Deadline:

Dec 2, 2008 - Closed

Program Area:

Coverage

Purpose:

The Coverage Team at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is accepting proposals on a broad range of applicant-initiated projects related to national health reform. Up to $2 million will be allocated to support grants of up to $400,000 each. The grant period will begin May 2009 and extend for up to two years.

RWJF is committed to working to ensure that every American has stable, affordable health care coverage. Forty-six million Americans, including 9 million children, are uninsured, and millions more are at risk of losing health care coverage. Moreover, Americans, whether insured or not, are suffering from greater financial distress from the burden of rising health care costs. RWJF is encouraged, however, about the nation's renewed interest in health care reform.

This call for proposals will fund projects that will increase the likelihood that the nation's health care debate will lead to solutions and build momentum to drive federal policy-makers to act. In order for the debate to be successful, there are critical issues that need to be addressed, including a better understanding of how to design, implement, administer and sustain policies to expand health care coverage. We want to hear what ideas you and your organization may have to address and support efforts related to national health care reform.

Projects must be relevant to federal health care reform and may include:

• evaluations of timely policy changes;
• research and policy analyses that can advance the debate and lead to solutions;
• development and testing of new tools, models and policies to expand health insurance coverage;
• coalition building and convening; and
• strategic communications to disseminate policy ideas.

This solicitation involves a two-step process: (1) submission of an abbreviated brief proposal; and, if selected, (2) submission of a full proposal.

Program Information:

• Call for Proposals

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

Eligibility criteria include the following:

• Preference will be given to applicants that are either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories at the time of application.

Several factors will be taken into consideration in reviewing the brief proposals. This includes the degree to which the project:

• furthers the goal to ensure stable and affordable health care coverage for all Americans;
• is relevant and timely;
• makes a unique contribution to the field; and
• is feasible and sustainable.

For the full proposal, the following will also be taken into consideration:

• Clarity of project goals, hypotheses, methods and outcomes.
• Evidence of access to needed data and populations.
• Documentation of experience, qualifications and time commitment of the investigator(s) and key project staff.
• Appropriateness of proposed budget and feasibility of project timeline.
• Description of a plan for prompt dissemination of research findings to policy-makers and other relevant stakeholders.

Proposals will be reviewed by RWJF staff and, in some cases, external reviewers who will be chosen based on their experience in the area on which the proposal focuses. All funding decisions will be made by RWJF. RWJF does not provide individual critiques for proposals submitted.

Key Dates:

• December 2, 2008 (3 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of brief proposals.
• Mid-December 2008—Select applicants invited to submit a full proposal.
• February 3, 2009 (3 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of full proposals.
• May 1, 2009—Start of grants.

Total Award:

• Grants of up to $400,000 each may be requested.
• Up to $2 million will be available for this solicitation.
• Grants may last up to two years in duration.

Contact:

Coverage Ideas From the Field
coverageideas@rwjf.org

Related Materials:

• View Program FAQs