Within the Foundation’s Research, Evaluation, and Learning initiative, RWJF funds a range of research to expand understanding of what will allow everyone in our nation to have an equitable opportunity to live the healthiest life possible, and which types of interventions may have greatest potential for impact. There are several signature research programs, including Systems for Action, working to identify root causes of inequitable health outcomes in America, and potential solutions which engage multiple sectors and disciplines.
The Systems for Action (S4A) program, based at the University of Colorado in the Health Systems, Management & Policy Department at the Colorado School of Public Health, conducts rigorous research on ways to align, coordinate, and integrate the many delivery and financing systems that promote health and well-being on a population-wide basis, including medical, public health, and social services and supports sectors.
The Policies for Action (P4A) program, based at the Urban Institute, investigates how policies, laws, regulatory changes, systems interventions, and community dynamics can be leveraged to support population health, well-being, and equity. P4A is building a robust, actionable evidence base on how these critical levers can advance a Culture of Health, with a goal of delivering these data and insights to key policymakers, community leaders, and other change agents. (Call for Proposals is currently closed)
The Evidence for Action (E4A) program, based at the University of California, San Francisco, awards grants to encourage and support innovative, rigorous research on the impact of programs, policies, and partnerships on health and well-being, with a particular focus on research that will help advance health equity. It is the broadest of the three programs – it does not have a formal research agenda, and it funds across all areas of the Culture of Health Action Framework. Learn more about E4A’s rolling application process.
The Health Data for Action (HD4A) program, managed by AcademyHealth, aims to reduce the barriers often faced in accessing rich data by serving as a conduit between data owners and interested researchers. Through each HD4A funding opportunity, RWJF will make valuable data from unique data owners available to researchers.
The Health Equity Scholars for Action (HES4A) program exists to challenge biases and outdated conventions in research and academia by supporting early-career researchers from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Through funding, mentorship, coaching—and access to a broad community of people who understand their lived experiences—scholars will create a body of actionable evidence that mitigates the root causes of health inequities in the United States, recognizing that those inequities are strongly linked with structural and systemic racism and other forms of oppression.
Not all of these programs are currently accepting new applications for funding, so we encourage you to visit the websites of each program to learn more about their funding priorities, eligibility criteria, deadlines, and application processes. To learn more about additional current and upcoming RWJF funding opportunities of interest visit the Foundation’s Funding Opportunities page and/or use RWJF’s new Program Finder tool to identify programs that may align with your interests and goals.