PILOT PROJECT PROGRAM

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (Cycle 2, 2025)

CACHET seeks applications for Pilot Projects for research that addresses environmental, biological and/or social factors influencing environmental health in our communities

Applicants are Required to use One or More CACHET Cores:

Community Engagement Core

Environmental Biomarkers Core

Translational Research Facility Core

Application Process

The application process involves submission of a mandatory Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Full Application (details below).

DEADLINES:

LOI (mandatory) – Monday December 15, 2025

Full Application – Monday January 19, 2026

Eligibility:

All CACHET members, or UIC/UChicago non-members who propose a pilot project in collaboration with a CACHET member.

Collaborations with non-members for specific expertise are allowed.

Collaborations with community partners are encouraged.

Full Application Requirements:

Utilization of one or more of the CACHET Core Facilities is mandatory:

Translational Research Facility Service Core [TRFSC]; Note: The TRFSC (previously named the Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core) has multiple resources, including COMPASS and other large bio-/databanks that can be leveraged for most investigations (https://www.chicago-cachet.org/facility-cores/ihsfacilitycore/). TRFC also provides study design services and statistical planning or analysis.

Environmental Biomarkers Core [EBC]. This core provides a multitude of mass spectrometry and microbiome services, as well as proteomics, genomic, and bioinformatics services.

Community Engagement Core [CEC]. This core provides liaison with Chicagoland community groups that have environmental concerns and/or research needs and can provide community engagement technical expertise.

Proposal Mechanisms

Proposal mechanisms are as follows:
- Early-Stage Investigator Awards: (a) must be a hypothesis-based EHS research project that requires generation of preliminary data; (b) no prior history of federal grant support; and (c) a strong mentorship plan with a CACHET member. The application must include a letter from a faculty sponsor describing the mentoring plan and timeline to seek independent grant funding.
- Idea Awards: The project must be related to EHS research, with particular emphasis placed on areas of interest of CACHET Focus Groups and/or activities of CACHET Cores (see CACHET Website).
- Inter-Institutional Awards: The project must be a collaborative research project between investigators at UIC and UChicago, must show tangible synergy, and must be related to EHS research. The application must contain:
- - Rationale paragraph justifying collaboration across institutions (i.e., complementary expertise and/or resources from two institutions).
- - Paragraph outlining plans for a collaborative team science proposal to outside agencies.
- Special Priority Topic Awards: Environmental Health Community-Based Participatory Research; research that addresses CACHET CEC partner concerns (Note that this type of award is different from the Community-based Project Award – see below)
- - This can take the form of an Early-Stage Investigator, Idea, or Inter-Institutional proposal and abide by the above indicated requirements for one of these mechanisms.
- - Current concerns of primary community partners, CACHET Community Scholars and the Environmental Expert Advisory Board
- - - Concern 1: Air quality and the potential increase in diesel emissions due to new warehouses that have been built in a CACHET partner westside neighborhood, McKinley Park.
- - - Concern 2: Potential health impacts of lead exposure tvia Chicago’s drinking water, especially when old water service lined pipes are disturbed, replaced, or removed.
- - - Concern 3: Community members are concerned about the environmental and public health impacts of a proposal to build an underground facility on the far southeast side where the old steel mills (contaminated site) used to be, including water pollution (river and groundwater), air pollution (fugitive dust and increased diesel emissions), lead (leaking from blasting), and noise pollution.
- - - Concern 4: Impacts of the potential dislodging of toxic heavy metals and chemicals, including cadmium, lead and mercury from the building of nation’s first large-scale quantum computing facility at the former steelworks site on the southeast side
If you have any other questions/concerns OR ideas about community issues/topics, please contact the CEC team at cec_cachet@uic.edu.
- Community-based Project Awards: This new award provides opportunities for Chicagoland community groups, including CACHET Community Scholars (community partners trained with CACHET CEC as research partners), to propose projects to conduct EHS research addressing their specific environmental health concerns in collaboration with a CACHET investigator. This award type provides support directly to the proposing community group with additional support for the CACHET investigator and allows research to be led by community members themselves with assistance and mentoring from CACHET. The project must be related to EHS research, with particular emphasis placed on areas of interest of CACHET Focus Groups and/or activities of CACHET Cores (see CACHET Website).

Budget & Project Duration

Early-Stage Investigator Awards: up to $40,000 for one year. Renewal for an additional year upon a meritorious progress report may be considered.

Idea Awards: up to $40,000 for one year; may not include salary support for the PI.

Inter-Institutional Awards: up to $50,000 for one year; may not include salary support for the PI.

Special Topic Awards: up to $40,000 for Early-Stage Investigator (one year renewal may be considered) or Idea-type awards and up to $50,000 for Inter-Institutional type awards (one year renewal may be considered).

Community based project (NEW): Community Groups: up to $40,000 for one year; $15,000 plus a CACHET member: $0,000 (one year renewal may be considered).

Tuition support and travel cannot be included in the budget

Note: Recommended budget amount and/or duration for funded applications may be adjusted by the CACHET Executive Committee.

Proposal Format

LOI Proposal Format

LOI document: Half-inch margins, Arial 11-point font, 2 page MAX on a Cover letter, briefly include the following:
Introduction: Briefly introduce the purpose of the letter.

Project Overview: Provide a summary of the pilot project intent, including its goals, objectives, and significance.

Core Usage and Methodology: Outline the cores to be used, scope of the project and the methods that will be used to achieve the objectives.

Qualifications: Highlight the qualifications and experience of the team or organization that will be conducting the project.

Conclusion: Summarize the intent to proceed with the project and express enthusiasm for the opportunity.

Full application should be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 PM on January 9, 2026.

Full Proposal Format: Half-inch margins, Arial 11-point font

Required Sections and page limitations:

Abstract 300 words (and a 300 words maximum lay abstract for Special Priority Topic Award and Community-based Project Award proposals)

Specific Aims – One page

Research Plan – up to 3 pages.

- Introduction/Background

- Hypothesis/Specific Aims

- Research Approach

- Cores that will be used

- Paragraph about plans for future grant application

- Note: References are not included in this page limitation.

Mentorship plan for Early-Stage Investigator proposals (one page or less; this is mandatory)

Budget and budget justification (1-2 pages)

Supporting documents (e.g. letters of support for Early-Stage Investigator proposals – letters will be captured directly into this application system).

NIH Biosketches: All Key Personnel

Reporting:

A written summary of the study’s accomplishments is due within four weeks of the end of the project period. For Special Priority Topic Awards and Community-based Project Award proposals a community presentation of findings is required. CEC will work with you to schedule and plan the community presentation and translation of findings. Grantees will also be expected to report on progress, (e.g., grants submitted, awards received, and publications) resulting from the award. In addition, awardees are required to present the outcome of their research at CACHET events, e.g., Annual Retreat and/or Symposia.