Child Health and Human Development Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the IMPROVE initiative in 2019 in response to high rates of pregnancy-related complications and deaths, also called maternal morbidity and mortality, in the United States. The IMPROVE initiative suppo

About the IMPROVE Initiative: An estimated 700 U.S. women die each year from conditions related to or associated with pregnancy or childbirth, the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations. In addition, more than 50,000 women experience severe maternal morbidity (SMM), life-threatening health problems that are present during labor and delivery that can cause significant short- and long-term health problems for mothers. The NIH-wide IMPROVE initiative supports research on how to reduce preventable maternal mortality and decrease SMM. Using an integrated approach to understand the factors contributing to maternal mortality, SMM, and maternal morbidity, the IMPROVE initiative will build an evidence base for improved maternal care and outcomes. This multipronged, innovative research initiative is designed to understand and reduce health disparities among populations disproportionately affected by maternal morbidity and mortality.

Universities, colleges, medical, dental, and nursing schools, schools of public health, laboratories, hospitals, State, and local health departments, other public or private institutions, both nonprofit and for-profit, and individuals. Predoctoral research training grants to institutions are also supported. Proposed study must result in biomedical or behavioral research training in a specified shortage area, and which may offer opportunity to research health scientists, research clinicians, etc., to broaden their scientific background or to extend their potential for research in health-related areas. Applicants must be citizens of the United States or be admitted to the United States for permanent residency; they also must be nominated and sponsored by a public or private institution having staff and facilities suitable to the proposed research training. Domestic nonprofit organizations may apply for the institutional NRS grant. To be eligible for funding, a grant application must be approved for scientific merit and program relevance by a scientific review group, a national advisory council and reflect alignment with Administration Priorities.

Any nonprofit or for-profit organization, company, or institution engaged in biomedical or biobehavioral research and reflect alignment with Administration Priorities.

Health/ Medical, Higher Education (includes Research). Grantee agrees to administer the grant in accordance with the regulations and policies governing the research grant programs of the Public Health Service as stated in the terms and conditions on the application for the grant.

Please note specific restrictions which may be listed within their unique Funding Opportunities & Notices: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/grants-contracts/funding-opps-and-notices

The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessments of the significance of the proposed research; approach; innovation; investigators; environment; and alignment with Administration Priorities. Each application receives a dual scientific review by non-NIH scientists. Awards are issued by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). National Research Service Awards: Applications are reviewed for scientific merit by an appropriate study section committee or by an institute review committee. If recommended for approval and a decision is made to make an award, a formal award notice will be sent to the applicant and sponsor. Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines, or consult the specific Funding Opportunity Announcement listed in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts at: https://grants.nih.gov/funding/searchGuide/nih-guide-to-grants-and-contracts.cfm. General guidance about application due dates may be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/due-dates-and[1]submission-policies/standard-due-dates.htm

Please note specific restrictions which may be listed within their unique Funding Opportunities & Notices: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/grants-contracts/funding-opps-and-notices https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/forms-directory

six to nine months.

Renewal applications are accepted, as described in the relevant Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) found at: https://grants.nih.gov/funding/explore-nih-opportunities

A principal investigator (P.I.) may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Institute. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH web site at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/submit/submission-policies/resubmission-applications