Research Training Award

Submit an Application

Background

As part of our commitment to working with local community-based organizations and faculty to improve health in the region, the South Jersey Institute for Population Health (SJIPH) is launching our Research Training Award (RTA) to support faculty in strengthening their community-based participatory research (CBPR) skills.

Researchers have many skills and expertise in their respective disciplines, but may need additional training and experience in community engagement (Kegler et al., 2016; Alexander et al., 2020). Community-based participatory research requires specific skills to be successful. It is also important that researchers have adequate time and skills to support CBPR projects (Alexander et al., 2020).

The Research Training Award (RTA) is designed for Rowan and Rutgers-Camden faculty interested in additional CBPR training in order to develop projects with local organizations in the 7-county South Jersey region (i.e., Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem). The RTA will include four specialized community based participatory research (CBPR) / community engaged research (CER) training sessions, 1 in-person and 3 virtual meetings, as well as a $1,500 stipend for faculty participation. The application will be brief and is submitted through the SJIPH website portal.

Process

Overview

The deadline to apply is August 31st. We encourage applicants to apply once the call opens in early May. All RTA applications will be reviewed. Applicants will be notified by mid September of the decision. Up to 8 applicants will be selected and invited to participate in our October 9th launch event. The RTA awardees will be recognized in person at the release of the next impact report and will have the opportunity to meet with other community based leaders, researchers, and stakeholders in southern NJ.

At the conclusion of each session, RTA faculty may complete a survey with:

  1. A brief summary of what they have learned
  2. A brief summary of how the training will impact their research practice
  3. Evidence of submitting to a funding announcement

Our preferred outcome for (3) is application for the SJIPH Call for Proposals for research funding.

Proposal Review

The application is designed to be brief. The application is submitted through the SJIPH website. It includes:

1. Researcher Background

Application question: Briefly describe your overall research interests, including research areas and main populations of interest.

2. Methodological Experience

Application question: Please provide details on your methodological expertise.

3. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Training

Application question: If you have any previous community based participatory research training, please describe the type of training, approximate year of training, general topics covered, etc.

4. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Experience

Application question:Describe any community-based participatory research (CBPR) you have engaged in.

5. Impact

Application question:What do you hope to gain from this community-based participatory research (CBPR) training?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. What are the main goals of these awards?

    The primary goal of these awards is to train faculty interested in additional community-based participatory research (CBPR) training in order to develop projects with local organizations in the 7-county South Jersey region (i.e., Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem).

  2. How much funding is available through these awards?

    The awards will be $1,500. We anticipate making up to 8 awards to research faculty from Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden University.

  3. Who is eligible to apply for these awards?

    Faculty from Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden University that have one of the following titles: Assistant Professor, Assistant Teaching Professor, Associate Professor, Associate Teaching Professor, Professor, Clinical Research Faculty, and Lecturer.

  4. Geography

    The faculty need to be interested in completing research in the 7-county South Jersey region (i.e., Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem).

  5. What are the reporting requirements for these awards?

    Because these awards are small, we have tried to keep reporting manageable. At the conclusion of the award, we require brief updates through a survey with 1) a brief summary of what they have learned, 2) a brief summary of how the training will impact their research practice, and 3) c) an application or other evidence of action by the faculty (preferably documentation of an application to SJIPH 2027 main round research funding or another funding mechanism).

  6. What if I do not have an academic partner from Rowan or Rutgers?

    That's ok! Upon receipt of a partnership development award, SJIPH will help you match with an academic partner. We provide technical support – upon receipt of the award, we can connect you to faculty that fit your organization’s area of focus. Part of the goal of the award is to pay for staff time, mileage, meetings, and other costs of partnership formation for the community organization.

  7. How do I apply for an award?

    To apply for an award, please complete the application form available on our website and submit it by the August 31st deadline.

  8. How will the award applications be evaluated?

    Applications will be evaluated based on the potential for building CBPR skills and the relevance of the goals of the faculty member for the RTA award.

  9. When will the awards be announced?

    Awards will be announced in early Fall 2026. Awardees will be invited to a kick off event in the Fall.

  10. Can we submit more than one application?

    No.

  11. What topics would the sessions cover?

    Possible topics include defining CBPR, effectively partnering with community-based organizations, navigating, understanding and mitigating constraints across community and academic research.

  12. What is the format of the sessions?

    There would be one in-person 90 minute session and three 1-hour virtual sessions.

  13. What is the timeline for the sessions?

    The sessions would occur from November 2026 (in person at the Joint Health Sciences Center in Camden, NJ) through March 2027 (1 virtual meeting per month, January 2027, February 2027, March 2027).

  14. What are the expectations for awardees of the Research Training Awards?

    The RTA award money is a stipend to support faculty for their time in training.

  15. Who can I contact for more information about the award program?

    For more information about the partnership formation call, please contact SJIPH through the following methods:

    Email: info@sjiph.org

    Website: https://sjiph.org/contact/