Funder: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Due Dates: May 28, 2025 (Rapid Response brief proposal) | July 16, 2025 (New Research letter of intent) | December 17, 2025 (New Research full proposal by invitation)
Funding Amounts: Rapid Response awards: $50,000–$200,000 for up to 2 years; New Research awards: approximately $250,000 or $500,000 for up to 3 years.
Summary: Funds research evaluating interventions that reduce race-based health disparities and address upstream causes of racial inequity.
Key Information: Two funding tracks: Rapid Response for projects losing federal funding, and New Research for community-based organizations leading action-oriented studies. Applications accepted on a rolling basis with structured deadlines.
Description
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Evidence for Action (E4A) program supports innovative research aimed at advancing racial and Indigenous health equity in the United States. This grant opportunity focuses on evaluating interventions that counteract structural and systemic racism, address upstream causes of health inequities, and reduce race-based disparities in health and well-being outcomes.
E4A prioritizes research that is community-centered and action-oriented, emphasizing partnerships with affected communities to shift power dynamics and build community ownership of research and systems change. The program seeks to fund studies that explore root causes of inequities such as housing, education, food access, employment, and healthcare, recognizing the cultural assets and leadership within marginalized communities.
There are two main funding tracks:
- Rapid Response Research: Designed to support health equity research projects that have lost federal funding. This track helps sustain ongoing research efforts disrupted by funding shifts.
- New Research Support: Focused on community-based organizations (CBOs) with a strong track record in racial and Indigenous health equity work to lead new, action-oriented research projects.
The program aims to build an actionable evidence base to inform fair systems—laws, policies, norms, and power structures—that determine resource distribution and promote health equity.
Due Dates
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Rapid Response Research:
- May 2, 2025: Optional applicant webinar (registration required)
- May 28, 2025 (3 p.m. ET): Deadline for brief proposals
- Week of July 14, 2025: Notification of review decisions
- September 1, 2025: Grant start date
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New Research Support:
- May 2, 2025: Optional applicant webinar (registration required)
- July 16, 2025 (3 p.m. ET): Deadline for letters of intent
- Week of August 25, 2025: Notification of invitation to submit full proposals
- December 17, 2025 (3 p.m. ET): Deadline for full proposals (by invitation only)
- Week of February 16, 2026: Notification of review decisions
- April 15, 2026: Grant start date
Funding Amount
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Rapid Response Research:
- Award range: $50,000 to $200,000
- Duration: Up to 24 months
- Funds may cover salaries, community partner support, data collection, analysis, dissemination, travel, supplies, and indirect costs.
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New Research Support:
- Approximately eight awards expected:
- Four grants at $250,000 each
- Four grants at $500,000 each
- Duration: Up to 36 months
- Funds cover all research-related costs including staff, participant involvement, consultants, data activities, dissemination, meetings, supplies, and indirect costs.
Note: Funds cannot be used for clinical trials of unapproved drugs/devices, construction/renovation, lobbying, or non-research program operations.
Eligibility
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General:
- Lead applicant organization must be based in the United States or its territories.
- Submissions from teams with both U.S. and international members are eligible, but research must focus on U.S. health equity.
- Eligible organizations include institutes of higher education, public entities, nonprofits (501(c)(3)), and other nonprofit or for-profit organizations.
- RWJF may require additional documentation.
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Rapid Response Research:
- Applicants must have had health equity research projects that lost federal funding (documentation required).
- Project Directors from underrepresented backgrounds (Indigenous, Black, Latino, other persons of color) are especially encouraged.
- Priority given to early to midcareer antiracist or anticolonial researchers within 10 years of highest degree or up to 2 years post-tenure.
- Project Directors cannot be currently funded by RWJF for more than 25% of their salary.
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New Research Support:
- Lead applicant must be a community-based organization (CBO) with a strong track record in racial and/or Indigenous health equity.
- Eligible CBOs include 501(c)(3) organizations, certain for-profits, local/state government agencies, and tribal organizations.
- Universities and research institutions cannot be lead applicants but may partner as contractors or fiscal sponsors.
- Fiscal sponsorship is allowed if needed.
Application Process
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Rapid Response Research:
- Submit a brief proposal by May 28, 2025.
- Review and notification by mid-July.
- Grants start September 1, 2025.
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New Research Support:
- Submit a two-page letter of intent (LOI) by July 16, 2025.
- Invitations to submit full proposals sent by late August.
- Full proposals due December 17, 2025 (by invitation only).
- Notification of awards by mid-February 2026.
- Grants start April 15, 2026.
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Payment is generally milestone or budget-based rather than invoice-based.
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Additional resources such as sample proposals, budget guidelines, and FAQs are available on the RWJF website.
Additional Information
- The program emphasizes research that is socially and community engaged, prioritizing knowledge and leadership from historically marginalized racial and Indigenous communities.
- Biomedical, clinical, and bench science projects are not eligible; focus is on social science and applied research.
- The program supports building research capacity and intellectual contributions such as advisory boards and community input processes.
- RWJF policy prohibits funding for lobbying, political activities, or construction.
External Links
Contact Information