As part of our commitment to working with local community-based organizations and faculty to improve health in the region, the South Jersey Institute for Population Health is launching our Research Training Award (RTA) to support faculty in strengthening their community-based participatory research skills. This award provides research faculty from Rowan and/or Rutgers-Camden with a $1500 stipend and enrollment in four specialized community based participatory research (CBPR)/community engaged research (CER) training sessions.
Applications are now open! Apply in our application portal.
Award Goal
Train faculty interested in additional community-based participatory research (CBPR) training in order to develop projects with local organizations in the 7-county South Jersey region (i.e., Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem).
Eligibility
To be eligible, faculty should meet the following criteria:
Works at either Rowan University (including Cooper Medical School and School of Osteopathic Medicine) or Rutgers-Camden University
Holds either of these roles: Assistant Professor, Assistant Teaching Professor, Associate Professor, Associate Teaching Professor, Professor, Clinical Research Faculty, and Lecturer.
Application Process
Deadline: The deadline to apply is August 31st, 2026.
All RTA applications will be reviewed. Applicants will be notified by mid September of the decision. Up to 8 applicants will be selected and invited to participate in our launch event. The RTA awardees will be recognized in person at the release of the next impact report and will have the opportunity to meet with other community based leaders, researchers, and stakeholders in southern NJ.
Reporting Requirements: At the conclusion of each session, RTA faculty may complete a survey with 1 ) a brief summary of what they have learned, 2) a brief summary of how the training will impact their research practice, and 3) evidence of submitting to a funding announcement. Our preferred outcome for (3) is application for the SJIPH Call for Proposals for research funding.
Applications will be submitted online using SJIPH’s application portal. The application is designed to be brief (1-2 pages). It includes:
Researcher Background
Briefly describe your overall research interests, including research areas and main populations of interest.
Methodological Experience:
Please provide details on your methodological expertise.
Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Training:
Briefly summarize the specific outcomes and deliverables you have in forming the partnership. Please consider including an application for future SJIPH research grants as a potential deliverable.
Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Experience
Describe any community-based participatory research (CBPR) you have engaged in.
Impact
Describe what you hope to gain from the community-based participatory research (CBPR) training.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much funding is available through these awards?
The awards will be $1,500. We anticipate making up to 8 awards to research faculty from Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden University.
Who is eligible to apply for these awards?
Faculty from Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden University that have one of the following titles: Assistant Professor, Assistant Teaching Professor, Associate Professor, Associate Teaching Professor, Professor, Clinical Research Faculty, and Lecturer.
What types of projects are eligible for funding?
Projects that focus on building new partnerships and collaborations to further research are the primary focus of these awards. Collaborations must include Rutgers University-Camden and/or Rowan University faculty members, but these faculty need not be identified before applying for the award.
Where do faculty need to be located?
The faculty need to be interested in completing research in the 7-county South Jersey region (i.e., Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem).
What are the reporting requirements for these awards?
Because these awards are small, we have tried to keep reporting manageable. At the conclusion of the award, we require brief updates through a survey with 1 ) a brief summary of what they have learned, 2) a brief summary of how the training will impact their research practice, and 3) c) an application or other evidence of action by the faculty (preferably documentation of an application to SJIPH 2027 main round research funding or another funding mechanism).
How do I apply for an award?
To apply for an award, please complete the application form available on our website and submit it by the August 31st, 2026 deadline.
How will the award applications be evaluated?
Applications will be evaluated based on the potential for building CBPR skills and the relevance of the goals of the faculty member for the RTA award.
When will the awards be announced?
Awards will be announced in early Fall 2026. Awardees will be invited to a kick off event in the Fall.
Can we submit more than one application?
No.
What topics would the sessions cover?
Possible topics include defining CBPR, effectively partnering with community-based organizations, navigating, understanding and mitigating constraints across community and academic research.
What is the format of the sessions?
There would be one in-person 90 minute session and three 1-hour virtual sessions.
What is the timeline for the sessions?
The sessions would occur from November 2026 (in person at the Joint Health Sciences Center in Camden, NJ) through March 2027 (1 virtual meeting per month, January 2027, February 2027, March 2027).
What are the expectations for awardees of the Research Training Awards?
The RTA award money is a stipend to support faculty for their time in training.
Who can I contact for more information about the award program?
For more information about the research training award please contact: info@sjiph.org or see our Website: https://sjiph.org/contact/
We look forward to receiving your RTA applications and supporting the development of CBPR skills!