Email of Intent due by: September 18, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (not mandatory but strongly suggested)
Full application due by: October 2, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
Purpose and Overview
UNC Injury Prevention Research Center (IPRC) is one of nine CDC-funded Injury Control Research Centers (ICRCs) that blend outreach, training, education, and research into a single seamless program aimed at reducing the prevalence, risk, and public health impact of injury and violence in the United States. The UNC IPRC is one of two centers that has been continuously funded by the CDC since the ICRC Program’s inception in 1987.
The IPRC’s Exploratory Research Project Program (ERPP) provides funding for a series of small and/or pilot research projects across the UNC campus. The purpose of the ERPP is to support research that will lead to an external funding request and/or a peer-reviewed manuscript. Emphasis is placed on projects that address emerging issues in injury and violence prevention (IVP) and/or address research needs articulated by the IVP practitioner community. The IPRC seeks to support the development of junior researchers with interests in injury/violence prevention and encourages them to apply. Faculty, staff, and students are eligible to apply.
This Call for Proposals is for the 2021 IPRC Exploratory Research Projects. The projects would begin January 1, 2021 and should be completed by December 31, 2021. The maximum budget available for a project is $8,000. Two projects will be selected for funding.
Exploratory Research Project Focus Areas
The IPRC will prioritize exploratory research project proposals that align with the IPRC’s five injury and violence prevention focus areas: gender-based violence, opioid drug overdose, child abuse and neglect, traumatic brain injury, and road traffic injury. However, proposals may focus on any issue relevant to either violence or unintentional injury in human populations.
Email of Intent (due September 18, 2020)
It is strongly suggested that prospective applicants submit an email of intent to allow the IPRC to plan the review process and to avoid potential conflicts of interest during the review. An email of intent is not binding and is not a part of the review of the full application. Please include the following information in your email to Agnieszka McCort (amccort@unc.edu):
- Descriptive title of proposed project
- Name of the lead applicant(s)
- Injury and violence prevention focus area
Full Application Content (due October 2, 2020).
Proposals should be 3-5 single-spaced pages in length, and should follow the format below:
| Component | Description | Suggested Length |
| Title | Name of project | 1 sentence |
| Summary | Thumbnail overview | 2-5 sentences |
| PI & Research Team | Names, Departments | No limit |
| Biosketches | Biosketch is required for the PI. Biosketches may be included for other key members of the research team. Biosketch(es) can be in any format. | Each biosketch should be no more than 5 pages |
| Area of Focus and Significance | What is the injury problem you are addressing; why is it important? | ½ page |
| Brief Specific Aims | What the project will do | ½ page |
| Prior Research | How this project builds on prior work (if applicable) | ½ page |
| Overview of Strategy & Approach | Overview of key methodologic elements. Be upfront about project limitations. | ½ to 1½ pages |
| Public Health Impact | Extent to which (and how) the project will improve public health and/or reduce health inequities | ¼ to ½ page |
| Engaged scholarship | Extent to which the project will engage practitioners, affected populations, and other stakeholders | ¼ to ½ page |
| Budget and Budget Justification (Click for templates) | Completed budget template with short justification for each cost, maximum budget of $8,000 for ≤12 months | Use provided templates |
| References | Citations of relevant literature supporting prior research and strategy/approach | No limit |
Review Process
IPRC will use peer-review mechanisms to determine the quality and significance of submitted proposals. Two expert external reviewers will anonymously score each proposal based on significance, experience and potential of the investigator(s), innovation, design, and impact. Reviewers will also provide comments. Scores and anonymous comments will be summarized and distributed to all investigators who submit proposals. UNC IPRC leadership will confer and establish a priority order for funding.
Reporting Requirements
A brief interim progress report (1-2 pages) should be submitted to IPRC at the mid-point of the project period (e.g., 6 months for 12-month project). It should include a financial report and a narrative of progress toward accomplishment of project aims. A final report is due no later than 60 days after the end of the funding period, including a financial report and achievement of project aims.
Timeline
- Email of intent due: September 18, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST (not mandatory but strongly suggested)
- Full application deadline: October 2, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST
- Notification of awards: December 2020
- Project start date: January 1, 2021
Questions
Questions about this application should be directed to Yvonne Golightly, PhD (golight@email.unc.edu).
How to Submit a Proposal
The email of intent and proposal should be submitted electronically to Agnieszka McCort (amccort@unc.edu). The subject line of the emails must be “IPRC Exploratory Research Project Proposal.”