American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Focus Grants

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Focus Grants - Reaching 20% by 2025

Award Amount: Up to $500,000 per year for up to three years
Application Due Date: Letter of Intent due August 1, 2020

Additional Information

AFSP has set a goal to reduce our nation’s suicide rate 20% by 2025. We believe that by targeting areas known to contribute to suicide burden we can reach this goal. This Focus Grant RFA seeks applications that address potential biological, psychological, social and/or environmental pathways and interventions that can significantly reduce the national suicide rate if ultimately implemented on a large scale.

Goal

Universal, selective or indicated interventions that target suicide prevention in healthcare systems, emergency departments, corrections settings, or among the gun owning community, that, if implemented on a large scale, would reduce the annual U.S. suicide rate.

Requirements

• The study rationale must address feasibility to measurably reduce U.S. suicide rates with widespread implementation.
• Consistent with AFSP grant policies, the study must include measurement of suicide or nonlethal suicide attempts at baseline and follow-up assessments. However, in a study of this size, a change in suicidal behavior may not be robust enough to detect. In addition, therefore, investigators may use a conceptual logic model linking a measurable proxy behavior (such as adherence to the intervention) to suicide in order to demonstrate that the intervention could have an effect on suicide if widely disseminated.
• A conceptual model and quantitative analysis demonstrating the potential impact on U.S. suicide rates if the study were implemented broadly are requested. Important considerations include population based attributable risk, acceptability, feasibility, and ease of dissemination.
• The study must be based in the U.S.
• Evidence of feasibility to conduct the study must be provided.

We encourage collaborative projects with investigators experienced in suicide research. Matching funds or partnering with a large healthcare system is encouraged.

Link to Complete RFP

If you are interested in applying, please reach out to Lynn Wong or Gwen Allouch with the Office of Advancement.