Deadline: 16-Nov-21
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications for Cumulative Health Impacts at the Intersection of Climate Change, Environmental Justice (EJ), and Vulnerable Populations/Lifestages: Community-Based Research for Solutions.
The proposed research should be as responsive as possible in addressing and integrating all three research questions into one comprehensive and holistic environmental health research project. Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage, partner, and collaborate with underserved community(ies) in addressing each research question. In addressing the three research questions within an integrated and comprehensive total environment research framework, researchers, in collaboration with their community partners, are strongly recommended to:
- Partner with underserved community(ies).
- Collaborate with the underserved community(ies) to examine their human health vulnerabilities to climate change. Identify specific ongoing climate change impact(s) expected to increase adverse health impacts either/both by increasing risk of exposure to pollutants/contaminants or by influencing modifying factors (Refer to Fig.
- Identify specific populations and/or lifestages to study differential impacts within the underserved community(ies).
- Provide a hypothesis regarding the specific intersection of climate change impact(s), the underserved community(ies), and increased vulnerability or risks to study the potential impacts on the health of the community(ies) most vulnerable populations/lifestages.
- Include social, health, and economic impacts in the proposed research. Identify how historic and/or current societal and environmental conditions intersect to affect how climate change contributes to acute and/or chronic changes to the natural, built, and/or social environment in the identified underserved community(ies).
- Research results should be generalized so that they can be applied to other underserved communities or populations with similar EJ concerns and vulnerabilities.
Projects
Proposed projects should address all of the following research questions:
- What may be the most influential community-, population- or lifestage-specific vulnerabilities caused by ongoing climate change that would elevate exposure to pollutants or contaminants and further exacerbate the health effects from exposure to pollutants or contaminants in underserved communities?
- What are the cumulative health impacts of climate change related stressors on vulnerable groups or susceptible lifestages in underserved communities?
- How can community-based scientific research results be translated and/or applied to provide effective solutions to reduce climate change impacts on human health in underserved communities?
Funding Information
It is anticipated that a total of approximately $8.1 million will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding approximately six awards under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $1,350,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed 3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, public and private institutions of higher education (IHEs), and hospitals located in the U.S. and its territories or possessions; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to apply.
- Non-profit organization, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization, not including IHEs, that:
- is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest;
- is not organized primarily for profit; and
- uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operations of the organization.
- Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335731