Baltimore Health Equity Impact Grant -Request For Proposals

• Request for Proposals (print version)
• UHI's Guiding Principles & Best Practices for Community Engagement
• Questionnaire to determine if your project requires an IRB approval

Please use the provided templates:

• Cover Page
• Budget Form
• Faculty Advisor Checklist (for Student Applications)

All proposals need to include the following:

• Cover Page: Use the provided template above.
• Abstract: Provide a brief summary of the project. The abstract should not exceed 200 words.
• Project Narrative: The project narrative should not exceed 1800 words. The requested format is as follows:
  • Introduction
  • Specific aims: Including a clear statement of the research questions for research proposals, and a clear statement of project goals for program development. Specific aims should highlight the promotion of health equity in Baltimore.
  • Methods: Focusing on research methods for research projects and implementation plan for program development.
  • Dissemination plan: Outline the plan for sharing research findings and/or highlighting program successes and lessons learned.
• Community Impact: Provide a brief description of how the proposed work will advance health equity in Baltimore City. The community impact statement should not exceed 450 words and needs to include:
  • Geographic location: Indicate the specific Baltimore City community neighborhood(s) that this project will impact.
  • Partnerships: Describe how the proposed work will enhance university-community partnerships and support future activities to promote health equity.
• Proposed Budget: Use the provided template provided above. Include direct costs only, i.e., those costs that can be identified specifically with the project. Indirect costs are not permitted. At least 50% of the budget must be used to support the expenses of the community-based organization
• Budget Justification: Provide a narrative that clearly describes each cost element and explain how each cost contributes to meeting the project’s objectives/goals. Be sure to list all additional funding sources for this project. If any part of this project is currently funded or is pending funding by another source, list the funding organization, total support amount, and dates of support. The budget justification should not exceed 600 words.
• Biographical Sketches or brief resumes of Hopkins and Community Partners: Upload one file with biographical sketches or brief resumes for all persons contributing to the project. At least two biographical sketches/resumes must be included (one for the community partner and one for the university partner). Each biographical sketch/resume should be two pages or less and include: name, current contact information, and professional experience.

Johns Hopkins Partner Eligibility:

For student-community projects, all undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctorate students at the Johns Hopkins University are eligible to apply. The student must remain enrolled for the duration of the project. Student awardees are required to participate in the health equity training session. All student applicants must submit a signed faculty advisor checklist (see document list above).

For faculty projects, those who are eligible include scientists, research scientists, research associate faculty members, assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors of all schools of the Johns Hopkins University.

PLEASE NOTE: An individual can only receive one UHI Baltimore Health Equity Impact Grant (formerly, Small Grant) Award of each level during their career at the Johns Hopkins University.

Community Partner Eligibility:

All projects require at least one collaborating community-based organization in Baltimore and an individual identified within that organization who is a partner in the project.

Prior to applying, please verify that both the Johns Hopkins and community partners are able to remain involved throughout the course of the project. A change in partner status may lead to the forfeiture of funding.

Applications will be reviewed by a team of Hopkins faculty and staff, and Baltimore community members. A detailed review of each application will not be provided; rather, feedback will be limited to notification of grant award.

Review Considerations

Primary review consideration: Funded proposals will be those that will most successfully advance health equity and well-being of the residents of Baltimore, in the following UHI priority areas: cross-sectoral partnerships to address health equity and social determinants of health in employment, education, housing, and food access, leadership development, capacity-building in Baltimore’s community-based organizations, trauma and trauma-informed care, social disparities, race, and racism.

Funded proposals must show clear evidence that the collaborating community-based organization has been involved with the development of the proposed plan and explain how they will be involved for the duration of the project.

Additional Review Considerations:

• Those demonstrating they uphold the UHI's best practices for community engagement. 
• Implications for urban health locally, nationally, and internationally (e.g., how might the community and/or policymakers use the results of the project to improve the health of urban residents), including a plan for disseminating the results of the project.
• Potential to attract sustainable funding from other sources or to spark additional partnerships and projects that will build on results of the project (should be outlined in the proposal).

It is anticipated that the award announcement will be made in mid-January 2024.

Funding Specifications and Restrictions

Funding can be requested to support all activities justified in the budget. Awards are for a 12-month continuous budget. A one-time no-cost extension for up to one year may be granted by a written request with justification accompanied by a brief progress report.

Funding for Salary Support

Salary support for Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, and students should be listed in the Personnel section of the budget form; salary for new hires is not allowed. Funding for community collaborators should be made through alternative mechanisms (not payroll) and should be listed in the Consultant Costs section of the budget form.

Award Administration Information

Award notices will be issued by the administrative offices of the UHI, which will provide project oversight for the grant’s administration.

Grant funds will be administered through the Johns Hopkins partner’s home department. The UHI staff will work cooperatively with the department to transfer funds internally to simplify the process. Before submitting the application, it is required that the Johns Hopkins partner applicant meets with their home department to review this RFP and seeks approval for the budget and funds management.

All UHI Baltimore Health Equity Impact Grants Award recipients will be required to provide two reports: an interim progress report is due mid-way of the project (or six months after the start date, whichever comes sooner) and a final report of their project or study is due one month after the project end date. A final financial report may also be requested.

In addition, we ask that all Program Development grant final reports include a statement of lessons learned, and the Research grant final reports provide evidence of submitting a manuscript for publication. Applicants must agree to credit the UHI for any products and publications that result from the awards (e.g., “this project was supported through a grant from the Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute”).

A brief awardee presentation discussing the impact UHI funding has had on their communities and highlighting the benefits of collaborative multi-sector partnerships may be requested by the UHI.

Q&A Session for those Interested in Applying

We host Q&A Session for all interested in applying for this funding opportunity. You can view the recording from 2022 on our website here. During these session, we answered all submitted questions. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or further clarification might be needed. 

Question: Can two people work on an online application at the same time? Can my assistant upload files/proposal on my behalf?

Answer: Yes, please use the proxy functionality. To collaborate on the proposal, please add all people as proxies and choose one team member to be the main submitter. For more information, please visit this InfoReady webpage.

Tips for Writing a Strong Application

Applicants should consider the following:

• Does the project have a clearly stated goal?
• Are the proposed methods likely to achieve the project’s goals?
• Can the level of award realistically accomplish the work proposed?
• Is the dissemination plan clearly presented?
• Is there local support to use the information gleaned from the project?
• Are the implications for programs and/or policy articulated?
• Does the project have potential to attract sustainable funding from other sources?
• Does the proposed budget reflect significant participation from both partners?