RFA 26-1: Assessing the Impacts of Strategies to Reduce Traffic-Related Emissions in the United States
RFA 26-1: Assessing the Impacts of Strategies to Reduce Traffic-Related Emissions in the United States supports researchers evaluating measures to reduce emissions and improve air quality and population exposure.
Funder: Health Effects Institute
Due Dates: June 15, 2026 (Preliminary application) | October 13, 2026 (Invited full application)
Funding Amounts: $3 million total, including indirect costs, across a small number of studies lasting 1–3 years
Summary: Supports research assessing how strategies, policies, and actions to reduce traffic-related emissions affect air quality, population exposure, and optionally health in the United States.
Key Information: Full applications are by invitation only following preliminary application review.
Description
The Health Effects Institute (HEI) funds studies evaluating existing, newly implemented, or realistic proposed strategies to reduce traffic-related emissions and related air pollution in the United States. Relevant measures include emission-control technologies, fleet turnover and electrification, fuel changes, pricing policies, traffic management, public transit, transportation planning, roadside vegetation, and sustainable growth. There is no preference for electrification.
Studies must develop methods, frameworks, or scenarios that account for changes over time in vehicle fleets, the electric grid, populations, or other relevant factors, then quantify effects on emissions, air quality, and population exposure. Depending on the strategy, quantifying air quality and exposure alone is acceptable. Estimating health impacts is optional. Accountability studies, natural experiments, health impact assessments, measurement studies, and modeling studies are within scope at national, regional, tribal, state, or local scales.
