Small Grant Program

The primary goal of the WCAHS Small Grant Program is to encourage the development of creative research and intervention projects while nurturing researchers—particularly junior researchers—interested in agricultural health and safety research. An annual call for proposals is released each October and, following a competitive review process, selected projects are funded annually for 12 months.

Small Grant Program Objectives

• Fund short-term research projects to support the collection of preliminary data
• Attract new investigators to work with the Center in the field of agricultural health and safety
• Facilitate the exploration of innovative research
• Engage and mentor graduate students across multiple disciplines

Current 2019–2020 Funding Opportunity

WCAHS is dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, farmworkers and their families and communities through multidisciplinary research, education, and community trainings. Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. and represents one of the largest industrial sectors in California. 

WCAHS is seeking research proposals that address agricultural health and safety in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and/or Nevada. WCAHS welcomes applications on a wide range of topics relevant to agricultural health and safety. Areas of current interest include, but are not limited to, health and safety related to air quality and climate change, wildfires near agriculture, pesticide exposure, ergonomic hazards, night work in agriculture, and mental health and stress in agricultural populations. 

Projects that include collaboration with cooperative extension farm advisors or farm labor contractors are encouraged. Also encouraged are projects that will result in agricultural industry, community, and/or policy-relevant outputs; as are those that include matching funds.

Award

Funding for the 2019–2020 academic year. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars may request up to $10,000. Faculty may request up to $30,000.

Eligibility

• Faculty with PI eligibility in the Western region (AZ, CA, HI, NV)
• PhD students or postdoctoral scholars in the Western region
• Applicants from AZ, HI, and NV are encouraged to apply

Key Dates

Submission Instructions

• Proposals are due on or before the due date: August 9, 2019, 5 p.m. PT
• Send all materials in one .pdf to:  aghealth@ucdavis.edu

Required Proposal Items

WCAHS Small Grant Program Objectives

The overarching goal of the WCAHS Small Grant Program is to encourage the development of creative research projects while nurturing researchers — particularly early-career researchers — interested in improving agricultural health and safety for the Western U.S. It is designed to fund short-term research projects to support the collection of preliminary data; attract new investigators to WCAHS and the field of agricultural health and safety; facilitate the exploration of innovative research directions; and engage and mentor graduate students across multiple disciplines.

Review Criteria

The review process emphasizes scientific merit, which includes identification of a significant health- and/or safety-related problem that may be related to agricultural sources; magnitude of health and/or safety problem; innovation and use of appropriate tools and methodologies to address the question; fit with WCAHS’ goals; likelihood that the investigator will obtain extramural funding using preliminary data obtained from the project; and likelihood that the proposal will enhance the translational component of WCAHS.

Awardees will be expected to participate in WCAHS events and seminars and acknowledge WCAHS in publications and presentations by NIOSH grant title and number.

Questions? – aghealth@ucdavis.edu