Description of the NIHCM Foundation Grant Program

to Support Investigator-Initiated Research

2015-2016Funding Cycle

Purpose: To support innovative research that will advance the existing knowledge base in the areas of health care financing, delivery, management and/or policy. Studies must have strong potential to yield insights that can be used to have a positive impact on the U.S. health care system by reducing spending, improving quality of care, and/or expanding access to insurance coverage and health care services.

Funding Level and Number of Awards: NIHCM is making available up to $250,000 to support this initiative and expects to fund fourto five studies from this amount. We are seeking high-value projects, and the efficiency of the proposed budget will be assessed relative to expected impact and project scope. Past awards have been highly competitive on price.
Qualified Applicants: We welcome applications from individual researchers as well as from all types of organizations and institutions, including both non-profit and for-profit entities. Multiple organizations may apply jointly, but one must be named as the principal organization and others will have a subcontract relationship with that organization.
Study Duration: Applications will be judged on their potential to produce timely results. Projects that can be completed within one year (2016) are preferred, but studies requiring a longer timeframe may be proposed. Applicants with longer-term studies should consider the feasibility of organizing their work so as to yield interim findings and products that will maximize study impact.
Application Process and Timeline: The awards will be made using the following process:

  • All interested researchers are required to submit an initial letter of inquiry (LOI) by 5:00 PM EDTon July 13, 2015. Applications are welcome at any time prior to that deadline. LOIs must be submitted using NIHCM’s online entry system and must conform to the required structure.
  • Full (10-page) proposals will be invited from a small number of applicantsin August and will be due in late September 2015. Other applicants will also be notified at this time of the status of their LOI submissions.
  • NIHCM will announce the grant winners in November 2015, for project start dates as early as January 2016.

Acceptable Budget Items and Costs: Allowable direct costs include salaries and fringe benefits for project personnel and the direct cost of data, supplies, other incidental expenses and any subcontracts required to conduct the project. Domestic travel for the purpose of sharing results with policymakers and researchers at professional conferences and other venues is a permissible expense. Costs for items such as rent, utilities and other costs of doing business must be included as part of overhead and not billed separately as other direct costs. Indirect costs (overhead) are limited to 12 percent of the budget, excluding any subcontracts. NIHCM will not cover expenditures for patient care,capital purchases including computers, international travel or lobbying. Additionally, NIHCM will not accept a budget that includes an additional “fee” beyond the labor expenses, other direct costs and overhead.
Selection Criteria:
Study proposals will be judged using the following criteria:

  • Significance – Are the research questions or study objectives proposed by the project important and significant?
  • Expected Impact – Is the study likely to produce findings or products that will advance knowledge and impact health care spending, quality or access? Will study findings be disseminated to relevant target audiences in ways that can maximize study impact?
  • Timeliness – Will the study be completed in a timeframe that enables it to have sufficient impact? Is the proposed timeline realistic and feasible?
  • Research Design – Are the proposed methods sound and appropriate to the stated research questions/study objectives? Are the requisite data available, or can they be obtained within the study timeframe and budget? How will the research team deal with anticipated challenges in carrying out the study plan?
  • Budget – Is the level of resources requested commensurate with the anticipated project impact and consistent with the proposed project scope? Does the budget adhere to the funding restrictions?
  • Qualifications of Key Personnel – Do the key personnel have the necessary training and prior research experience to complete this study successfully?
  • Clarity of Exposition – Is the proposal narrative clearly written, following the required outline and avoiding jargon? Is the budget request justified in sufficient detail to permit reviewers to understand the derivation of the proposed costs and relate them to the work required to complete the study?

NIHCM Staff Contact: For questions related to this initiative, please contact Julie Schoenman at 202-296-4192 or . Please specify “RESEARCH GRANT QUESTION” in the email subject line.