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2027-2028 Request for Applications
Community-Academic Partnership Awards
Community-Academic Partnership Awards
2027-2028 RFA
The ITHS offers Community–Academic Partnership (CAP) awards to jump-start partnerships between community and academic investigators in new projects that generate and implement healthcare evidence in impacted communities. This award gives community organizations opportunities to initiate and help organize and lead biomedical and biobehavioral research projects addressing important health needs that they identify in the communities that they serve. Applications may either work to reduce barriers to bringing clinical studies into the community OR to improve the uptake of evidence-based interventions in the community or community clinical settings.
This pilot award will provide up to $50,000 in total costs (see FAQ for details) toward specific project-related milestones for up to 1 year. No-cost extensions are not permitted.
Open for applications
Key Dates
The following key dates apply to this funding opportunity:
-
Application Period Opens
June 30, 2026 -
Letter of Intent Deadline
August 24, 2026, 11:59pm PDT -
Notice of Invitation to Apply
By September 8, 2026 -
Application Deadline
October 12, 2026, 11:59pm PDT -
Study Sections
December 2026 -
Awardees Notified
February 2027 -
Period of Performance
April, 2027 – February 29, 2028
Reviewers for CAP awards will follow the general NIH grant scoring framework and focus on six primary questions addressing the trajectory of the project and the partnership:
- Does the project provide a benefit directly to the community or improve the ability of researchers to extend appropriate research into the community?
- Does the project propose a true partnership between community and academic investigators at all levels (i.e., leadership and representatives of research participants) such that both are equally engaged in the concept, design, and conduct of the study?
- Does the proposal challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, remote technologies, or interventions?
- Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish proposed specific aims within the period of performance?
- Do the community and scientific environments support the success of the partnership?
- To what extent will the project generate new generalizable knowledge and scalable approaches toward improving community health both in the short term and the longer term?
See NIH grant scoring framework for details.
Guidelines
Guidelines
1. Partners. Proposals should articulate the need for the expertise of each partner. Community partners should have 501(c)3 or similar status. Examples of community partners include large organizations such as the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Missoula Public Health, Alzheimer’s Association, Blackfeet Nation, smaller community organizations such as Mother Africa, Roger Saux Health Center, and Open Arms Perinatal Services or community-based primary care practices, community health systems, or other community service organizations with public or individual health reach. The academic partner should be faculty at any research institution within the WWAMI region. ITHS faculty or staff may be listed as active research contributors on a case-by-case basis. Please consult with ITHS prior to application submission if your proposal includes ITHS faculty or staff.
2. Support.This award provides up to $50,000 in total costs for up to 1 year of funding. The period of performance is expected to begin in April 2027 and is expected to end February 29, 2028. Award timing is contingent upon ITHS receiving CTSA funding from NIH/NCATS. All grant funds must be expended before the grant expires. No-cost extensions to allow use of funds that have not been expended by the end of the period of performance are not allowed. Award funds may not be transferred outside the United States.
CAP awards also provide ITHS in-kind resources and training opportunities for the entire research team. In-kind resources often include assistance with scientific, intellectual property, legal, regulatory, statistical, health informatics, data analysis, data management, digital health, research coordination, recruitment, and health metrics support.
3. Review Considerations. The review process for full applications will involve an assessment by external reviewers and a mandatory live-session project pitch to reviewers. Applications should describe a) a trajectory of past progress, b) current specific aims and milestones that are feasible within the funding limits, c) a vision for how attainment of the proposed milestones will enable future work by demonstrating feasibility of the aims and plausibility of the hypothesis, and d) the potential scope and impact of future work if the current project is successful.
Successful applications will:
- Help reviewers determine whether the project should and could be done.
- Describe how this project will actively engage community organizations as part of the development and execution of the research plan.
- Describe how this partnership will benefit the community served by the community partner
- Describe how this work will address a critical transition along the translational science spectrum from basic laboratory research to health outcomes in communities beyond those directly served by the community partner- that the planned outcome would be scalable/generalizable beyond the proposed pilot organizations.
- Describe how the pivotal data will support the project in an outstanding future application for NIH or other external funding to extend the work.
We have high interest in new and innovative generalizable solutions for common and persistent challenges in the conduct and outcomes of translational research through development of new methods, approaches, platforms, or tools that:
- Increase efficiency
- Accelerate progress
- Improve rigor and reproducibility
- Increase the depth of impact
- Extend the reach of impact.
See NIH Translational Science Principles for details.
4. Reporting. Project teams must submit quarterly updates on progress towards milestones and present a mid-year progress report to the Pilots management committee. Upon project completion, awardees will present results to the ITHS Steering Committee, participate in an interview to identify program improvement, and submit a final written report. Teams are expected to return results to participants and other key constituents.
Eligible Investigators
Eligible Investigators
Applications are investigator-initiated grants with community partners as co-investigators or subcontractors. Faculty members at ITHS Partner Institutions, including collaborating institutions affiliated with ITHS in the WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho), the University of Washington, Fred Hutch, and Seattle Children’s are eligible to apply for this pilot award. Collaborations may extend outside the WWAMI region; however, funds may not be transferred outside the United States. ITHS-funded faculty (those who receive salary or stipends from ITHS) and staff members are ineligible to apply.
Any individual eligible for external research funding according to the rules of their institution and unit may apply. Applicants who are not faculty members (i.e. acting faculty members, instructors, research scientists) are required to submit a letter of support from their Department Chair.
All Principal and Co-Investigators on the research team must be ITHS Members to apply. Membership is free. To become a member, please complete the ITHS Membership Form.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Collaboration Innovation Awards
How could I find out whether my project is a good fit for this award?
All investigators considering whether to submit an application for this award are encouraged to contact us at ithspilots@uw.edu or through the form at the bottom of the page. ITHS can provide referrals to possible collaborators and consultants who could assist with the development of your project.
Do our suggested reviewers need to be a part of the University of Washington?
No. A reviewer may come from any academic institution, community-based organization, or industry leader. A general note about conflict of interest: A reviewer would have a conflict of interest if they are the applicant’s mentor, department chair, spouse, or close relative; or if they currently work together on manuscripts, grants, community-based work, or business ventures. Simply being in the same department or division is not, in and of itself, a conflict of interest.
What does “total costs” mean? Are there any restrictions on indirect costs applied to these awards?
Award amounts are provided in total costs. The maximum award amount includes both direct and indirect costs (if applicable). Applicants should ensure that their total project budget, including combined direct and indirect costs, does not exceed the maximum award amount.
Applicant institutions must use a rate no higher than the approved, federally recognized indirect cost rate negotiated between the applicant institution and the federal government. ITHS would like to maximize funds to directly support the investigator’s research and encourages investigators to work with their Office of Sponsored Programs to obtain a waiver to reduce indirect costs on the project. Indirect costs are waived for applicants from the University of Washington as this is an internal grant. University of Washington applicants should therefore not include indirect costs in their proposed budgets.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Seattle Children’s have agreed to consider requests for indirect cost waivers for ITHS pilot awards from their faculty.
- ITHS members whose research program is based at Fred Hutch who wish to apply for ITHS pilot awards are required to go through the Fred Hutch standard institutional procedure for requesting a waiver of facilities and administrative (F&A) costs.
- ITHS members whose research program is based at Seattle Children’s who wish to apply for ITHS pilot awards are required to go through the Seattle Children’s standard institutional procedure for requesting a waiver of F&A costs.
No, this is an internal grant and does not need to be routed through OSP and does not require an eGC1.
Do figures and references count toward the 2-page Research Plan limit?
Figures DO count toward the 2-page limit but references can be in addition to the 2-page Research Plan.
Are there any formatting requirements?
Applications will follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) formatting guidelines, including the following:
Font (size, color, type density) and Line Spacing
- Font size: must be 11 points or larger (smaller text in figures, graphs, diagrams and charts is acceptable as long as it is legible when the page is viewed at 100%).
- Type density: must be no more than 15 characters per linear inch (including characters and spaces)
- Line spacing: must be no more than six lines per vertical inch.
- Text color: must be black (color text in figures, graphs, diagrams, charts, tables, footnotes and headings is acceptable).
- We recommended the following fonts, although other fonts (both serif and non-serif) are acceptable if they meet the above requirements:
- Arial
- Garamond
- Georgia
- Helvetica
- Palatino Linotype
- Times New Roman
- Verdana
Citations
- We do not require a specific citation format.
Paper Size and Margins
- Use paper size no larger than standard letter paper size (8 ½” x 11”).
- Provide at least one-half inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right) for all pages. No applicant-supplied information can appear in the margins.
Can non-faculty apply as a Co-PI?
Yes, however the main or Contact PI must be a faculty member at an academic institution.
ITHS requires the applicant to designate one of the PIs as the Contact PI. This person is responsible for communication between the PIs and ITHS but has no special authorities or responsibilities within the project team. In many ways, a Contact PI is analogous to a corresponding author on a publication. The Contact PI must serve as a member of the PI team and must meet all eligibility requirements for PI status. In those projects where there is an identified project coordinator, the coordinator could serve as Contact PI or that role could be assigned to another PI. It will be possible, and may even be desirable, for the grantee institution to periodically designate a change in Contact PI. For example, it may be desirable to rotate the role of Contact PI among the multiple PIs on an annual basis at the time of grant renewal. Note that the Contact PI must be associated with the applicant/awardee institution.
Can both PIs be from the same division or department?
Yes, both PIs can come from the same department. However, special attention to the spirit of the award will need to be addressed.
Are supplemental documents allowed?
No, supplemental documents are not allowed.
Do you expect the PI or Co-PI to have a specific amount of effort committed in the form of salary?
ITHS will follow NIH Policy: Each PI must have a measurable effort (greater than zero), and the level of effort must be adequate to achieve the proposed goals. The PI and other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they receive salaries or compensation under the grant. Typically, these individuals have doctoral or other professional degrees, although individuals at the master’s or baccalaureate level may be considered senior/key personnel if their involvement meets this definition. Consultants and those with a postdoctoral role also may be considered senior/key personnel if they meet this definition. Senior/key personnel must devote measurable effort to the project whether or not salaries or compensation are requested. “Zero percent” effort or “as needed” are not acceptable levels of involvement for those designated as senior/key personnel.
Can there be more than 2 Co-PIs or Multiple PIs?
Yes, you may have more than 2 PIs. However, 1 person will be identified as the Contact PI for administrative purposes. Please note that the cover page only allows space for two PIs; any additional PIs should be listed in the budget and budget justification.
Can a community or industry partner be my collaborator?
Yes, but the main, or Contact PI must be a faculty member at an academic institution.
Could an investigator apply for this program with a pending faculty appointment?
Pilot recipients must be a faculty member at an academic institution by July 1, before the period of performance. For example, if the period of performance is April 2027-February 2028, the appointment must be by July 1, 2026.
I have previously been awarded funds by the ITHS. Am I still eligible to receive this award?
Yes, previous ITHS awardees are eligible to receive additional funding.
Can I apply for multiple awards?
Investigators may submit more than one letter of intent; however, each investigator will be invited to submit only one full application per funding cycle.
Does the NIH salary cap apply to this application?
Yes, these funds come from the NIH through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), so the NIH cap does apply.
Can funds be dispersed prior to IRB approval to aid the application process?
No, funds cannot be dispersed until IRB approval is confirmed. Applicants will have the opportunity to provide just-in-time approvals prior to the start date.
ITHS is funded through a CTSA grant from NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). NCATS requires the review and approval of all pilot grants involving human subjects research before funds are released. Therefore, if your proposal is awarded funding and involves human subjects research, additional documentation will be required. NCATS review and IRB review can be concurrent, but final NCATS approval is contingent upon IRB approval.
Application Process
Application Process
Letter of Intent
The letter of intent form must be submitted through the ITHS website before submission of the application. The form includes information on the applicant and any Co-Investigators, project title, and abstract (up to 500 words) describing how the project addresses RFA criteria. Investigators who are invited to submit a full application will receive notice within 2 weeks of the letter of intent deadline.
Application
The application must be submitted through the ITHS website. The link to the application page will be shared with those invited to apply after our panel has reviewed your Letters of Intent.
Applications will follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) formatting guidelines (see FAQ) and include:
- Cover Page
264 KBPilot-Cover-Page-2026 - Project Title and Abstract (250-word maximum)
- Research Plan, 2-pages (references do not count toward page limit)
- Dissemination Plan, 1-page description of the preliminary plan for dissemination and/or implementation of the research findings, including a strategy for engaging key partners such as patients, healthcare providers, or policy makers
- Collaboration Plan, 1-page description of the collaboration including an explanation of the respective roles of the partners and the synergy brought about by the partnership
- Data Management and Sharing Plan, half-page outline of how you will collect, store, protect, and share project data. See the NIH Data Management and Sharing page for details.
- Project Milestones & Subtasks
104 KBPilot Proposal Timeline Template 2026 - Potential use of ITHS in-kind resources
- Budget and Budget Justification
29 KB9a) Budget 37 KB9b) Budget Justification - Letter(s) of Support: A letter of support from your community partner is required, if you have one. If you are an instructor or acting faculty member, you will need to include a letter supporting your eligibility to serve as PI from your Department Head (or equivalent).
- NIH Format Biosketches for all investigators (senior/key personnel)
See NIH Biographical Common Form for more details.
Not included in the above document:
Suggested Reviewers – You will also be asked to provide five suggested reviewers, including the following information for each: 1) Name, 2) Title, 3) Institution/Organization, and 4) Email Address. Reviewers are not required to be within the University of Washington.
Suggested Reviewers – You will also be asked to provide five suggested reviewers, including the following information for each: 1) Name, 2) Title, 3) Institution/Organization, and 4) Email Address. Reviewers are not required to be within the University of Washington.
A general note about conflict of interest: Reviewers would have a conflict of interest if they are the applicant’s mentor, department chair, spouse, or close relative; or if they currently work together on manuscripts, grants, or business ventures. Simply being in the same department or division is not, in and of itself, a conflict of interest.
Review Process
- Each full application will be assessed by 2 to 3 experts using the NIH grant scoring framework, emphasizing feasibility and potential impact on how clinical and translational research is conducted.
- Top-scoring proposals will be invited to present their proposals to a panel in an NIH-inspired study section. Each team will deliver a 10-minute pitch and respond to questions. External reviewer feedback will be shared with study section panelists and research teams before the study section. Investigators whose proposals were not selected to advance to the study section will also receive external reviewer feedback.
- The study section panel will evaluate each proposal using the NIH framework. The highest-scoring proposals will be selected for funding.
C. Timeline
- Letter of Intent Deadline: August 24, 2026, 11:59pm PDT
- Notice of Invitation to Apply: By September 8, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 12, 2026, 11:59pm PDT
- Study Sections: December 2026
- Awardees Notified: February 2027
- Period of Performance: April 2027–February 29, 2028
ITHS is funded through a CTSA grant from NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). NCATS requires the review and approval of all pilot grants involving human subjects research before funds are released. Therefore, if your proposal is awarded funding and involves human subjects research, additional documentation will be required. NCATS review and IRB review can be concurrent, but final NCATS approval is contingent upon IRB approval.
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