The Charles H. Hood Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the September 2026 funding cycle of the Child Health Research Awards Program, which supports early-career investigators pursuing innovative research to improve child health. For more than three decades, the program has helped launch the careers of investigators whose work advances the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions affecting children.
Beginning with this funding cycle, the program introduces a two-step application process. Applicants will first submit a Concept Paper describing the project’s scientific aims, research approach, and relevance to child health. After review by the Scientific Review Committee, selected applicants will be invited to submit a Full Proposal.
The program provides two-year grants totaling $200,000 to newly independent investigators working at nonprofit academic, medical, and research institutions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Child Health Research Awards Program supports hypothesis-driven research across multiple disciplines relevant to child health, including basic science, clinical investigation, public health, health services research, and epidemiology.
Key Dates
- Concept Paper Deadline: April 15, 2026 (12:00 noon ET)
- Full Proposal Deadline (by invitation only): July 7, 2026
Researchers interested in applying are encouraged to review the full application guidelines and eligibility requirements.
