Applications Open
Deadline: Monday April 15, 2024
Overview
The Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness is pleased to announce that it is now accepting proposals from Harvard University faculty, research scientists, and postdoctoral fellows for Innovations in Positive Health pilot grant funding. The interdisciplinary science of Positive Health encompasses the study of physical, mental, and social factors that contribute to overall well-being and happiness. The field of positive health science adopts an asset-oriented view of health and well-being, focusing on identifying and promoting individuals’ and communities’ positive health assets and resources—strengths that can contribute to a healthier, longer life, rather than solely addressing deficits or illness. This approach recognizes the interconnectedness of psychological, social, and physical dimensions of health, aiming to enhance positive emotions, relationships, and environments to foster holistic well-being.
The Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is at the forefront of advancing this paradigm shift, exploring the intricate connections between positive psychological and social well-being, positive social environments, and physical health. Our work spans various disciplines, including health communications, psychology, sociology, exercise physiology, basic biology, epidemiology, medicine, and population sciences. By integrating insights from these diverse fields, the center strives to deepen scientific understanding of how positive factors contribute to health outcomes, and pave the way for more effective interventions and policies aimed at enhancing overall well-being. The funding will support pioneering research at early stages of development that focuses on positive health science or communication and translation sciences related to positive health science. Priority will be given to projects that involve high pay-off in terms of opening new areas of inquiry or providing crucial preliminary data for preparing larger grants proposals (e.g., to the NIH).
Awards will be granted for amounts between $10,000 and $20,000. Funding can be used to cover research-related expenses, such as: research staff salary support, obtaining access to existing data, data collection activities, conference presentations, and travel (with prior approval). Information on previous year’s awardees can be found at the bottom of this page.
Eligibility
This is a competitive grant program. It is open to all Harvard University faculty, research scientists, and post-doctoral research scholars. Hospital-affiliated Harvard faculty should reach out to the Center to confirm eligibility. Students are not eligible to apply for these funds. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact Center Assistant Director of Operations, Anubha Tyagi at atyagi@hsph.harvard.edu
Projects will be prioritized for funding when they: 1) integrate the theories, questions, and methods of two or more disciplines; 2) involve high payoff in terms of opening new areas of inquiry or provide crucial preliminary data for preparing larger grant proposals; or 3) explicitly connect faculty and scholars across departments and schools.
This year, the Center is encouraging applications that focus on:
- Prosocial behaviors (e.g. kindness, compassion, gratitude, cooperation, volunteering, empathy etc.) and health outcomes
- Health equity and positive well-being
- Social cohesion and its impact on well-being / positive health / positive health outcomes
- Social media usage in adolescents and its impact on health and well-being
- Climate change and impact on individual and community well-being
- Community and collective well-being
Although these areas are of particular interest to the Center, applications that focus on other areas of positive health science will also be considered.
Selection Process and Criteria
The Center Director will screen all submitted proposals to determine whether the proposals meet the Center’s goals. Proposals that pass this initial screening will undergo formal review by a grant review committee.
The following criteria will be used to evaluate the proposals:
- The overall quality of the proposed research
- The potential of the proposed research to be expanded into an externally funded grant application, or to significantly enhance the research capabilities of Center researchers to secure external funding
- Proposed research that crosses disciplines and solidifies ties between Harvard schools and departments.
Application Instructions
Please submit a proposal of no more than 5 pages that covers the following:
- Title of the Project
- Name of Investigator(s)
- Degrees
- Position Title
- Mailing Address
- Department/School
- Telephone/Email
- Statement on Human Subjects/IRB
All research involving human subjects must have approval from the applicable institutional IRB. All investigators must be trained and certified in the responsible conduct of research involving human subjects. If your research involves secondary data, you more than likely will need to apply for an exemption. If you are ultimately awarded funding, we will need either the IRB protocol number or exemption number before an account can be set-up. IRB must be obtained within six months of award.
- Detailed Project Proposal, addressing the following questions:
- a) What are the aims of the project?
- b) Why is the work important?
- c) What has already been done in this area?
- d) How are you going to do the work?
- e) What is your timeline for completing the work? Note that the project must be completed by 15 July 2026, or 24 months from the date of award (projected award date: July 15, 2024).
- Explain how your research will help advance the vision of the Center: “to transform thinking in public health and medicine from a deficit- to asset-based approach, with the goal of achieving positive well-being, health, and happiness globally for all”
- What is the end-product? Please indicate the type of deliverable product to come out of the project. These could include: (1) presentation of findings at national meetings; (2) organizing research workshops and poster days related to disseminating work in progress; (3) submission and publication of manuscripts emanating from the research in peer reviewed journals; and (4) preparation of larger grant proposals for external funding.
Please include the following appendices (outside of the 5-page limit)
- Key Personnel/Collaborators. List and provide NIH biosketches or most recent CV (limit 5-pages)
- Literature Cited (Complete citations, including titles and all authors)
- Proposed Line Item Budget. The funding awarded will be up to a maximum amount of $20,000. Please provide an accompanying budget justification.
- Salary Requested (Funds may not be used to support faculty salary; funds may be used toward supporting research staff, post-doctoral fellows, or research assistants)
- Fringe Benefits
- Equipment (include computer and software purchases)
- Supplies/Materials
- Travel
- Other Expenses
Each funded investigator will need to prepare a mid-term progress report and a final report of the project for submission to the Center.
Deadline: Electronic copy (one single PDF) due by 4:00 PM on Monday, April 15, 2024
Anticipated notification of award: June 2024
Anticipated award date: July 2024
Submit to: Anubha Tyagi, Assistant Director of Operations, Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, at atyagi@hsph.harvard.edu
Past Recipients
2022 Innovations in Positive Health Grant Recipients