The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced an opportunity in which it is soliciting applications for two separate competitions:  R40 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Field-Initiated Innovative Research Studies (FIRST) (HRSA-17-011) and R40 MCH Secondary Data Analysis Research (SDAR) (HRSA-17-012). HRSA requires the research findings of the R40 MCH FIRST and R40 MCH SDAR programs to be generalizable and of regional or national significance.

HRSA anticipates awarding six grants of no more than $300,000 per year (three-year project period) for its R40 MCH FIRST program. This program will fund innovative translational and applied research on critical issues affecting maternal and child health, including services for children with special health care needs. Research should explore and develop new ideas and interventions that strengthen and expand topics addressed by the new MCH Block Grant National Performance Domains and Strategic Research Issues. The research should also advance the current knowledge pool, and when implemented in states and communities should result in health and health services improvements.

For its R40 MCH SDAR program, HRSA anticipates making 10 grant awards of no more than $100,000 each for a one-year project period. The R40 MCH SDAR program supports “applied MCH research that exclusively conducts secondary analysis of existing national databases and/or administrative records.” These projects should have the potential to improve health services and delivery of care for maternal and child health populations.

Applications are due August 19, 2016.