overview
SJIPH provides Community-Engaged Research Grants to support and fund community-university partnerships that engage in research to advance health outcomes for South Jersey residents. The focus is on supporting sustainable, collaborative research partnerships between community organizations and faculty researchers from Rutgers–Camden and Rowan Universities.
The Institute’s inaugural funding cycle was in 2021. Since then, 46 projects have been awarded $1,290,000 over four funding cycles. A Requests for Proposals (RFP) for Community-Engaged Research Grants is announced every two years, with the next funding cycle expected to open in summer 2027. To view examples of SJIPH awarded Community-Engaged Research Grants, you can browse our Funded Research Database.
Funding Tracks
Funding for Community-Engaged Research Grants consists of two tracks: Catalyst Grants and Signature Grants. Key differences between the two tracks are summarized as follows:
| Catalyst Grant | Signature Grant | |
| Funding Amount | Up to $25,000 | $50,000–$100,000 |
| Project Scope | Pilot/Small-scale (18 months) | Large-scale/Transformative (24 months) |
| Ideal Applicants | Emerging projects and research programs | Clearly building on prior research projects and partnerships (must show feasibility) |
| Partnership | May have faculty from Rutgers–Camden or Rowan Universities (Rowan faculty includes members from both Glassboro and county campuses, as well as Rowan’s two medical schools) | Must include faculty research partners from Rutgers–Camden and Rowan Universities (i.e., Rowan University-Glassboro, Rowan College of South Jersey, Rowan SOM, CMSRU) |
Eligibility
All partnership teams must include a community organization with a base in at least one of the seven counties in South Jersey – Burlington, Atlantic, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May.
- For Catalyst Grants, partnerships teams must include at least one faculty researcher from either Rowan University or Rutgers University-Camden, although preference is given to teams with both universities represented.
- For Signature Grants, partnership teams must include representatives from both Rowan and Rutgers–Camden Universities.
Note: Rowan faculty comprises members from the Glassboro and county campuses, as well as Rowan’s two medical schools.
Application Process
The path to funding involves: 1) submitting an LOI for review, 2) attending a half-day Sandbox meeting (by invitation only), and 3) submitting a final proposal. SJIPH will then 4) review the proposals to determine funding. The sections below further describe each step of the process. We are not currently accepting any applications, this is only intended to serve as an example.
Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI)
Prospective grantees will submit a “letter of intent” (LOI) for review. Letters of intent are submitted by answering the preliminary questions in an online application portal. LOIs involve answering questions about:
- The central research questions or objectives
- Information about the collaborative team
- Capacity building and sustainability
- Potential impact on health outcomes
- Budget outline (see below)
LOIs will be reviewed by reviewers and SJIPH. Successful LOIs will form a basis a larger research proposal (details below), and applicants will be invited to the Sandbox Event.
Attend Sandbox Event
Selected LOI partnership teams will attend a Sandbox Event. This event serves three purposes: (1) to clearly communicate to potential grantees the goals of the research funding; (2) to bring researchers with related interests and complementary skills together; and (3) to produce, during the meeting, proposal outlines that can be guided to full research proposals. Learn more about the Sandbox Model.
Submit Final Proposal
Final proposals will be submitted through the online application portal. Applicants will be asked to provide more detailed responses to the same questions asked in the letter-of-intent process, incorporating feedback received at the Sandbox Event.
Funding Notifications
All applicants will be notified of SJIPH’s funding decisions a few months after final proposals are submitted. All funded projects will be expected to provide quarterly updates on their project progress and data.
evaluation criteria
Funding proposals are typically evaluated by reviewers using the following criteria for each application section:
Research Question: Reviewers will consider how the research will affect a population’s health outcomes or determinants of these outcomes.
Strength of Collaborative Research Team: Based on quality and complementarity of expertise of collaborative teams, reviewers will consider the strength of the partnership team and its capacity to complete the project in a timely fashion.
Capacity Building and Sustainability: Reviewers will assess how well the project builds long-term capacity for community organizations and collaborative teams. Priority will be given to proposals that include concrete plans for skill-building, resource development, and sustainable implementation beyond the grant period. Additionally, reviewers will evaluate the project’s potential for securing future funding, maintaining key partnerships, and expanding its impact through scaling or integration into ongoing initiatives.
Potential Impact on Health Outcomes: Reviewers will consider what measurable health outcomes or health narratives the project will produce. They will consider how health knowledge will be deepened and how this knowledge will be communicated to community and academic audiences (e.g., via presentations, workshops, publications).
Budget: Does the budget fit with the scope of the proposed project? Is the budget consistent with the guidelines?
Overall Feasibility of Projects: Proposed projects will additionally be evaluated based on their feasibility – is it doable within the timeframe?
Interested in Partnering?
What makes SJIPH unique is its collaborative focus. We encourage academic and community partners to reach out to us if they would like to participate but may not be currently paired with a team. Please provide a very brief description of your interest and expertise and a member of the team will be in touch with you.