FY2020 Research to Practice Center Grants for Adolescent Health Promotion in Order to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy

Grants to USA public or private entities for projects and activities to reduce teen pregnancy. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take several weeks to complete. Funding is intended to make strategies for reducing teen pregnancy easily accessible to caregivers and health providers working with youth.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks applications from qualified organizations for research-to-practice center grants. These centers, whether existing or newly created for the purposes of this funding, will synthesize and translate existing research into practice for health promotion and development of positive assets that will lead to adoption of healthy behaviors and ultimately help to reduce teen pregnancy. The funding for this FOA comes from authority in Section 241 of the Public Health Service Act and is subject to annual appropriations “to carry out evaluations (including longitudinal evaluations) of teenage pregnancy prevention approaches.” P.L. 116-94. OPA expects the Centers to synthesize and translate existing research into best practices, approaches or strategies in a protective factor area and make that information easily accessible to health providers, caregivers, and others working with youth to prevent teen pregnancy. OPA expects Centers to address important and relevant topic areas related to adolescent health promotion, including addressing how the reduction of other risky behaviors (to include substance abuse) would aid in pregnancy prevention.

Applications may propose important and relevant topic areas related to adolescent health promotion in order to prevent teenage pregnancy; however, priority areas include:

• Engaging parents and caregivers;
• Environments supportive of healthy behaviors;
• Fostering positive connections to schools, neighborhoods, and communities;
• Active and meaningful youth engagement;
• Working with youth serving professionals in the systems that serve the most vulnerable youth populations
• Other important and relevant topic areas related to adolescent health promotion in order to prevent teen pregnancy

OPA will fund one grant per priority area. Applicants should state for which priority area they are applying. OPA expects the Centers to have a high caliber of scientific and technical competency, be forward-looking, provide strong leadership, and collaborate with stakeholders and community partners (including state and local health agencies and non-profit, community and nongovernmental organizations) in the development and delivery of research-to-practice products.

Key tasks for funded projects include:

• Assessing research needs and existing research-to-practice resources
• Developing and maintaining research alliances
• Developing a work plan in the priority area
• Funding and implementing projects in support of the work plan
• Disseminating products broadly
• Collaborating and coordinating with other related organizations

Awards under this announcement are intended to synthesize and translate existing research into practice. Awards under this announcement are not intended as a means to carry out data collection, data analyses currently in progress, or the maintenance and distribution of data sets. Projects involving secondary data analyses must be distinct from the aims and methods of the primary research under which the data were collected, i.e., effects or outcomes previously examined in the original scope of research, and avoid duplication with existing projects in the field. Utilization of extant data is a priority for this announcement.

For Expectations for Successful Applicants, see pages 10-17 of the Office of Population Affairs Funding Opportunity: Announcement of Availability of Funds for Research to Practice Center Grants for Adolescent Health Promotion in Order to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy attached document below.