PILOT PROJECT PROGRAM

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (Cycle 1, 2025)

CACHET seeks applications for Pilot Projects for research that addresses environmental, biological and/or social factors influencing environmental health in our communities

Applicants are Required to use One or More CACHET Cores:

Environmental Biomarkers Core

Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core

Community Engagement Core

Application Process

The application process involves submission of a mandatory Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Full Application (details below).

DEADLINES:

LOI (mandatory) – Monday May 23, 2025
Full Application – Monday June 27, 2025Eligibility:
- All CACHET members, or UIC/UofC non-members who propose collaboration with a CACHET member.
- Collaborations with non-members for specific expertise are allowed.
- Collaborations with community partners are encouraged.
Full Application Requirements:
- Utilization of CACHET Core Facilities (Translational Research Facility Core [TRFC], Biomarkers Core (Mass Spectrometry, Microbiome) and/or interaction with Community Engagement Core [CEC]) is mandatory. Note: The TRFC has multiple resources, including COMPASS and other large bio-/databanks (https://www.chicago-cachet.org/facility-cores/ihsfacilitycore/) for most investigations that can be leveraged. TRFC also provides study design and statistical planning or analysis.
  - - Special Priority Topic Awards: Environmental Health Community-Based Participatory Research, particularly research aligned with CACHET CEC partner concerns .
      - Current concerns:
        
        Concern 1: Air quality and the increase in diesel emissions due to new warehouses that have been built in a CACHET partner community.
        
        Concern 2: There is a growing concern about the health impacts of lead that may be leached into the city’s drinking water, especially when old water service lined pipes are disturbed, replaced, or removed.
        
        Concern 3: Community members are concerned about the environmental and public health impacts of a proposal to build an underground facility where the old steel mills (contaminated site) used to be, including water pollution (river and groundwater), air pollution (fugitive dust and increased diesel emissions), lead (leaking from blasting), and noise pollution.
      - Special priority topic pilot project ideas that can help create baseline data in any of the special interest categories are also beneficial and align with the work being done in the community. If you have any other questions/concerns OR ideas about community issues/topics, please contact the CEC team at cec_cachet@uic.edu.

Proposal Mechanisms

Early-Stage Investigator Awards:

Idea Awards: The project must be related to EHS research, with particular emphasis placed on areas of interest of CACHET Focus Groups and/or activities of CACHET Cores (see CACHET Website).

Inter-Institutional Awards: The project must be a collaborative research project between investigators at UIC and UChicago, must show tangible synergy, and must be related to EHS research. The application must contain:

Rationale paragraph justifying collaboration across institutions (i.e., complementary expertise and/or resources from two institutions).
Paragraph outlining plans for a collaborative team science proposal to outside agencies.

Special Priority Topic Awards:Environmental Health Community-Based Participatory Research, particularly research aligned with CACHET CEC partner concerns (see above).

This can take the form of an Early-Stage Investigator, Idea, or Inter-Institutional proposal and abide by the above indicated requirements for one of these mechanisms.

Budget

Early-Stage Investigator Awards: up to $40,000 (NEW) for one year; may include a request for salary support for the PI. Renewal for an additional year upon a meritorious progress report may be considered.

Idea Awards: up to $40,000 (NEW) for one year; may not include salary support for the PI.

Inter-Institutional Awards: up to $50,000 (NEW) for one year; may not include salary support for the PI.

Special Topic Awards: up to $40,000 (NEW) for Early-Stage Investigator or Idea-type awards – up to $50,000 (NEW) for Inter-Institutional awards.

Tuition support and travel cannot be included in the budget

Note: Recommended budget amount and/or duration for funded applications must be approved and may be adjusted by the CACHET Executive Committee.

Project Duration

Full application should be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 PM on June 27, 2024.

Full Proposal Format: Half-inch margins, Arial 11-point font

Required Sections and page limitations:

Abstract 300 words
Specific Aims – One page
Research Plan – up to 3 pages.
- Introduction/Background
- Hypothesis/Specific Aims
- Research Approach
- Cores that will be used
- Paragraph about plans for future grant application
- References
Budget and budget justification (1-2 pages)
Mentorship plan for Earl-Stage Investigator proposals (one page or less; mandatory)
Supporting documents (e.g. letters of support for Early-Stage Investigator proposals – letters will be captured directly into this application system).
NIH Biosketches: All Key Personnel

A written summary of the study’s accomplishments is due within four weeks of the end of the project period. Grantees will also be expected to report on progress, (e.g., grants submitted, awards received, and publications) resulting from the award. In addition, awardees are required to present the outcome of their research at CACHET events, e.g., Annual Retreat and/or Symposia.