Priorities for Third Grant Funding Round Announced

The National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research has identified four areas of funding for its third cycle of grantmaking in 2021.

The proposal process for the next funding round will begin on January 5, with the release of the 2021 request for proposals (RFP).

The Collaborative will seek proposals in a narrower scope of topics for this funding round than in previous years. It expects to award up to $1.1 million in grant funding, including up to four $25,000 dissertation awards and up to two $50,000 post-doctoral awards.

Applicants will be asked to propose one-year research projects in four award types, including research on impacts of gun policies on gun owners and users, research on firearm suicides, dissertation or post-doctoral research awards, and supplemental awards to expand existing Collaborative-funded work.

As in previous years, the application process will involve two steps, starting with an initial letter of interest describing the research. Letters will be reviewed by the Collaborative’s Research Advisory Committee and full proposals will be requested from selected applicants.

Collaborative Director Andrew Morral said that studies must follow a rigorous scientific research protocol and have direct relevance to firearm violence reduction in the United States.

“We aim to fund research that has the best chance of producing evidence that will inform fair and effective gun policies and reduce deaths and injuries.”

In developing the RFP, the Research Advisory Committee has drawn on research priorities which were developed through consultation with a range of stakeholders and gun policy researchers.

In 2020, the Collaborative funded 18 research projects for a total investment in gun policy research of more than $10 million. In its first round of grantmaking in 2019, the Collaborative awarded $9.8 million to 17 research projects.

Check our website for details on January 5, 2021, or to stay informed, follow the Collaborative on Twitter and sign up for our email alerts.