Overview

MiCDA’s two-year mentored pilot project program is designed to provide early career scholars with resources to complete a small project in Year 1 and develop a grant application to the National Institute on Aging in Year 2. Fellows will have a mutually-agreed upon MiCDA mentor and attend workshops on manuscript development, grant preparation and communication of findings to lay audiences. MiCDA expects to fund 2 pilot projects beginning September 2027. Applicants may request up to $60k in direct costs for their project.

Key Dates (deadlines 5:00 pm ET) 

Week of November 1, 2026 Call for pre-proposals release date 
December 7, 2026 Register for optional pilot grant preparation workshop;  registration link 
December 14, 2026Pilot grant preparation workshop, 2pm-4pm over Zoom
January 11, 2027 1 page pre-proposals due; submit via DECC website
Week of February 8, 2027Applicants invited to submit full proposals; instructions will be shared via email 
March 8, 2027 Full proposals due
Week of March 29, 2027Finalists notified 
Week of April 19, 2027 Final pilot projects material due 
September 1, 2027 Anticipated start date 

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following qualifications: 1) Hold a faculty position or a post-doctoral position at a U.S. institution of higher education and 2) Meet NIH’s criteria for early stage investigator (ESI) or new investigator (NI). 

Pilot Project Focus  

Proposed pilots should focus on one of MiCDA’s signature themes: (1) Enriching data infrastructure and methods to promote breakthroughs in the demography of aging; (2) The changing demography of late-life disability, dementia and family caregiving; and (3) Social, biological, and environmental underpinnings over the life course that shape later-life health and wellbeing. A focus on actionable research that addresses health disparities by race/ethnicity is welcome. Pilot projects are expected to result in multiple presentations and at least one published paper.  

Mentorship Component  

Pilot project recipients must propose (in the pre-proposal) and include a letter from (in the full  proposal) a MiCDA affiliate to mentor them through the two-year fellowship. The mentor will  provide guidance over two years on the Research Fellow’s pilot project, manuscript development and grant preparation. Applicants do not need to include funds for mentorship effort in their proposed budgets.  

Career Development Component  

Research Fellows are expected to participate in workshops designed to guide applicants  through manuscript development and grant preparation and to enhance research  communication skills with lay audiences. There will also be opportunities to meet other  mentored pilot project recipients through the Demography & Economics of Aging Coordinating Center (DECC).  

Other Requirements  

Pilot recipients are also expected to present results at an annual symposium and to cite MiCDA as a source of funding support for any publications or presentations that emerge from funding (P30AG012846). Recipients are also expected to respond to all inquiries requesting information on pilot activities and meet any additional requirements required by NIA.  

Budget

We expect pilot projects will be supported for 1 year, from September 1, 2026-August  31, 2027. Applicants may request up to $60,000 in direct costs. Expenses can include salary and associated fringe costs, research staff (data analyst, research assistant), data collection costs, travel costs, and materials and supplies necessary for the proposed research. In addition, indirect costs of 8% may be included in the budget.  

Optional Pilot Proposal Preparation Workshop

In collaboration with the Institute for Social Research, MiCDA offers an annual online pilot grant preparation workshop (registration required). The next workshop will be held December 14, 2026 from 2-4 pm ET.  The workshop is optional but highly recommended for applicants who have not previously applied for pilot funds. Registration is open until December 7th. Space is limited.

Pre-Proposals Due Jan 11, 2027, 5 pm ET.

To be considered for a full proposal,  applicants must submit a MiCDA pre-proposal through the online application available on the DECC website.

The pre-proposal should include: 1) a description of the research  activity (1 page limit, excluding references); 2) a preliminary budget and justification; and 3) your NIH biosketch (SciENcv format);. You will also be asked to include the name of a proposed MiCDA affiliate to serve in the role as mentor (see list of MiCDA affiliates). The description of research activity should cover the following topics: the significance of your research question, how your research is novel, a brief overview of the approach you plan to use, and expected outcomes.  

Full Proposals Due March 8, 2027, 5 pm ET

Successful pre-proposal applications will be invited to submit a full through the MiCDA website.

The full proposal should include: 1) Project Summary (1  paragraph) 2) Specific Aims (1 page limit) 3) Research Strategy (2 page limit, excluding  references) that covers significance, innovation, approach, expected outcomes from the  pilot (e.g. presentations, manuscripts, proposals), and references; please include a brief  statement as to how your pilot relates to one of MiCDA’s signature themes; 4) the following NIH Forms, available at the NIH website: PHS Budget page and justification; NIH biosketches (SciENcv format) for key personnel; if your project involves human subjects, the PHS human subjects and clinical trials information form; and if your project involves data collection or resources that might be shared (e.g., analytic code, et.), a data/resource sharing plan; and 5) a brief letter from your proposed MiCDA affiliate mentor describing any pre-existing collaborative efforts, how their experience and  interests align with your proposed pilot, and stating that they are willing to mentor you over the two-year Research Fellow period through your pilot, manuscript development and grant preparation activities. 

Review Criteria/Priority

The review committee will focus on the following criteria and priorities:  

1. Review criteria will focus on significance/innovation and feasibility of approach.  

2. Priority will be given to projects that are likely to advance research around MiCDA’s research  themes, with a clear emphasis on social and behavioral aspects of health and wellbeing of older adults.  

3. Priority will also be given to projects that seed innovative research, have the potential to produce publications that advance the Center’s signature research themes, are likely to serve as a foundation for external funding (e.g., NIH K99/K01, R03, R21, or R01), and can be completed over a 12-month period.  

4. Priority will also be given to applicants whose proposed research aligns well with the experience of their proposed MiCDA affiliate mentor.  

Questions

Please note that pilot funding is contingent upon available funding, NIA approval, and IRB  approval. Inquiries may be directed to Jana Deatrick [email protected].