Dean’s Emergency Research Response Fund

We are excited to announce the new Dean’s Emergency Response Fund at the Harvard Chan School. The goal of this effort is to ensure that the School can rapidly and reliably detect, respond to and – whenever possible – prevent adverse outcomes in public health emergencies. These types of research opportunities are impossible to predict and require available, flexible funds that can be deployed with little notice.

The fund will support research in the context of an actual public health emergency such as a natural disaster or an infectious disease outbreak. It can also support efforts to understand a policy change where there is a limited window of time to gather baseline and outcome data. The aim is for research findings to contribute in real-time to an emergency response and/or allow for data to be collected in a particular setting, during an unforeseen public health crisis or leading up to an important policy/legislative decision.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. 

Previous Awardees

RFA: Emergency Research Fund

ELIGIBILITY: Primary Harvard Chan School faculty whose research operation is based at the Harvard Chan School are eligible to apply. Co-investigators or team members may include individuals with any academic appointment. It is strongly encouraged that proposals are submitted in collaboration with another department at the Harvard Chan School.

AWARD AMOUNT AND DURATION: Funding may be requested in any amount up to $75,000 (direct cost), which will be provided by the School and applicant’s department. The School will contribute two thirds of the awarded amount while the department will be required to contribute the remaining third. Cost-sharing can be divided between departments and the maximum School contribution for any award is $50,000. Please see examples below:

Award Amount School’s Contribution Departmental Contribution
$75,000 $50,000 $25,000
$60,000 $40,000 $20,000
$45,000 $30,000 $15,000

This is a one-time disbursement of funds with no opportunity for renewal. Applications should be stewarded closely by Department Chairs and interested faculty should contact their Department Chairs to discuss the proposed project.

PROPOSAL CONTENT AND PAGE LIMITS:
Please submit the following materials in a single PDF document:

  1. Face Page (download here)
  2. Proposal (2 pages Max responding to review criteria outlined in the RFA)
  3. Current NIH Biosketch
  4. Budget Request: Budget estimates should be submitted on NIH PHS 398 detailed budget formwith major divisions of funds (personnel, equipment, etc.). The full amount of the award must be used for direct costs.
  5. Budget Justification

SUBMISSION PROCESS: Applicants are expected to work in close collaboration with their department prior to proposal submission and all proposals should be submitted directly to ORSD (alever@hsph.harvard.edu) by the applicant’s Department Chair.

Please direct all questions to Allison Lever at alever@hsph.harvard.edu.

Previous Awardees of the Dean’s Emergency Research Response Fund