Request for Pilot Proposals
Network on Life Course Health Dynamics and Disparities in 21st Century America
Due Date: Friday, August 4, 2023 @ 5:00pm EST
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Network on Life Course Health Dynamics and Disparities in 21st Century America (NLCHDD), funded by the National Institute on Aging, invites interested researchers to submit pilot proposals that have the potential to increase understanding of how US adult health and mortality outcomes are shaped by multiple (e.g., state and local) contexts simultaneously.
RESEARCH FOCUS
Health and mortality among middle-aged and older adults differ markedly across geographic areas of the United States. Pilot projects funded by the NLCHDD in past years examined why these outcomes differ across state contexts or across local contexts. In 2022 the NLCHDD began funding proposals that examined how multiple contexts jointly shape health and mortality of midlife and older adults. Examining multiple contexts is essential because it 1) reflects the reality that people are embedded in multiple contexts, each having independent or synergistic effects on adult health and mortality, and 2) can identify appropriately targeted strategies and interventions. Proposals might examine, for example, how state policy contexts affect adult health in rural versus urban counties; or how the relative importance of different contexts for health changes across the life course and differs by gender, race/ethnicity, and SES. The NLCHDD intends to fund 2-3 proposals this year that examine how multiple geographic contexts shape health and mortality of midlife and older adults.
Contextual Data Resources That May Be Useful
- The NLCHDD website contains a catalogue of contextual datasets.
- Geocoded versions of several NIA-funded datasets (HRS, PSID, NHATS) can be accessed via the Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging’s Virtual Data Users can request that the data can be linked to state and local contextual databases listed here.
- The NIA-funded National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (AddHealth) contains hundreds of contextual data files going back to the 1990s that facilitate the kinds of studies relevant to this pilot. The data are available via a restricted user contract.
- The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) has linked historical census data and a Contextual Data Resource Series to support research into the social, economic, and physical contexts of aging. These data are available via restricted user agreements.
THE NLCHDD
Now in its tenth year of operation, the NLCHDD is a research network funded by the National Institute on Aging that promotes population research to increase understanding of health dynamics and disparities in the United States. The network is led by Jennifer Ailshire (University of Southern California), Sarah Burgard (University of Michigan), Robert Hummer (University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill), and Jennifer Karas Montez (Syracuse University). Its members include emerging and established investigators, listed here, from universities around the country.
FORMAT OF PROPOSALS
Cover page with title and investigator’s name and an abstract that clarifies the value of theresearch; NIH Face-Page (Form Page 1); NIH biosketch for all key personnel; PHS 398 budget page and budget justification; and a 3-page proposal covering specific aims, significance, innovation, and research design/methods. Proposals using human subjects will need institutional IRB approval before funding is awarded. Note: When calculating total requested budget, IDC amount is part of the total budget and should be included on the budget form on the line that says “Consortium/Contractual Costs – Facilities and Administrative Costs.” Investigators may request total (direct + indirect) costs in the range of $35,000 – $50,000, with a limit of 8% on indirect costs (IDC). Funds can be used for research assistance, salaries, travel, data acquisition, etc. Principal Investigators must hold a PhD.
Additional Requirements:
- Subcontracts are not
- Proposals must be submitted to and approved by the Principal Investigator’s office of sponsored research and be signed by an institutional official to be considered for review.
- PIs must be affiliated with a S. university.
Submit proposals as a single PDF file by Friday, August 4, 2023, to agingnetwork@syr.edu.
TIMETABLE
- August 4, 2023: Proposals due to agingnetwork@syr.edu.
- Early September 2023: Notification of decisions and requests for IRB
- Early October 2023: Estimated earliest start date after receipt of IRB
- June 30, 2024: Latest end date of pilot
SELECTION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated for: 1) the quality of the proposed research; 2) contribution to the NLCHDD topic for the year; 3) likelihood that proposed work will result in K99/R00, K01, R03, or R01 funding within 2 years; 4) likelihood the research will result in important publications with insights into population health; and 5) credentials of investigators. Early stage and under- represented investigators are especially encouraged to apply.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES: Awardees are required: 1) to give an overview of their project’s findings and participate in the NLCHDD annual meeting on the Saturday afternoon/evening and Sunday (April 20-21, 2024) after the Population Association of America meeting in Columbus, OH; 2) to participate in future NLCHDD annual meetings and activities; and 3) to produce a written report upon completion of the project. Subsequent outcomes—such as grant funding and publications— must also be reported to the NLCHDD. All research resulting from the pilot must credit NIA grant R24AG045061 and all resulting articles must be submitted to PubMed Central.
For more information about scientific issues, please contact:
Jennifer Ailshire, University of Southern California (ailshire@usc.edu) Sarah Burgard, University of Michigan (burgards@umich.edu)
Robert Hummer, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (rhummer@email.unc.edu) Jennifer Karas Montez, Syracuse University (jmontez@syr.edu)
For information about administrative and budget issues, please contact: agingnetwork@syr.edu