Skye Kelty and Juan Carlos Ruis Malagon_poster session 2018 Symposium

Small Grant Program

The 2023-2024 Small Grant Program is now closed.

Funding Opportunity

The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) is dedicated to improving the health and safety of those working in western agriculture through research, outreach, and training.

WCAHS is seeking research proposals that address agricultural health and safety in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and/or Nevada. WCAHS welcomes applications on a wide range of topics relevant to agricultural health and safety. Proposals that identify an occupational health or safety issue that is attributable to the agricultural worksite, not general community exposures, will be prioritized.

Projects that include collaboration with cooperative extension specialists, farm advisors, community-based organizations, farm labor contractors, and/or those that result in industry, community, and/or policy outputs are encouraged. 

Program Objectives

The overarching goal of the WCAHS Pilot/Feasibility Program is to encourage the development of creative research projects while nurturing researchers—particularly early-career and under-represented researchers—interested in improving agricultural health and safety for the western U.S. It is designed to fund short-term research projects to support the collection of preliminary data, attract new investigators to WCAHS and the field of agricultural health and safety, facilitate the exploration of innovative research directions, and engage and mentor early stage investigators as defined by the NIH. 

Award

  • Funding from October 29, 2023–September 29, 2024.
  • Up to $30,000 for postdoctoral scholars, research staff, and professors. Up to $10,000 for graduate students.
  • Requested budget amount may be reduced during the review process based on the availability of funds and the number of qualified proposals.

Eligibility

  • Investigators in AZ, CA, HI, NV and/or project activities and research sites in AZ, CA, HI, NV (early-stage and under-represented investigators are preferred).
  • Early-stage investigators include graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, research staff, and professors who have completed their terminal degree within the past 10 years and have yet to be awarded a substantial grant as a principal investigator. Nonprofit organizations may also apply for WCAHS Pilot/Feasibility Program funding. Applicants do not need to be affiliated with a university; therefore, organizations that conduct research are also eligible to apply.

Key Dates

Proposals Due August 25, 2023, 5 p.m. PT
Earliest Funding Start Date October 29, 2023
Progress Report Due September 29, 2024
Final Report Due October 31, 2024

Required Proposal Items

Abstract written for lay audience

<150 words

Project narrative:

3 pages

Budget:

  • Personnel, supplies, and domestic travel allowed
  • Award limit is for total costs (direct + indirect)
  • UC Davis does not have an indirect limit

1 page

Budget justification

1-2 pages

Human Subjects: 
  • Will the project include human subjects? 
  • Will IRB approval be in hand by October 29, 2023?

IAUCUC:

  • Will the project include animal studies?
  • Will IAUCUC approval be in hand by October 29, 2023
<1 page

CV or resume for the PI

3 page limit

Graduate student, postdoctoral scholar, and research staff projects only: faculty letter of support

 

Submission Instructions

Proposals are due on or before Friday, August 25, 2023, 5 p.m. PT. Send all materials in one PDF to aghealth@ucdavis.edu.

Review Criteria

All Pilot/Feasibility proposals will be reviewed in a two-stage process. The first stage will be a scientific review focused on the scientific merit and feasibility of the project. The second stage will consider WCAHS research priorities and the applicant and research proposal’s contribution to increasing the number and diversity of investigators in agricultural health and safety. All applicants are strongly encouraged (not required) to use the NIOSH Burden, Need, and Impact framework in describing their project. All proposals will be reviewed using the standard NIH nine-point scale (1=exceptional; 9=poor).

Awardee Expectations and Professional Development Opportunities

Awardees will be expected to participate in WCAHS monthly Zoom seminars and other occasional events (with remote participation and travel funds where necessary). Awardees will be required to acknowledge WCAHS in publications and presentations by NIOSH grant title and number. Awardees may be asked to present their project status to center leadership during the project period.

In addition to funding, awardees gain access to monthly mentoring meetings, feedback on presentations, reviews on a manuscript from a scientific editor, and access to the center’s communications expertise.


More information about WCAHS can be found here: https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/

Previously funded projects can be found here: https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/funding/small-grant-program/projects

Questions? – aghealth@ucdavis.edu