2025 Call for Proposals: Community-Led Systems Research to Address Systemic Racism

This funding opportunity is closed. Reviews are currently taking place and decisions will be announced in August 2025.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a new research funding opportunity through the Systems for Action Research Program on January 15th, 2025. This year’s funding opportunity will provide research funding for community-led pilot-test studies that test the feasibility of new interventions designed to dismantle and disrupt forms of systemic racism through the alignment of medical, social, and public health systems. Pilot studies must be led by a community-based nonprofit, government agency, or tribal organization that serves communities affected by systemic racism, working in partnership with an experienced research team. Awards of up to $200,000 each will fund pilot-test studies that can be completed over a 12-month period.

Proposals for this funding opportunity were due on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 3pm ET. Late submissions are not accepted for any reason.

Systems for Action will conclude its operations as a RWJF research program in December 2026 and will not release another CFP before then. Pilot studies funded through this CFP are expected to help grantees prepare for and pursue future research opportunities from other funding sources beyond the S4A program.
 

View 2025 Funding Opportunity Brochure

Key Dates and Deadlines

• June 4, 2025, 3pm ET: Deadline for Application Submission. Late submissions are not accepted for any reason.
• August 22, 2025: Applicants Notified of Funding Decisions. Date subject to change.
• October 1, 2025: Projects Start.

See the recording and slides from Informational Webinars here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click here to read the 2025 CFP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). If you do not find the answer to your questions on this page, you can email us at systemsforaction@cuanschutz.edu.