From Insight to Action: Health Equity Research That Meets This Moment Grant Program

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to improving health and advancing equity across the United States. Through its funding, research support, and partnerships, the foundation seeks to dismantle structural barriers that prevent individuals and communities from achieving optimal health. This call for proposals, titled From Insight to Action: Health Equity Research That Meets This Moment, is part of a broader initiative known as Health Equity Research for Action. The program is designed to support research that not only studies health inequities but actively contributes to solutions that address systemic and structural drivers of those inequities. The initiative is administered in collaboration with national coordinating centers at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and the Morehouse School of Medicine. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support community-rooted, action-oriented research that directly informs systems-level change. The foundation emphasizes research that identifies root causes of structural discrimination, counters harmful narratives, and responds to the growing presence of misinformation. Proposals must go beyond descriptive research and instead test or implement interventions, policies, or systems-level approaches that can improve health outcomes. The program prioritizes research conducted in equitable partnerships between academic or research institutions and community organizations, ensuring that affected communities play a central role in shaping research questions, methods, and dissemination strategies. Funding for this opportunity totals up to eight million dollars, with individual awards of up to five hundred thousand dollars per project. Approximately twenty awards are expected to be made, depending on the scope and scale of proposed projects. The grant period may extend up to thirty-six months. Funds may be used for a wide range of research-related activities, including personnel, community partner compensation, data collection and analysis, travel, dissemination, and indirect costs. However, restrictions apply, including limitations on programmatic costs, which cannot exceed fifteen percent of the total budget, and prohibitions on funding construction, lobbying, or clinical trials of unapproved products. Eligibility is limited to organizations based in the United States or its territories. Applicants must demonstrate an established community partnership of at least two years, with at least one co-principal investigator representing a community-based organization. While a range of organizational types may apply, preference is given to nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) and public entities. Only one organization may serve as the lead applicant. The program encourages participation from individuals and teams with diverse lived experiences and backgrounds historically underrepresented in research. The application process is structured in two phases. Applicants must first submit a letter of intent outlining the proposed research, partnership structure, and preliminary design. Selected applicants will then be invited to submit a full proposal, including a detailed research plan, budget, governance structure, and supporting documentation. Required materials include letters of support, evidence of partnership, and detailed descriptions of research methods and dissemination strategies. Applications are submitted through the foundation’s online system, and applicants must register prior to submission. Proposals are evaluated based on several criteria, including the strength of community engagement, potential for systems-level impact, clarity of action-oriented research design, quality of the communication and dissemination plan, and organizational capacity to manage the project. The foundation also places emphasis on feasibility, ensuring that projects can be completed within the proposed timeframe and budget. Selected grantees are expected to actively participate in program activities, including reporting, evaluation, and collaborative learning sessions, and to share findings in accessible formats to inform policy and community action. The timeline for this opportunity includes a letter of intent deadline of May 14, 2026, followed by invitations for full proposals by June 29, 2026. Full proposals are due July 27, 2026, with final award decisions announced on August 21, 2026. Projects are expected to begin in Fall 2026. Applicants may direct questions to the program email, and a pre-recorded webinar is made available to support applicants in understanding the requirements.

Ensure strong community partnership with shared governance; focus on actionable systems change rather than descriptive research; align research with RWJF prioritized systems; demonstrate clear dissemination strategy for policy and community impact