PILOT GRANTS

DISCOVER Pilot Grants: Call for Proposals is now closed

Letter of Intent (LOI) for the next funding cycle due October 15, 2026

During IdeaLab, prospective applicants will be guided on the details required to submit a Letter of Intent. Please sign up by filling out the IdeaLab request form.

LOIs will be competitively reviewed and responsive LOIs will be selected to proceed to the full Call for Proposals (due February 1, 2027).

DISCOVER offers funding support to Early Career Investigators (e.g., postdoctoral fellows, instructors, assistant professors) interested in conducting research for Washington, DC residents related to differential health outcomes in cancer, stroke, and maternal health. DISCOVER Grants aim to contribute to community-engaged research in the three areas mentioned.

Discover Awards

DISCOVER Awards are 9 to 12 month pilot grants of up to $ 100,000 budget per award; the length of the award and funding period depends on the timing and availability of funds. 

Eligibility

The DISCOVER awards are open to any GUMC-affiliated early career investigators (e.g., postdoctoral fellows, instructors, assistant professors). Individuals who are not employed by Georgetown but who have a Georgetown faculty appointment or an affiliation with Georgetown (e.g., consortium partners, MedStar Health) are eligible to apply as long as the research involves community-engaged, multilevel health research to improve outcomes in cancer, stroke, and maternal health among residents in the Washington DC area.

Additional Information

DISCOVER training opportunities and workshops will be open to any postdoctoral fellows and early career faculty interested in learning about community engagement and the development of research to address differential health outcomes. 

We will be hosting four information sessions about the application process and answering any questions in early 2027. Please email discover@georgetown.edu for more details.

Questions and requests for additional information should be directed to discover@georgetown.edu with the subject line "DISCOVER Pilot Grants."

Award Considerations

Proposals will be reviewed based on alignment of objectives with the intent of DISCOVER grants, as follows: 

1. Evidence-based methods to engage members of the community. 

2. Focus on improving health differential outcomes in cancer, stroke, and maternal health among Washington, DC residents.

3. Clear research methods strategies/plans for study implementation.

4. Appropriate timeline for planned activities.

5. Clear outcomes of importance to the DC community.

6. Need for investigator development for community-engaged research to address health differential outcomes.

Proposals will be reviewed based on the following considerations: 

1. Proposal addresses significant differential health outcomes in cancer, stroke or maternal health for residents of the Washington, DC area. Applicants can reference the National Institute of Minority and Health Disparities Framework if useful. 

2. Focus on Washington, DC area residents experiencing poorer outcomes or greater disease burden in one of the following areas: cancer, stroke, or maternal health. Differential health outcomes can be broadly defined across cancer, stroke or maternal health but must include data to justify research focus on a particular population/group. Priority will be given to proposals that include a focus on addressing the gaps in health outcomes among populations with greater disease or symptom burden.  

3. Proposal indicates how community members will be engaged in the research. Individual consultations and more information about community engagement and resources on best practices can be found through GHUCCTS, guidance from the National Academy of Medicine, and/or dicemethods.org. The following DISCOVER collaborating organizations may also be useful: Georgetown’s Center for Health Equity, MedStar Center for Health Equity Research, and I-REACH.  Funded awardees will work with members of the DISCOVER team prior to the launch of their research to ensure use of best practices for community engagement. 

4. Significance and Research Approach. Rigor of proposed methods. Formative research, qualitative methods, quantitative methods are all permitted (Approach Section ~4.5 pages).

5. Proposal includes a description of how study results will be shared with the Washington DC community.  

6. Proposal includes a description of how the investigator will benefit from DISCOVER investigator development activities (required; please see section below).

7. Proposal describes how the pilot results will be both necessary and sufficient to facilitate a subsequent major extramural award (e.g., K or R series or equivalent, as shown in the pathway shown below).

Important dates

• Recommended (optional but strongly encouraged): IdeaLab Sessions July 1 - September 1, 2026

• Required: Letter of Intent Submission due October 15, 2026

• By Invitation: Full Proposals in response to the Call for Proposals due February 1, 2027