialist; Sharleen Rajput, program financial analyst; Jody Struve, senior communications
officer. Please direct inquiries to ideasforthefuture@rwjf.org.
KEY DATES AND DEADLINES
Brief Proposal Applications will be accepted between February 3, 2025 and October 15, 2025,
on a rolling basis. All Brief Proposal Applications will be reviewed. We strive to get back to
applicants as quickly as possible. Depending on the volume of proposals received at any given
time, applicants can expect to receive a response as to whether they are invited to submit a Full
Proposal or have been turned down as early as one month, and no later than six months after
receipt of Brief Proposals. Any Brief Proposal Applications started in the system, but not
submitted by October 15, 2025 at 3 p.m. ET, will be discarded.
Late submissions will not be accepted for any reason. While late submissions will not be
accepted, RWJF may choose, at its sole discretion, to extend the proposal deadline for all
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 6 OF 7

2025 Call for Proposals
Brief Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2025 (3 p.m. ET)
applicants. Such extensions generally will be granted only in the event of (1) a verified issue
with the RWJF proposal system that prevented completion and submission of proposals; or (2)
a disaster, emergency, or significant internet outage that affects one or more regions. For
purposes of this policy, a region is generally considered to be one or more states. RWJF strives
to give all applicants any support needed to successfully submit their proposal prior to the
deadline. Submission is defined as all sections completed, marked “Finished,” the proposal
“Submit” button used, and the proposal status shows “Submitted.” If the deadline is extended for
any reason, the extension will be posted on the funding opportunity page at rwjf.org. In addition,
an email will be sent to all individuals that have started a proposal in the RWJF online system.
ABOUT THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION
RWJF is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our
lifetime. Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side
with communities, practitioners, and institutions to get to health equity faster and pave the way,
together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.
For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.
Sign up to receive email alerts on upcoming calls for proposals at https://www.rwjf.org/email-
subscriptions.html.
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Princeton, NJ 08540-6614
© 2025 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | CFP: IDEAS FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE | FEBRUARY 2025 7 OF 7