Maternal Smoking Cessation Initiative (MSCI)
Maternal Smoking Cessation Initiative (MSCI) supports community–academic teams developing culturally tailored tobacco cessation interventions for pregnant Californians to improve maternal and infant health.
Funder: University of California - Office of The President
Due Dates: August 20, 2026 (Letter of Intent) | October 29, 2026 (Full Partnered Application)
Funding Amounts: Up to $600,000 per year in direct costs for up to 3 years ($300,000 per Co-PI annually)
Summary: Supports community–academic partnerships developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally tailored tobacco cessation interventions for pregnant individuals in disproportionately impacted California communities.
Key Information: Limited competition: applications are by invitation only.
Description
The Maternal Smoking Cessation Initiative (MSCI) is administered by the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) within UCOP’s Research Grants Program Office. It supports equity-centered, translational research to improve maternal and infant health through culturally responsive commercial tobacco cessation interventions. The focus is pregnant individuals in communities disproportionately affected by tobacco exposure, tobacco-related illness, adverse maternal outcomes, and structural and social inequities.
The 2027 Partnered-MSCI Award funds jointly led community–academic research with shared governance and Community Advisory Board guidance. Projects should build on prior pilot findings or other supporting evidence and generate actionable results for practice and policy. Priorities include behavioral cessation during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period, culturally tailored recruitment and retention, digital or mobile support, implementation-focused evaluation, and sustainable adoption in healthcare and community settings.
