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Public Health and Public Policy Research Award

American Lung Association

About the Public Health and Public Policy Research Award The American Lung Association nationwide research program is building on over 120 years of success as we continue to invest in the brightest, pioneering minds with potential to drive innovation, discover the unknown, and improve the lives of those living with lung disease. The Public Health and Public Policy Research Award was created to help stimulate and inform important public policy debates around healthy air, climate change and other public health issues related to the lungs and lung health. This award supports research on and evaluation of existing public policy and public health programs, as well as projectsthat inject innovative ideas into public policies impacting lung health.

About the Funding Opportunity

The American Lung Association Public Health and Public Policy Research Award is intended to support research on and evaluation of existing public policy and programs, as well as pilot and demonstration projects that inject innovative ideas and provide evidence for the development of new public policies impacting lung health.

This grant is not intended to support events, lobbying efforts, or legislative meetings. The Public Health and Public Policy Research Award is for a maximum of $50,000 per year for up to two years. Grants are subject to annual review; the second year of support is based on demonstrating satisfactory progress, as well as the availability of funds from the Lung Association. Requested budget for salary and all other items needs to be justified and will be considered carefully by the review committee. Grant funds may be used for the salary and fringe benefit costs of personnel other than the Applicant.

Important Notes Applicants are limited to submitting only one American Lung Association Awards and Grant application per annual cycle. An applicant can be awarded this grant only once.

This application is open to any level of research experience; independent, self-directed researchers, or early researchers who are on-track to pursue a career in lung disease research with a mentor.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to lung health ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the most important predictor.

Competitive projects should directly address:

Lung disease
Lung cancer
Asthma
COPD
Interstitial lung disease
Pulmonary fibrosis
Respiratory infections
Respiratory pathogens
Allergic respiratory disease
Environmental lung health
Indoor air quality
Lung disease prevention
Pulmonary diagnostics and therapeutics

ALA supports basic, clinical, translational, behavioral, and environmental research as long as it advances its lung-health mission.

2. Potential impact on lung health ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ALA explicitly evaluates the impact of the research on lung health.

A strong proposal should clearly explain how the research could:

Prevent lung disease
Improve diagnosis
Improve treatment
Reduce disease progression
Reduce mortality
Improve quality of life
Reduce exacerbations
Improve respiratory health

For the Innovation Award, reviewers specifically consider the likelihood that the applicant will make significant contributions to the field.

3. Scientific merit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scientific merit is an explicit peer-review criterion.

The proposal should have:

A significant research question
Strong scientific rationale
Clear hypothesis
Well-defined aims
Appropriate methodology
Meaningful expected outcomes
Strong scientific justification

ALA funds only applications judged to be of the highest quality, rather than maintaining a predetermined number of awards for each mechanism.

4. Innovation and originality ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Innovation is explicitly evaluated.

Competitive projects should introduce:

Novel hypotheses
New disease mechanisms
Innovative technologies
New therapeutic strategies
Novel diagnostic approaches
New biomarkers
Innovative clinical approaches
New environmental/public-health interventions

ALA's current research program describes its goal as investing in trailblazing research, novel ideas, and innovative approaches.

5. Technical feasibility and rigorous methodology ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A highly innovative project will not be competitive if reviewers doubt that it can be completed.

Strong proposals should demonstrate:

Appropriate study design
Appropriate controls
Statistical rigor
Adequate sample size
Appropriate endpoints
Feasible recruitment
Appropriate laboratory/clinical methods
Realistic timeline
Appropriate resources

ALA explicitly lists technical feasibility among its peer-review criteria.

6. Strong investigator qualifications ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The investigator's research record is particularly important for ALA's independent-investigator awards.

Reviewers consider:

Education
Experience
Publication record
Faculty status
Research appointment
Previous funding
Ability to conduct the proposed research

For the Innovation Award, for example, the applicant must have a doctoral degree, a qualifying faculty/professional appointment, demonstrated institutional commitment, and a publication record showing significant scientific contributions.

7. Clear career-development potential ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ALA has a strong emphasis on developing the next generation of lung-health scientists. Its portfolio includes awards specifically for early-career researchers.

The Catalyst Award, for example, is a mentored award intended for early-career scientists moving toward research independence.

For such applicants, a strong proposal should show:

Appropriate mentor
Research training
Career-development objectives
Protected research time
Path toward independence
Future external funding plans

8. Translational and clinical relevance ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ALA supports research across the basic → translational → clinical spectrum.

A particularly compelling project establishes:

Basic discovery → validation → clinical/behavioral application → improved lung health

The 2026–2027 program, for example, includes research testing whether indoor-air purification can improve lung function, symptoms, and quality of life in people with COPD, illustrating the importance of connecting research to meaningful patient outcomes.

9. Prevention and health-equity potential ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ALA's research policy specifically supports research addressing disparities in lung-disease morbidity and mortality, including among people of color, low-income populations, and other underserved groups.

Projects may therefore be strengthened when they address:

Environmental exposure disparities
Unequal access to respiratory care
Tobacco-related disparities
Air-pollution exposure
Underserved populations
Rural respiratory health
Social determinants of lung disease

Specialties

Public Health

Pulmonology

Eligibility Requirements

At the time of application, prospective applicants must possess a doctoral degree and hold a fulltime faculty position at an academic institution (or its equivalent in research institutions not formally affiliated with a university). Additionally, applicants must show evidence of research productivity as an independent investigator in a field relevant to this grant opportunity.

Applicants should be independent, self-directed researchers for whom their institution must provide space and other resources customary for independent investigators. The application must convey the commitment of the institution to the applicant and the proposed research activities for the duration of the grant. The application is open to researchers in public policy, economics, political science, sociology, law, and related disciplines.

No more than 50% of the requested budget may be used for an awardee's salary and/or fringe benefits and no more than 30% of the total award budget may be used to fund the purchase of permanent equipment. Grant funds may be used for the salary and fringe benefit costs of the Applicant and personnel other than the Applicant. Additional permitted expenditures can include purchase of large data sets.

Applications may include plans for public dissemination of the work which should include information on how findings will be used to support and promote important policy and practical changes.

Mentored Researcher Education and Experience Eligibility

At the time of application, the applicant must hold a relevant doctoral degree (PhD, DSc, MD, DO, etc.) and be affiliated with a recognized academic or other not-for-profit institution.

If applying with a mentor, this award is intended to support investigators prior to receipt of career-development awards, like NIH K08, K23, K99 or similar. Postdoctoral Fellows (PhD) and Medical Fellows who are seeking to complete at least two years of mentored research training are also eligible.

MD or DO applicants must have completed two years of research training after receiving their terminal degree prior to the start of the award.

Medical residents, those presently enrolled in a degree program (e.g., graduate students), and established investigators are not eligible to apply.

Eligible Countries:

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Lung Association

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601

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