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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment

2026 Pilot Research Awards

The Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment is a multi-disciplinary collaborative effort working in partnership with advocates, community members, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to advance the goals of the Tobacco Endgame. Funded by the California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP), the Center’s mission is to conduct community-driven tobacco policy research that leads to cleaner and healthier indoor and outdoor environments by eliminating the toxic legacy of commercial tobacco products.

Cigarette butts, vaping pods, and other tobacco product waste (TPW) are the most littered items in California, harming ecosystems and potentially human health. Similarly, secondhand smoke (SHS) and thirdhand smoke (THS) continue to pollute indoor environments, leading to involuntary exposure to known carcinogens and reproductive toxicants years after smoking ends. TPW, SHS, and THS contribute to health and environmental disparities, disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, and create financial burdens for communities.

AWARD PURPOSE

The Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment is pleased to announce the call for the 2026/27 Pilot Research Grant applications.

For this round of awards, we are particularly interested in projects examining the accumulation and reaccumulation of tobacco product waste in neighborhoods with different socio-economic, land use, tobacco use, geographic, and climate characteristics.

Successful pilot studies should inform the development of larger, policy-oriented research proposals that can compete successfully for TRDRP or other research funding. Research proposals are invited from any scientific discipline and may focus on any policy aspect of tobacco and the environment that has the potential to bring new allies (e.g., consumers, environmental groups, renters) and policy approaches to the Tobacco Endgame.

Proposals should have broad public appeal—especially among youth—create a counter-narrative to discredit the tobacco industry’s “greenwashing,” and promote tobacco control policies in novel and complementary areas (e.g., housing codes, real estate, single-use plastics). All proposals must reflect collaboration between community members and academic researchers.

KEY DATES

October 1, 2025: Call Release
November 14, 2025: Applications Due (Noon, Pacific Time)
January 19, 2026: Notification of Review Outcome
March 1, 2026: Award Start Date
February 28, 2027: Award End Date

DURATION OF AWARD

12 months

FUNDS AVAILABLE

One (1) award of up to $50,000 total costs per award (total = direct + indirect).

ELIGIBILITY

This award aims to support research by post-doctoral fellows and researchers new to tobacco control policy. Applicants identifying with underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged.

The Principal Investigator (applicant) must:

  • Have an appointment and principal investigator status at a California research institution.

  • Commit a minimum of 1.2 person-months (10%) of effort to the project for a 12-month appointment or equivalent.

  • Be able to conduct the project in the San Diego County region.

U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for eligibility.

Researchers from community organizations are not eligible to apply. However, community organizations are encouraged to partner with California academic researchers to submit proposals. Community-based researchers may serve as Co-PI or Co-I.

The Policy Research Center can facilitate connections between community-based and academic researchers as needed. Please contact Sarah Lavallee, Center Coordinator, at slavallee@sdsu.edu.

The Principal Investigator named in the application must certify that in the past five years, neither the PI nor any investigator or community partner associated with the proposal has had a paid, voluntary, or in-kind relationship with the Commercial Tobacco, Electronic Cigarette, Alcohol, or Cannabis Industries (“the Industries”). Acceptance of any such relationship after funding is grounds for termination.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Application templates may be requested from Georg E. Matt (gmatt@sdsu.edu), Director, Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment.

  1. Cover Page (see template)

  2. Research Plan

    • Specific Aims (1 page)

    • Research Strategy (3 pages)

    • Literature Cited (1 page)

  3. Budget Summary and Justification (1 page)

  4. NIH Biosketch of PI and Co-PI

  5. Human Subjects (as applicable)

  6. Vertebrate Animals (as applicable)

Parts 1–6 should be combined into one PDF document.

Grantees must comply with the policies in the Research Grants Program Office Grants Administration Manual (GAM), including those on Research Misconduct, Conflict of Interest, Acknowledgments, Open Access, and Human & Animal Subjects.

BUDGETARY GUIDELINES

The budget may include:

  • Indirect costs

  • Partial salary support for investigators, graduate students, post-docs, and technicians

  • Publication fees, supplies, and other study-related expenses

Funds cannot be used for travel, professional meeting fees, salary support for administrative personnel, or equipment.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Each application will be reviewed by two Center investigators and two Community Advisory Board members based on the following:

  • Feasibility (Required): Application will not be scored if it cannot achieve its aims given the resources.

  • Human Subjects/Animal Welfare (Required): Application will not be scored if there are major ethical concerns.

  • Significance (30 pts): Importance of the policy question related to tobacco and the environment.

  • Merit (40 pts): Policy relevance, community collaboration, sound study design, and meaningful data contribution.

  • Innovation (20 pts): Novelty, diversity of investigators, and potential for policy change.

  • Plans for External Funding (10 pts): Likelihood of leading to future grant funding.

SUBMISSION

Deadline: November 14, 2025 @ Noon (PT)

Submit a single PDF containing all required parts to Danielle Butler (dsbutler@sdsu.edu).

FORMAT SPECIFICATIONS

  • Arial font, 11 pt or larger

  • 0.75-inch margins

  • Single-spaced

  • Consecutively numbered pages (footer)

  • Name and affiliation in the header

  • Figures inserted within body text

  • No appendices

HUMAN AND ANIMAL SUBJECTS, SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Pending or approved IRB/IACUC documentation must be submitted prior to activation of the award.

GRANTEE PROGRESS AND FINAL REPORTS

Progress reviews will occur quarterly via conference calls. A final report is due within 3 months of the project’s end. Grantees must present findings at a Center webinar.

PUBLICATIONS

All publications, posters, and abstracts must acknowledge support as follows:

“This project was supported by the Tobacco Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment funded by the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program Grant #T33PC6863.”

EARLY TERMINATION OR TRANSFER OF FUNDS

If the grantee discontinues the project or leaves their California research institution, the Center must be notified immediately and the project will be terminated.

INQUIRIES AND APPLICATION TEMPLATES

For inquiries and templates, contact:
Georg E. Matt, PhD
Director, Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment
gmatt@sdsu.edu

For more information:

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