Healthy Eating Research Commissioned Research Funding Opportunity

Healthy Eating Research is excited to share that we have research funds available for small commissioned studies and papers. Commissioned projects are intended to address time-sensitive research questions; all projects should aim to identify and evaluate policies, environmental approaches, and systems changes that advance health and nutrition equity in the areas of healthy food access and security, diet quality, and healthy weight, thus improving inequities in social structures and community conditions that are the main drivers of diet and weight-related health disparities.

Types of Projects

Commissioned Studies:

HER’s commissioned research is intended to fund small studies that produce timely, policy-relevant research. Commissioned analyses/studies will be for a duration of up to 12 months and a maximum of $100,000 (though please note, the average amount of most studies funded is $40,000-50,000). Examples of project activities may include primary data collection and analysis, secondary data analyses, in-depth case studies, qualitative research needs assessments, modeling studies, and policy analyses.

Deliverables could include data analyses and summary reports, manuscripts for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, measurement tools (or their validation), reports with recommendations, policy and/or research briefs, or other deliverables as appropriate.

Commissioned Papers:

HER also commissions papers, including manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, as well as evidence-based reports and briefs published outside the peer-reviewed literature.

Issue or Research Briefs are intended to distill existing published research into an easily digestible brief format for an advocate, policymaker, or practice audience (funding typically ranges between $1,500 and $2,500; timelines vary based on the time-sensitive nature of the topic).

Manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals typically include Narrative or Scoping Reviews (up to $6,000 for a duration of up to 12 months) and Systematic Reviews (up to $8,000 for a duration of up to 12 months). Researchers are the primary audience for these deliverables.

Scope

Proposals should focus on the investigation of policy, systems, and environmental change strategies, and consider nutrition-related health disparities. The goal of Healthy Eating Research is to help all children achieve optimal nutrition and address nutrition-related equity. Therefore, all commissioned research must have the potential to impact groups at highest risk for poor health and well-being, and nutrition-related health disparities. All proposed studies must have a clear impact on children (0-18) and families in the U.S. HER’s Equity for Researchers document offers tools to help researchers understand and incorporate racial equity principles into their research in order to advance health equity. For more information on past studies funded, visit our Research and Publications webpage.

How to Apply

Please submit an abstract following the abstract template via email to Healthy Eating Research (healthyeating@duke.edu) with the subject “ATTN: HER Commissioned Research.” The abstract will be reviewed by HER staff and, if considered in-scope for this funding opportunity, the applicant will be invited to submit a full proposal. All abstracts and full proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Download the Abstract Template here.