Environmental Health Pilot Grant Program – Applications Due 6 April 2015

Environmental Health Pilot Grant Program – Applications Due 6 April 2015

March 6, 2015 grant funding 0

CEED, in collaboration with EOHSI, is soliciting applications for its 2015 Pilot Project Program.  Pilot funding supports new environmental health research with the potential to improve human health.

The mission of CEED is to understand how environmental exposures are integrated with host and environmental factors to influence human diseases. Further, to use this information to improve human health through education, outreach, and mechanistically based intervention, prevention, and treatment modalities.

This year’s request for proposals encourages interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to problems in the environmental health sciences, including involvement of the Community Outreach and Engagement Core (COEC).  For examples of recent pilot projects, see the CEED pilot project program page.


New Requirements of Pilot Program Project:
  1. A new format for the NIH biosketch is required (see below)
  2. Preference will be given to projects that will be competitive for NIEHS grants
  3. Pilot Project recipients must apply for NIH, and preferable NIEHS, grant funding within 1 year following the end of the pilot project funding period (i.e no later than March 2017).

A maximum of $15,000 will be available for each grant; however, budgetary justification and potential for NIEHS funding will be a significant component in reviewing these grants.

The program is open to all Rutgers faculty members, with special consideration given to new faculty members.  Membership in the NIEHS Center or in EOHSI is not required. However, collaborative projects with CEED/EOHSI members are strongly encouraged.


Application Procedures

Each proposal must include the following components:

Project Narrative: up to four pages (single-spaced, 11 pt. font, 1-inch margins):

  • A. Title of Project
  • B. Investigators (include names, titles, addresses, e-mail and phone numbers)
  • C. Hypothesis
  • D. Background and significance
  • E. Specific Aims, with timeline
  • F. Methods and data analysis:
    • IRB/IACUC: Projects involving human or animal subjects must have protocols pre-reviewed for adherence to IRB/IACUC requirements, by department or EOHSI senior faculty
  • G. Expected Results, Outcomes:
    • To enhance scientific discovery relevant to environmental health; publications; grant applications to NIH, especially NIEHS
  • H. Relevance to NIEHS Center
  • I. Planned Use of NIEHS Facility Cores
  • J. References
  • K. Biosketch, NIH format (Please note that this is the new format required by NIH – download a blank biosketch form and a sample biosketch.)

Budget: up to two pages:

  • L. Budget – Direct Costs only – Indirect costs are not permissible
  • M. Budget Justification
  • N. Other Support Page, NIH format (download a blank form)

Budget Considerations:

  • No equipment, travel, graduate student stipends, or faculty salary will be supported.
  • Awards will not be granted to the same investigators more than 2 years consecutively.
  • Undergraduate stipends up to $6,000/year ($3,000/semester) are allowable.

Review Process

Review of the Pilot Grant proposals will take place in April 2015. The Director of the Pilot Project Program will first review all applications to determine if the application meets the basic criteria, and will triage any non-adherent applications immediately. All eligible applications will be sent out for review by internal and external reviewers. Applicants may be asked to give a 10-minute presentation of their project to the Review Committee. Successful applications will be funded by May 1, 2015.

Awards and Reporting

Successful applicants will be sent award letters, including instructions regarding expenditure of funds, by May 1, 2015. All funds must be spent by March 1, 2016, at which time awardees must provide an interim progress report. By one year post-funding, funded applicants will be required to give an oral presentation of the project outcome at an NIEHS Center members’ meeting, and provide evidence of grant submission.

Inquiries and Submission of Proposals

Please e-mail your application by April 1, 2015 to:
Kimi Nakata, MPH, MSSW, NIEHS Center Administrator
PHONE – (848) 445-0194 | FAX – (732) 445-0922 | E-mail: knakata@eohsi.rutgers.edu