Call for Sexual Orientation and Aging Research (SOAR) Network Pilot Project Proposals

Letter of Intent Application Opens: October 15, 2026

Virtual Information Session RSVP HERE: November 16, 2026 12- 1 pm CT: https://utexas.zoom.us/j/86460003359 

Letter of Intent Application Closes: November 30, 2026

 

Notice of Invitation to Submit a Full Proposal: Rolling, based on meeting program eligibility and priorities

Proposal Submission Deadline: January 31, 2027

Expected Start Date: September 1, 2027

We invite investigators to submit proposals for pilot funding to support research projects focused on sexual orientation and aging. These pilot research projects will be funded from September 1, 2027 through August 31, 2028. We anticipate funding one or two pilot projects, with a total funding pool of up to $80,000 in combined direct and indirect costs.  Guidelines for the proposal format are indicated below.

Pilot project awardees will be enrolled in a two-year program, during which they will be assigned a senior grant-funded mentor to advise them throughout the process of conducting the pilot study and submitting a larger proposal to the NIA. Enrollees will benefit from an intensive summer grant writing workshop and networking opportunities across campus and nationally.

 Eligible candidates

Investigators who are either submitting their first K or R application, or are based at institutions or in states with historically low NIH funding levels.

Questions may be addressed to: Debra Umberson at caps@utexas.edu

Pilot Project Goals

We seek cutting-edge research to illuminate how biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors intersect throughout the life course to generate disparities in health and well-being at older ages in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.

 Proposals will be given priority that address:

• Biosocial Processes. Network Core activities examine the impact of social factors and contexts that vary across sexual orientation groups as they intersect with genomic, epigenetic, and biological factors that shape mental, physical, and cognitive health trajectories in aging populations.
• Family and Social Engagement. Network Core activities examine how family, relationships, social engagement, caregiving, and living arrangements uniquely influence the experience and pace of aging among sexual orientation groups.
• Socioeconomic and Institutional Contexts. Network Core activities examine how socioeconomic and institutional contexts (e.g., schools, neighborhoods, workplaces, geopolitical contexts) throughout life confer unique risks or advantages for the health and well-being across sexual orientation groups.

 Pilot projects should be designed to support the development of a larger research project that will be submitted under an NIA grant mechanism (K01, R03, R01, R21). Pilot projects are not intended to support work to complete a study or as an addendum to an existing project. NIA considers the success rate of grants submitted from the pilot projects when making decisions about funding future CAPS pilot projects.

 Budget

Pilot projects may be funded up to $40,000 in total costs, indirect and direct costs combined. Pilot project budgets may be used to cover expenses related to the proposed study within guidelines for federally allowable expenses, including summer salary.

 Indirect costs should be included using your institution’s federally negotiated rate. In special circumstances, larger budgets will be considered.

 To prepare a budget for the application, please contact caps@utexas.edu.

 Project time periods are 2 years: 1 year to complete the pilot project and 1 year to submit a grant application. All pilot project work must be accomplished during these 2 years. An external grant from the pilot project must be submitted within two years of the award. Again, this is an important metric in reporting to NIA on the success of our pilot program.

PLEASE USE THIS TEMPLATE IN PREPARING YOUR PROPOSAL

Pilot Project Proposal Requirements 

• Investigators and affiliations
• Project title
• Statement of the purpose of the pilot in one sentence: This pilot project will do XXX.
• Text of the Proposal (approximately 2 pages total)
  • Specific Aims
  • Significance and Methods
  • One to two sentences explicating the innovation. Examples: “This project innovates by XXX”, “This projects extends research in this area by doing XXX”
  • Match with CAPS Theme
• End Products

Please state the phrase as: The R01 or R21 arising from this project will go beyond the pilot by doing XXX/examining XXX/applying this method to XXX

• Timeline (approx. ¼ page)
  • Tasks and goals for the project broken down by quarters.
  • Plan for submitting larger grant to NIA, specifying the mechanism
• Budget (approx. ½ to 1 page)
  • Detailed budget
  • Budget justification
• NIH Biosketch- via SciENcv

 Projects selected for funding will also be required to provide an NIH section on human subjects

• NIH protection of human subjects information, including enrollment table
• IRB approval

 Review Criteria

• Topic area: Alignment with aging in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations, CAPS themes, and population science
• Potential impact and innovation: Extending prior science via cutting-edge methodology or conceptual framing
• Scientific design: Including conceptual framework, methodology, and measurement
• Feasibility: Timeline and budget appropriate for project goals and design
• End product goals: Presentations, publications, and grant submission. The feasibility of a successful larger grant application is a key criterion.
• Investigators:
  • Early stage investigators:
    • Track record of publication
    • Strong interest in grant proposal process and intention to submit a proposal

 PLEASE USE THIS TEMPLATE IN PREPARING YOUR PROPOSAL