MCUAAAR Request for Junior Faculty Research Mentoring Funding Opportunity FY2025-2026

The Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR) is one of 19 Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) funded by the National Institute on Aging and one of only two funded since the RCMAR inception. MCUAAAR is a collaborative effort between the University of Michigan, Program for Research on Black Americans, the Wayne State University, Institute of Gerontology, and the Michigan State University School of Social Work and Department of Public Health.

The completed application must be received by January 17, 2025. It is expected applicants will be notified by March 7, 2025.

MCUAAAR’s Purpose

One of MCUAAAR’s major goals is to identify and mentor junior investigators who are committed to research careers related to the science and amelioration of health inequities and disparities and unique life course experiences of stress and coping in African American older adults. MCUAAAR junior investigators come from all academic departments and professional schools including but not limited to Social Work, Public Health, Nursing, Medicine, Psychology, and Epidemiology. MCUAAAR provides junior faculty investigators the opportunity to join a robust community of scholars and faculty dedicated to nurturing the next generation of successful researchers addressing racial and ethnic influences on aging-related social and behavioral science.

MCUAAAR Faculty Mentoring Process

A significant portion of MCUAAAR faculty effort is dedicated to the mentoring process that aims to provide a firm foundation upon which the MCUAAAR scientists can build successful academic research careers. We fund pilot research studies conducted by junior faculty as a vehicle for our mentoring process. Faculty from a variety of disciplines from all three participating universities are involved.

Call for Proposals

Proposals are sought that support junior investigator-initiated research pilot projects that can lead to independent NIH-funded projects. Collaborative research projects that involve faculty from more than one department, school or institute are also encouraged.

Proposals for behavioral and social science research that focus on the mental and physical health of older African-Americans are encouraged from all academic disciplines that address issues relevant to this topic. Proposals should recognize the importance of a person’s life course development and experiences of stress and coping as it relates to the specific research question of interest. Some examples of these issues include: quality of life, health effects of prejudice and discrimination, caregiving, social support, family life, cognition, mental disorders, morbidity and mortality, healthcare utilization, work and retirement.

Eligibility

Junior faculty and research scientists/ investigators are eligible to apply for this award. The two-year mentoring program is for early-stage researchers who hold an academic rank or appointment equivalent to Assistant Professor.

Funds are available for the period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Individual requests may not exceed $40,000 in direct costs. Funds cannot be used to support senior faculty salaries or to purchase equipment. Studies involving human subjects must be approved by institutional review board prior to release of funds.

Each proposal must contain the following information:

1. The name and contact information of each investigator.
2. NIH Biographical Sketch of each investigator.
3. Description of Proposed Research (not to exceed 4 single spaced pages, excluding references). This should include the following sections: Specific Aims, Research Strategy, Significance, Innovation, Approach and References as defined by the NIH.
4. Budget (using the MCUAAAR budget template).
5. Budget justification (one page).
6. Other current grant support.
7. Name and contact information of a mentor who agrees to provide substantive or methodological guidance throughout the grant period.
8. NIH biographical sketch of the investigator’s mentor(s).

Only applications in Arial 11-point font or larger will be accepted. All application materials should be submitted as one single PDF file using the Qualtrics online platform that can be accessed here: MCUAAAR RFA 2025-2026.

The completed application must be received by January 17, 2025. It is expected applicants will be notified by March 7, 2025.

Questions regarding this opportunity should be submitted to Dr. Deborah Robinson, Faculty Administrative Coordinator, Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.