The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released its Increasing Organ Donation Awareness grant program opportunity for Fiscal Year 2017. This cycle focuses on living organ donation and vascularized composite allograft (VCA) donation, specifically hand and face. Funds will support research studies aimed at one of two purposes: 1) increasing the public’s knowledge related to living organ donation; or 2) increasing the public’s knowledge related to VCA donation, thereby increasing their willingness to be a VCA donor or authorize a deceased relative to be a VCA donor.

Proposed studies may be pilot projects or extension projects. Studies should test strategies or model interventions that exhibit the potential to have a widespread impact on the donation and transplant community. The Principal Investigator (PI) must be experienced in social and behavioral research and evaluation. HRSA will award up to $450,000 per year during the three-year project period to an estimated four awardees. Applications are due February 17, 2017.