The MUSC Center for Global Health funds several pilot research grants each year up to $20,000 for a 12-month period. The primary purpose is to stimulate research in less well-resourced settings, with the larger goal of enabling investigators to leverage preliminary findings and data to obtain larger awards of external funding. Historically, Center for Global Health pilot grants focused on low- to middle-income countries, and that remains an important aspect of the pilot grant program.
However, global health themes -- including resource limitations, systemic inequalities, and importance of community-based interventions – mirror the challenges and solutions found in parts of South Carolina and the U.S. For this reason, the Center for Global Health pilot research grants program is now also open to projects based in the U.S., with emphasis on projects that address disadvantaged populations in South Carolina.
U.S.-based proposals should address populations experiencing conditions that are central to global health, including health disparities, resource-constrained environments, barriers to healthcare access, health workforce shortages, structural inequities, or other social determinants of health. Preference will be given to projects focused on disadvantaged populations in South Carolina.
Competitive proposals should focus on populations that experience significant disparities in health outcomes and demonstrate the potential for sustainable, community-engaged solutions. Preference will be given to projects conducted in South Carolina.
Applicants must describe plans for how the results generated will be applied to future external funding. Applications that include matching funds will be given preference.
It is not necessary to have regulatory (e.g., IACUC, IRB, etc.) approvals to apply for this grant; however, applicable approvals must be in place and documented before funding is released.
