The Child Health Research Awards Program, administered by the Charles H. Hood Foundation, aims to support newly independent faculty in their research endeavors. This program provides an opportunity for researchers to demonstrate their creativity and assists them in transitioning to other sources of research funding. The focus of the research must be hypothesis-driven and directly relevant to child health, encompassing areas such as clinical research, basic science, public health, health services research, and epidemiology.

The program offers two-year grants totaling $200,000, which breaks down to $100,000 per year, inclusive of a 10 percent indirect cost. These grants are specifically designed for researchers who are within five years of employment for PhD scientists or seven years for physician-scientists following the completion of their training. The award period for the grants is set to begin on January 1, 2025, and conclude on December 31, 2026.

Eligibility for the Child Health Research Awards Program requires that all applicants have completed their training at the time of application. They must also be within the specified timeframes of employment post-training. While U.S. citizenship or residency is not a requirement, applicants must hold a doctoral degree, lead independent research programs, and have a faculty appointment at a nonprofit academic, medical, or research institution located in one of the six New England states: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut. Applications from physician-scientists are particularly encouraged.

The submission requirements for the grant include a completed application form, which must be submitted by the application deadline. The specific questions that applicants will need to address in their applications are not detailed in the provided information. However, it is essential for applicants to prepare a comprehensive proposal that aligns with the program's objectives and research focus.

Evaluation criteria for the applications will likely include the relevance of the proposed research to child health, the creativity and innovation of the research approach, and the qualifications of the applicant. The foundation aims to support projects that demonstrate a strong potential for impact in the field of child health.

The deadline for submitting applications for the Child Health Research Awards Program is October 7, 2024. It is important for potential applicants to be aware of this timeline to ensure that they can prepare and submit their proposals in a timely manner. For further details and updates, interested individuals can visit the Charles H. Hood Foundation's website.