The application period for the 2026-2027 Small Grant Program is now open.
Funding Opportunity
The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) is dedicated to improving the health and safety of those working in western agriculture through research, outreach, and training.
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. Proposals that identify an occupational health or safety issue attributable to the agricultural worksite, rather than general community exposures, will be prioritized.
Projects that include collaboration with cooperative extension specialists, farm advisors, community-based organizations, farm labor contractors, and/or those that result in industry, community, and/or policy outputs are encouraged.
Program Objectives
The overarching goal of the WCAHS Pilot/Feasibility Program is to encourage the development of creative research projects while nurturing researchers—particularly early-career and under-represented 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 early-stage investigators as defined by the NIH.
Award
- Approximate funding period: October 1, 2026–September 29, 2027.
- Up to $30,000 for postdoctoral scholars, research staff, and professors. Up to $10,000 for graduate students.
- Requested budget amount may be reduced during the review process based on the availability of funds and the number of qualified proposals.
Eligibility
- Investigators in AZ, CA, HI, NV and/or project activities and research sites in AZ, CA, HI, NV.
- Early-stage investigators are prioritized. These include graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, research staff, and professors who have completed their terminal degree within the past 10 years and have yet to be awarded a substantial grant as a principal investigator. Nonprofit organizations may also apply for funding through the WCAHS Pilot/Feasibility Program. Applicants do not need to be affiliated with a university; therefore, organizations that conduct research are also eligible to apply.
Key Dates
| Proposals Due | August 25, 2026, 5 p.m. PT |
| Earliest Funding Start Date | October 1, 2026 |
| Progress Report Due | September 29, 2027 |
| Final Report Due | November 1, 2027 |
Required Proposal Items
| Abstract written for lay audience | <150 words |
Project narrative:
| 3 pages |
Budget:
| 1 page |
| Budget justification | 1-2 pages |
Human Subjects:
IAUCUC:
| <1 page |
| CV or resume for the PI | 3-page limit |
| Graduate student, postdoctoral scholar, and research staff projects only: faculty letter of support |
Submission Instructions
Proposals are due on or before Friday, August 25, 2026, 5 p.m. PT. Send all materials as a single PDF to [email protected].
Review Criteria
All Pilot/Feasibility proposals will be reviewed in a two-stage process. The first stage will be a scientific review focused on the scientific merit and feasibility of the project. All applicants are strongly encouraged (but not required) to use the NIOSH Burden, Need, and Impact framework in describing their project. All proposals will be reviewed using the standard NIH nine-point scale (1=exceptional; 9=poor). The second stage involves CDC/NIOSH review and approval. Awards will not be finalized until this approval is received.
Awardee Expectations and Professional Development Opportunities
Awardees will be expected to participate in WCAHS monthly Zoom seminars and other occasional events (with remote participation and travel funds where necessary). Awardees will be required to acknowledge WCAHS in publications and presentations by the NIOSH grant’s title and number. Awardees may be asked to present their project status to center leadership during the project period.
In addition to funding, awardees gain access to mentoring meetings, feedback on presentations, reviews of a manuscript from a scientific editor, and the center’s communications expertise.
More information about WCAHS can be found here: https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/
Previously funded projects can be found here: https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/funding/small-grant-program/projects
Questions? – [email protected]