Research Projects in Population Health

Overview

The Population Health and Equity Research Institute (PHERI) seeks to expand the pool of population health research through this pilot grant program. The program will provide seed funding for investigators to fund projects in population health. Upon completion of the program, recipients are expected to use pilot project results to seek independent funding to advance their projects.

Revised application date: April 19, 2025

Application Criteria

  • Research project involving population health
  • Principal investigator employed by The MetroHealth System
  • Principal investigator and co-investigators certified in CREC
  • Principal investigator and co-investigators registered with the MetroHealth Institutional Review Board
  • A letter from the PI’s Department Chair And, providing a statement about how the project aligns with MetroHealth’s Priorities. And, for clinician PIs, a statement agreeing to provide 10% protected research time for the PI [This time is paid for through the grant].
  • A researcher from PHERI faculty as a co-investigator or consultant as part of the project
  • Principal investigator cannot have received a PHERI Pilot Grant Award in the last 3 years

Recipients will follow the human subject research protection policies of The MetroHealth System. Recipients will also comply with institutional policies regarding potential conflicts of interest. Recipients who are planning clinical trials will be required to register for the trial at ClinicalTrials.gov prior to enrollment of participants.

Competitive applications are well written, clearly articulate the population being addressed and the problem the population faces, are collaborative, are methodologically rigorous, show potential to positively affect the health of targeted populations, and are likely to lead to external funding.  It is strongly encouraged that applicants engage patients/caregivers or community organizations in the development, implementation, and dissemination activities of their proposals.

Grant Applications

Applications will be submitted electronically using the CTSC Pilot Grant Program’s InfoReady online site [The InfoReady site we go live on January 6, 2025]. You can sign into the site with your CWRU email address or register using your MetroHealth email. Once you have logged onto the InfoReady site, search for the Population Health and Equity Pilot Program and click it on.

Applications are to be no longer than 7 pages. They will include an abstract (350 words), specific aims page, background/significance, innovation, research methods, future grant and dissemination plan, references, human subjects research, planned enrollment table, data safety and monitoring, support letters, NIH biosketches for key personnel, budget, and budget justification. If the applicant currently has grant funding and would use the PHERI Pilot Grant to supplement the current grant, a one page description about how the PHERI Pilot Grant award is different and from the current grant. Only the specific aims, background/significance, innovation, research methods, and future grant and dissemination plan sections are included in the 7-page limit.

Important Dates

  • New date - Application due April 19, 2025 via CTSC Pilot Grant Program’s InfoReady online site
  • InfoReady site goes live January 6, 2025
  • Optional Information Meeting: February 19, 2025. Contact Nakeesha Bradley at [email protected] for meeting time and Zoom link
  • Panel Review: May 28, 2025
  • Announcement of New awards July 2025
  • Awarded grants start date: October 1, 2025

Grant Selection Process

The grant selection process will be peer-reviewed. The review panel will be diverse and consist of members of The Population Health and Equity Research Institute with representation from the 3 core centers (Center for Health Care Research and Policy, Center Health Equity, Engagement, Education and Research, and the Center for Clinical Informatics Research and Education), The Population Health Innovations Institute of The MetroHealth System, other researchers throughout the institution and Case Western Reserve University community.

Additional members will be solicited based on the expertise needed to review submitted applications optimally. Members will receive training prior to each grant selection meeting. Prior to the grant meeting, 3 panel members will review each application. Grants will be scored using the 9-point NIH rating scale (1 = exceptional, 5 = average, 9 = poor) in 4 categories: significance/innovation, approach/feasibility, likelihood of leading to subsequent funding, and budget.

An overall impact score will be assigned that encompasses the rating assigned to all 5 categories but will not simply be an average of the scores. During the panel meeting, all panel members will assign an impact score to each application unless they are recused due to a potential conflict of interest. All applicants will receive a summary of the grant review, including the impact score. Applicants who are not funded will be encouraged to reapply.

Special consideration will give to applicants that include the engagement of patients/caregivers or a community organization and to applicants who are new to population research.

 

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