The Research Advisory Council is accepting applications for the Promoting Health Equity and Clinical Research in Southeastern NC Awards in two areas of focus—Clinical research and Health Equity research.

The Research Advisory Council (RAC), a joint committee composed of research leaders from Novant Health, New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) and University of North Carolina School of Medicine (UNC-SOM) are sponsoring two research pilot award programs that will award 1-year grants of up to $50,000 each.

The RAC is seeking to support collaborative projects where, by design, principal investigators and team members from the UNC-SOM and Novant/NHRMC will engage in research projects that help to build our cross-site research portfolios while aiming to advance community health and wellness, access to high quality health care, and health equity in southeastern North Carolina.

Researchers eligible to serve as Principal Investigators (PI)/site leads must be permanent faculty whose employment appointments allow them to serve as PI on externally sponsored research projects. Applications must include one PI from UNC-SOM and a PI from NH-NHRMC/Novant Health Medical Group Coastal Region who will serve jointly as Co-PIs for this initiative. The RAC may be able to assist potential PIs in identifying collaborators, upon request.

As this is a pilot funding opportunity, it is desirable that funded work can serve as a catalyst for submitting future research grants to foundations, the National Institutes of Health, and other funding agencies.

Cancer investigators are particularly encouraged to develop collaborative projects in response to these RFAs. Cancer investigators interested in the March 2023 deadline should complete this brief form (pdf) and email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. In future rounds of this pilot program, a specific RFA focused on cancer research will be issued.

View the Health Equity RFA (pdf)

View the Clinical Research RFA (pdf)

Submission Due Date

Next cycle deadline coming soon.