Objective

The Collaborative to Advance Clinical Health Equity (CACHE) at Duke Health is soliciting applications for innovative projects that leverage CACHE’s infrastructure and capabilities to identify, address, and eliminate disparities in healthcare. This RFA seeks interdisciplinary projects that utilize data science, comparative effectiveness research, predictive modeling, quality improvement, implementation science, social epidemiology, and community engagement to identify and mitigate healthcare disparities.

While no direct funds are provided, selected projects will receive substantial analytics, informatics, community engagement, quality improvement framework didactic training, QI engineering support, and mentorship from the CACHE team. In addition, CACHE will work with health system leaders to provide project management, informatics, and statistical support.

Projects must aim to enhance clinical care and outcomes by implementing proven strategies within the Duke Health system. Proposals focused solely on testing new interventions for efficacy will not be selected.

All projects must address health disparities and align with DUHS or departmental priorities. CACHE supports piloting and refining interventions for broader implementation within Duke Health.

Applicants are encouraged to consult with DUHS quality improvement leaders in developing their letters of intent. Applications that include additional resource commitments from the applicant’s department or health system unit will receive additional consideration.

Key Dates

• Letter of intent (LOI) due: January 22, 2026
• LOI selection notification: by February 7, 2026
• Mandatory consultations: by February 15, 2026
• Full applications due: May 14, 2026
• Reviewer meeting: June 2026
• Award decisions announced: July 2026
• Project start date: September 1, 2026

Key Requirements

Institutional Priorities

Projects must directly address one or more Duke Health institutional priorities, particularly those related to health equity, quality improvement, and system-wide implementation.

Academic Support

Applicants must confirm appropriate leadership support from their division chief, department chair, service line VP, or equivalent leader to ensure adequate time for project completion, dissemination of results, and publication. A commitment of approximately 10% effort is recommended for successful engagement.

Project Goals and Team Composition

Projects should focus on scalable implementation and workflow impact, supported by a multidisciplinary team capable of driving change and measuring success. Teams are encouraged to include members with expertise in data analytics, informatics, clinical operations, community engagement, and quality improvement to ensure robust project design and execution.

Alignment with CACHE Infrastructure

Proposed projects should demonstrate strong alignment with CACHE’s analytic and operational resources, including the Clinical Research Data Mart (CRDM), quality improvement coaching, and QI engineering support.

Award Information

Projects should demonstrate measurable progress and impact within a 12-month period. Up to three projects will be selected for the 2026 cycle.

Selected project teams will receive:

• Dedicated analytics, informatics, QI engineering, and mentorship support from the CACHE core team,
• Structured didactic training in quality improvement frameworks,
• Access to CACHE’s community engagement and data science resources, and
• Guidance from health system leaders to promote project integration and sustainability within Duke Health.

Note: No direct funds are provided through this award; however, awardees will receive substantial in-kind institutional support through CACHE resources and mentorship. This support does not imply that CACHE will cover 10% of the PI’s effort.

Expectations include:

• Principal Investigator attendance at monthly check-in meetings/QI didactic sessions with the CACHE core team,
• Presentation of intermediate and final progress reports,
• External presentation of project results, and
• Preparation and submission of a manuscript describing findings.

Eligibility Requirements

• Project teams must include at least one Principal Investigator (PI) with a Duke faculty appointment.
• Teams are encouraged to include members from diverse disciplines—such as medicine, nursing, informatics, population health sciences, biostatistics, implementation science, and community engagement—to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
• Early-career faculty are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Collaborative submissions between clinical departments and community partners are encouraged, provided there is a clear alignment with Duke Health priorities and CACHE objectives.

Application Guidelines

Letter of Intent Submission

Submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) is mandatory for all applicants. LOIs allow the CACHE team to ensure project alignment, guide applicants toward appropriate resources, and schedule required consultations.

Each LOI must summarize:

• The project’s objectives and significance, including evidence of a national, regional, or local disparity in care.
• The project team composition and roles.
• The proposed focus area or intervention within Duke Health.

The LOI Template can be downloaded from the CACHE website. LOIs are limited to one page, with at least 0.5-inch margins and 11-point font or larger. Please name the file using the following format: lastname_LOI.pdf

Selected Applicants are required to participate in a mandatory consultation with the CACHE team prior to submitting full proposal.

LOIs should be submitted in PDF format via Qualtrics no later than January 22, 2026.

Applicants whose LOIs are selected to advance are expected and required to submit a full application.

Full Proposal Submission (By Invitation Only)

Applicants invited to submit a full proposal must compile a single PDF containing the following sections (with at least 0.5-inch margins and 11-point font):

1. Proposal (3 pages or fewer):
   • Problem statement and significance to health equity.
   • Innovative and transformative aspects of the proposal.
   • Target population and expected impact.
   • Alignment with organizational priorities.
   • Potential approach and methodology. (The CACHE team will collaborate with each project team to refine intervention design and evaluation methods.)
   • Milestones for 6 and 12 months. (CACHE projects are expected to yield at least one peer-reviewed manuscript and one or more local/national presentations.)
   • Expected outcomes and measures of success.
   • Team rationale and readiness.
2. Appendix (optional, 1 page): Figures and references.
3. NIH Biosketch: For project leader only.
4. Commitment Statement from Sponsor (1 page): A signed statement from the project leader’s direct supervisor (division chief, department chair, or analogous leader) confirming:
   • Protected time and institutional support for downstream implementation.
   • Supervisor’s agreement to attend two in-person meetings (maximum 90 minutes each) and one kick-off meeting (maximum 30 minutes) over the course of the year.

Please combine all sections (1–4) into a single PDF in the prescribed order and name the file using:
lastname_application-title.pdf.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Significance to health equity
2. Alignment with institutional priorities
3. Fit with CACHE resources
4. Innovation and potential for transformative impact
5. Interdisciplinary collaboration
6. Feasibility and implementation plan
7. Team composition and leadership support

Reporting Requirements

Awardees will be required to participate in structured progress reporting and engagement activities throughout the 12-month project period to ensure accountability and shared learning across CACHE projects.

Reporting and participation requirements include:

• Monthly engagement: Principal Investigators must attend monthly check-in meetings and/or QI didactic sessions with the CACHE core team.
• Quarterly written updates: Submit brief written progress summaries at approximately 3 and 9 months after project start.
• Midpoint review: Present project status and preliminary outcomes during a 6-month progress session with the CACHE team and peer awardees. Project sponsors are required to attend this midpoint review to provide leadership feedback and discuss progress toward institutional goals.
• Final presentation: Deliver a 12-month summary presentation of key outcomes, implementation learnings, and next steps. Project sponsors will be in attendance for the final presentation.
• Long-term follow-up: Submit one brief progress report three years post-completion to assess downstream impact and sustainability.

Additional Instructions for CACHE 2026 Applicants

To ensure consistency, transparency, and effective use of institutional resources, the following guidelines apply to all CACHE 2026 projects:

1. Effort Commitment: Each project lead must have at least 10% effort allocated to participate fully in the CACHE program. This includes monthly meetings with the CACHE core team, QI didactic sessions, and engagement with other grantees.
   Note: CACHE does not provide salary support for this effort.
2. Primary Data Source: CACHE projects should preferentially use the Clinical Research Data Mart (CRDM) as the primary data source for analysis. The list of available CRDM data elements can be accessed through the CACHE team or website.
3. Additional Data Access: When justified, the CACHE Informatics Team may assist in obtaining a limited set of additional data elements to supplement CRDM data.
   These may include:
   • Flowsheet data elements
   • Within-encounter timing and setting data (ADT)
   • Unstructured data (e.g., imaging, visit notes)
   • Registry data
   • Elements from QI dashboards or other databases
   • Other bespoke data elements as appropriate
4. Supplementary Data Resources: Projects may also leverage socioeconomic, environmental, and geographic data from the SEED Health Atlas to enhance understanding of community-level factors and disparities.
5. Collaboration and Support: The CACHE core team will provide ongoing informatics consultation, data curation support, and methodological guidance as projects progress from concept to implementation. Applicants are encouraged to engage with the CACHE team early in the development process.

Contact Information

For any questions related to this RFA, please contact Tarun Saxena via email at tarun.saxena@duke.edu, with the subject line CACHE 2026 RFA.