Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities Seed Grant Program
Forecasted
Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities Seed Grant Program supports community organizations and academic partnerships in building research capacity and conducting pilot research to address health inequities.
Funder: Northwestern University
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $62,500 awarded across 11 grants in 2026; project durations of 6 months, 12 months, or 2 years
Summary: Supports community-driven research capacity, partnerships, and pilot research addressing health inequities in Chicagoland communities.
Key Information: Partnership Development and Research Pilot grants require a community organization lead and a Northwestern academic lead.
Description
The Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) at Northwestern University supports research driven by Chicagoland communities most impacted by health inequities. Its Seed Grant Program builds community research capacity, develops community-academic partnerships, and advances collaborative research projects. The program emphasizes addressing inequities in projects, partnerships, and practices while laying the groundwork for community impact and improving the trustworthiness, relevance, quality, and impact of health research.
Three grant categories support different stages of this work: community organizations preparing for research, newly developing partnerships building relationships and shared research interests, and existing partnerships conducting pilot research. Beginning in 2025, grantees also participate in a pilot Seed Grant Support Program offering coaching, capacity-building sessions, cohort connections, and resources for designing, implementing, and sharing community-driven research.
