Emerging Health Innovators Initiative

ARPA-H initiative for early career researchers and community health centers

ARPA-H’s Emerging Health Innovators (EHI) Initiative aims to increase access to government research funding and address health care gaps in the U.S. for early career investigators and community innovators. The EHI Initiative began with a Network Survey (closed for submissions) to learn about their specific needs, challenges, and concerns. Survey responses will inform a forthcoming funding solicitation, anticipated to be available in late 2024.  

ARPA-H intends the solicitation to offer two funding tracks:  

  • Technology-driven Innovation (track 1) supports early career investigators in developing innovative health technologies.  
    Eligible applicants: early career researchers, with less than 10 years from appointment at an academic or research institution across the U.S.
     
  • Community-center Innovation (track 2) empowers community innovators to develop technology that addresses specific community needs.  
    Eligible applicants: community innovators, including but not limited to community health care workers, medical professionals, nurses, social workers at community health centers, and/or non-profit organizations. 

Future EHI awards would generally be in the form of cooperative agreements or other transaction agreements, not research grants. Exact award amounts depend on meeting aggressive milestones, typical of the ARPA-H model. 

Solicitation

Proposers' Day

Virtual Proposers' Day on January 8, 2025

Proposers' Day registration

Proposers’ Day is an optional event for the potential proposer community and is not intended for patients, patient advocates, media or general interest audiences.

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Teaming

ARPA-H anticipates that teaming will be necessary to achieve the goals of the EHI Initiative. Prospective performers are encouraged to form teams with varied technical expertise to submit a research proposal. To facilitate this process, we have created a teaming page where prospective performers can share their profiles and learn more about other interested parties.  

EHI Teaming Profiles