Rapid Response: Reinvesting in Racial and Indigenous Health Equity Research

Overview

The purpose of this call for proposals (CFP) is to meet the current moment by supporting timely, actionable health equity research that has been interrupted by shifts in federal funding. We will award up to $5 million for Rapid Response Research grants to help at least partially offset federal funding losses to existing research.

Rapid Response Research funding is exclusively available to applicants who have already received federal funding (e.g., from the NIH, CDC, NSF) for their health equity research, but have since had their funding partially or fully rescinded due to federal administrative actions. While we will not re-scrutinize the scientific merits of projects that have lost federal funding, our intent is to support research consistent with Evidence for Action’s mission to advance community-centered, action-oriented racial and Indigenous health equity research that focuses on structural solutions that are innovative, push beyond the status quo, and target root causes. 

E4A primarily funds social science-oriented and applied research projects. Biomedical, clinical, and bench science projects are not eligible. We will prioritize research focused on structural solutions to the social determinants of health over those related to specific disease diagnoses or treatment.

Applicants must have lost federal funding for their health equity research project to be eligible to apply (those who have submitted an application for federal funding that will no longer be reviewed due to executive orders, are not eligible). Documentation demonstrating how the research project has been interrupted is required (e.g., a termination letter, stop work order, emails or other communications directly from the federal funding agency).  

August 27, 2025 (2–3 p.m. ET): Optional applicant webinar. Registration is required.