Does your research impact healthcare in NC? Grants available

September 3, 2014

After a $3 million gift to support Wake Forest’s new campus-wide approach to health and wellbeing, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is offering grants to Wake Forest for research supporting the development of creative solutions to health care challenges.

BCBSNC has generously provided funding for a multi-year faculty research grant program on the Reynolda Campus. The primary focus of this award is to support the development of high impact, externally funded creative research approaches to address current problems in modern health care in North Carolina. Preliminary or pilot data are not required to apply. These funds can be used to support new aims of already existing sponsored projects.

Please send the Letter of Intent as an attachment to Susan Edwards (edwardss@wfu.edu) by Sept. 19. Contact Associate Provost of Research, Bruce King at 336- 758-5774 (or Susan Edwards at 336-758-4189) for questions or additional information.

Eligibility

All faculty of the Reynolda campus are eligible to apply and direct a research project. Collaborators from WFBSM and other universities may participate but cannot be the lead investigator. Funds cannot be spent on faculty salary at WFU or any other institution. Salary support of graduate students, post-doctorals or technicians is allowed. We anticipate a similar competition in FY16 with FY15 awards having the possibility of renewal.

Request for Letters of Intent (LOI)

Interested investigators are encouraged to submit a 2-page LOI that should describe the research problem, the importance of the problem and potential impact. Applicants should outline how the proposed project moves research in a particular field forward to impact health care needs within the North Carolina population. The LOI should define the research team, their roles and provide a rough budget. The LOI will be reviewed by the Provost’s office and selected investigators will be invited to submit a complete application in the basic form of Pilot Research Grant (PRG). Details and a timeline are provided below. Successful pilot projects will receive up to $50,000, to be spent within a one-year project period, with a possible one-year no cost extension.

Applicable Research Topics

Proposed research should fit within the broad interests of BCBSNC in the area of health care/prevention for North Carolinians that includes but is not limited to

• Patient engagement in their health (healthy behaviors, interventions) and health care (treatment plan, health maintenance)
• Decision making/behavioral economics
• Mental health
• Environmental and cultural impact on health
• Assessment strategies of success

Award Expectations

• A commitment to use pilot data to develop a subsequent extramural grant application
• Presentation of research in WFU and/or BCBSNC seminars.
• Provide a detailed annual progress report including return on investment data.
• Participation as a reviewer for future pilot grant reviews

Application Timeline

• LOI deadline: September 19, 2014
• Invitation to submit a complete pilot application: September 26, 2014
• Pilot application deadline: Oct 24, 2014
• Anticipated Award announcement: December 1, 2014
• Anticipated pilot award start date: January 1, 2015