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Investigator Initiated Research Program

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation

The Investigator Initiated Research Award Program from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation supports doctoral-level researchers focused on:

Addressing critical gaps in health-related research
Examining factors that may prevent or reduce risk for disease
Examining associations and cause and effect relationships between health variables
Secondary data analysis of large datasets
Health care cost-analysis studies
Robust evaluation projects and feasibility studies to test the implementation of innovative interventions to improve health outcomes

The award offers up to $75,000 per grant. Typical grant awards are $50,000.

Grant application timelines

All deadlines end at 11:59 p.m. Applications are reviewed up to the date indicated, which is when the board meets for discussion. After the application is reviewed at our board meeting, applicants will receive an email with the funding decision within 10 business days.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1️⃣ Strong Relevance to Michigan Health Care Needs (Most Important)

BCBSM Foundation is regional and cares deeply about improving:

Health outcomes in Michigan communities

Access to care, especially for underserved groups

Cost and quality of medical care

Statewide public health challenges

Applications with direct Michigan benefit consistently perform better.

2️⃣ Clear, Measurable Practical Impact

Funded proposals usually demonstrate:

Improvement in clinical outcomes, quality measures, or patient safety

Reduction in cost, waste, or inefficiencies in care delivery

Tangible benefit to clinicians, patients, or health systems

Potential for policy or practice change

✨ BCBSM reviewers prioritize “real-world usefulness” over theoretical findings.

3️⃣ Strong Health Equity / Disparities Focus

BCBSM has increasingly emphasized:

Racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic inequities

Rural health challenges

Access to primary care, behavioral health, maternal health, or chronic disease management

Community-driven interventions

Proposals addressing disparities score very well.

4️⃣ Feasible, Well-Designed Study With Realistic Scope

Because most BCBSM grants are moderate in size:

Limit to 1–2 focused, achievable aims

Clear methodology and data sources

Strong evaluation plan with measurable outcomes

Realistic timeline (usually 12–24 months)

Practical implementation steps

Overly ambitious or complex studies generally fail.

5️⃣ Strong Institutional or Community Partnerships

Reviewers prefer proposals involving:

Health systems, clinics, community organizations, or public health departments

Stakeholder collaboration (patients, providers, policymakers)

Involvement of Michigan-based partners

Collaboration demonstrates feasibility, community engagement, and sustainability.

6️⃣ Established Ability to Implement & Evaluate

Funded investigators typically show:

Experience in health services, public health, or implementation science

Access to necessary data sources (claims, EHR, community data, registries)

Evaluative expertise (statistics, outcomes research)

A credible plan to monitor success

New investigators can still succeed if supported by strong mentors or partners.

7️⃣ Sustainability or Scalability After Grant Ends

BCBSM wants projects that:

Can expand statewide

Influence hospital/clinic protocols

Lead to policy improvements

Attract future external funding (NIH, HRSA, foundations)

Show how the project will grow beyond seed funding.

8️⃣ Clear, Lean, Well-Justified Budget

Winning proposals:

Request only what is needed

Align budget with specific activities

Use funds for personnel, evaluation, community partnerships, and data — not large equipment

Demonstrate cost-effectiveness

Budget realism is a major review factor.

🚫 Common Pitfalls (Guaranteed to Hurt Applications)

Pitfall	Why it Fails
Weak Michigan relevance	Not aligned with foundation mission
Too broad or unfocused	Low feasibility, low impact
No measurable outcomes	Reviewers can’t assess success
Excessive budget request	Perceived inefficiency
Lack of equity considerations	Out of touch with current priorities
Too academic / theoretical	Not useful to Michigan healthcare
No implementation plan	Seems impractical

🎯 BCBSM Foundation Proposal Success Checklist

✔ Direct benefit to Michigan residents
✔ Addresses disparities or access barriers
✔ Strong stakeholder partnerships
✔ Practical, real-world impact
✔ Focused aims + feasible methods
✔ Clear evaluation metrics
✔ Cost-effective & scalable
✔ Strong rationale + relevant literature
✔ Lean, justified budget
✔ Clear dissemination & sustainability plan

Specialties

Public Health

Eligibility Requirements

We accept applications from primary investigators with medical or doctoral-level credentials, developing evidence-based research, and based in hospitals, universities and health care systems.

Applicants must be based in Michigan and their organizations must be nonprofit.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan employees and their immediate family members are ineligible. Employees of any BCBSM affiliate and their immediate family members also are ineligible.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 600 E. Lafayette Blvd., Mail Code: X520, Detroit, MI 48226-2998

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View Funding Opportunity

Grant, Award

Multiple Deadlines:

	Concept Paper Due	Applications Accepted Until	Applications Reviewed
Winter Schedule	Oct. 29, 2025	Jan. 7, 2026	April 15, 2026
Spring Schedule	Feb. 4, 2026	April 15, 2026	July 22, 2026
Summer Schedule	May 27, 2026	Aug. 5, 2026	Nov. 18, 2026