2027 Maternal Smoking Cessation Initiative (MSCI) Award
Forecasted
2027 Maternal Smoking Cessation Initiative (MSCI) Award supports community-academic teams developing culturally tailored interventions to reduce commercial tobacco use during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Funder: University of California
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2027 (Letter of intent) | October 2027 (Full partnered application)
Funding Amounts: Up to $600,000 annually in direct costs for up to 3 years ($300,000 per Co-PI annually)
Summary: Supports California community–academic partnerships developing and evaluating culturally tailored commercial tobacco cessation interventions for pregnant individuals.
Key Information: Limited competition, by invitation only, requiring one Community Co-PI and one Academic Co-PI.
Description
The University of California’s Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) administers the Partnered Maternal Smoking Cessation Initiative Award to advance equity-centered, community-engaged research. It supports developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally responsive behavioral cessation interventions during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. Projects focus on communities disproportionately affected by commercial tobacco exposure, tobacco-related illness, adverse maternal outcomes, and structural barriers such as poverty and limited healthcare access.
The initiative emphasizes equitable shared leadership, community involvement throughout research, and translation into healthcare and community practice. Priorities include culturally appropriate recruitment and retention, digital and mobile cessation support, implementation outcomes, dissemination, and long-term sustainability. Commercial tobacco use excludes ceremonial use of traditionally grown tobacco.
