Partners 4 Health Awardees Get Grant Writing Tips from Experts
The Partners 4 Health Grantathon, held from March 3rd to 7th, 2025, brought together nine individuals to develop competitive grant proposals focused on HIV prevention, mental health, and health equity in the Midwest. Participants engaged in workshops, storytelling exercises, and collaborative discussions, culminating in ideas and actionable plans for impactful grant submissions.
Highlights:
Day 1: Participants shared their dreams and ideas to address the HIV epidemic in St. Louis.
Day 2: Temitope Ojo, PhD, MPH, led the meeting, which focused on storytelling and problem-solving; the group reviewed a successful $6 million grant from Nigeria and decided to use the R21 grant mechanism for their proposals.
Day 3: Olufunto Olusanya, MD, PhD, led a detailed review of the R21 request for applications, and Kiwan Lawson, MS, presented his idea to use motorsports for mental health and HIV prevention.
Day 4: Participants refined their ideas, with Fithi Andom, PhD, presenting her proposal to address high HIV rates among immigrant youth in St. Louis.
Day 5: Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD, provided feedback on final pitches, emphasizing innovation and scalability. The team outlined the next steps for submitting a collective R01 grant by May 9th.
Key Outcomes:
Collaborative R01 Grant: The team will submit a collective R01 grant by May 9th, focusing on innovative approaches to HIV prevention and care in the Midwest.
Needs Assessments: Participants must submit two-page needs assessment proposals by March 20th to access seed funding.
Continuing Sessions: Weekly Thursday meetings will be held to refine grant proposals and prepare for submission.
Words of Inspiration:
Dr. Temitope shared these remarks during the closing session: "Your dreams are valid, and your work has the power to transform lives. Let your passion guide you as you write grants that will make a lasting impact."
Written by Priscilla Agokey Kabutey, edited by April Houston