The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory has launched a Request for Applications for the 2027 Health Care Systems Scholars Program.

The IMPACT Collaboratory will fund up to two Health Care System Scholar Awards. Each award will provide up to  $120,000 in total direct costs for a 1-year mentored experience designed that supports mid-career investigators (MD, PhD) to partner with a health care system (HCS), build meaningful relationships with HCS staff and leaders, understand HCS priorities and workflows, and co-design an intervention aligned with priorities for improving care for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners.

Through funded, protected time embedded within a health care system, Scholars will co-design an intervention and implementation strategy that positions the research partnership for future embedded research that advances priorities in dementia care, which may include intervention refinement, pilot testing, or an ePCT.  Scholars will receive mentorship, training, and guidance from the Health Care Systems and Training Cores through the award.

The program supports research questions and proposals co-developed with the HCS during the award, rather than investigator-driven proposals developed in advance.

Candidates are required to apply with an identified health care system and be affiliated with an organization based in the United States (US) and be US citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents at the time of application. No research may be conducted outside of the US.

Informational Webinar

September 25, 2026 @ 11:00am ET
Registration link

Letters of Intent (LOI) – Required
November 5, 2026

Full Proposals (By Invitation Only)
January 14, 2027

Read the full RFA here.

Learn more about our previous Health Care Systems Scholar Awardees here.

If you have any questions about this funding opportunity, please email IMPACTcollaboratory@hsl.harvard.edu.