Gun Violence Solutions Project
Call for Proposals

Gun Violence Solutions Project 2027 Grant Program

The UVA Gun Violence Solutions Project (GVSP) Research Subcommittee invites proposals for individual or collaborative projects to begin in February 2027.

Proposal deadlines

  • Faculty Collaborative Grants letters of intent: December 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
  • Full Faculty Collaborative Grant proposals and Seed Project Grant applications: January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Research funding mission and vision

Grantmaking in 2026-2027 will support the Gun Violence Solutions Project’s vision of a transdisciplinary research community, drawing on the University’s array of expertise and excellence to address firearm violence in our community, the Commonwealth, and beyond. GVSP’s research mission is to support actionable research outcomes and practicable interventions through research, implementation, and evaluation.

Goals

  • Undertake research and application projects with clear pathways to enacting change in communities.
  • Stimulate collaboration across disciplines, methods, and knowledge bases.
  • Build the University as a uniquely interdisciplinary partner, ready to collaborate with other institutions and partners.

Study topics and collaboration types of interest

For this round, GVSP particularly encourages projects that investigate, implement, or evaluate programs and approaches in the following areas:

  • Suicide prevention: Approaches to preventing firearm suicide, including interventions in clinical and community settings.
  • Built environment: Approaches that examine how physical environments influence firearm violence and how improvements to those environments may reduce harm.
  • Hospital-based approaches: Hospital-based violence intervention programs and other approaches in emergency departments and health care settings that prevent firearm injury, support recovery, or reduce repeat injury.

Other projects aligned with GVSP’s mission are also welcome. Additional interests include:

  • Postvention, as well as prevention, oriented projects.
  • Projects that examine gun violence in small cities (250,000 people or fewer) or rural communities.
  • Projects implementing and evaluating existing evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions.
  • Creative collaborations applying knowledge, including methodological knowledge, to what may be a new area of study for the collaborators.
  • Collaborations across phases of a policy or program, such as research, development, implementation, and evaluation.

Grant types

The number of proposals supported and the total amount of support will depend on the number and quality of proposals received. Applications may be declined, partially awarded, or fully awarded. GVSP seeks to fund two general types of projects:

Faculty Collaborative Grants

  • The goal of this funding is to build new research collaborations related to gun violence solutions among researchers and practitioners at UVA. Existing research collaborations will be considered.
  • Collaborations are encouraged, including at least two partners from different fields, departments, or other units. For purposes of these grants, partners must be faculty, clinical leaders, or postdocs. Postdoc partners must provide documentation of managing supervisor authorization.
  • Projects should have prospects to use findings to secure external funding for research or creative activities.
  • Funding requests may be up to $65,000 per project.

Seed Project Grants

  • Seed Project Grants are for projects that require a smaller initial investment to initiate research, develop collaborative partnerships, or pilot implementation in preparation for external grant applications.
  • Collaboration is encouraged, though not required.
  • Funding requests may be up to $10,000 per project.

GVSP will consider off-cycle requests for up to $10,000 for time-sensitive opportunities on a rolling basis. Write Bobby Doyle for more information about off-cycle requests.

Eligibility

  • UVA faculty of any rank and track from all schools and units across Grounds are eligible to apply for Faculty Collaborative Grants.
  • UVA faculty, postdocs, and students of any rank and track from all schools and units across Grounds are eligible to apply for Seed Project Grants.
  • Postdocs must provide authorization from their managing supervisor.
  • Graduate students must provide authorization from their advisor or director of Graduate Studies.
  • Undergraduate students must provide authorization from a faculty advisor, a departmental director of Undergraduate Studies, or relevant Association Dean.
  • Projects may involve external partners, but UVA must be the project lead.

Funding period

February 15, 2027, through December 31, 2027. Funding agreements and funds will follow award notifications. Faculty Collaborative Grant recipients may request a one-year no-cost extension.

Reporting requirements

Grant recipients are required to join a GVSP symposium to share their work and to submit a brief final report by their grant end date.

Faculty Collaborative Grants application process

Letter of intent

Interested applicants must submit a brief letter of intent by December 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The GVSP Research Subcommittee will review the letters and, based on the number and quality received, invite full proposals from applicants with promising projects. Decisions and invitations will be sent on December 15, 2026.

Letters of intent should include:

  • Project overview (approximately 1 page, single spaced): Briefly describe the central aims of the project, its connection to GVSP’s research vision, goals, and/or areas of interest, and an overview of the proposed work, including methods and a rough timeline.
  • Project team (approximately 1 page, single spaced): Identify and briefly describe UVA-affiliated members and external partners, as applicable, including relevant titles, department or agency affiliations, and expected roles.
  • Approximate expenses: Include a list of expenses for major budget categories. Allowable items include student or postdoc support, catering and meals, computing equipment, travel and lodging, books and supplies, honoraria, and contracted services. If the budget includes faculty summer salary, indicate how this component advances the work.

Submit LOIs with the subject line “GVSP Faculty Collaborative Grant LOI Submission”.

Full proposal requirements

Full proposals requested from finalists are due January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Proposals are limited to 6 pages, excluding the title page, CVs, and letters of support, and must include:

  • Title page: Project title and PIs’ names, departments, and emails.
  • Project description: Detailed description and overview of the research or intervention. Articulate the relevance, significance, and impact of the planned work within the broader context of existing research or practice. Describe connections to GVSP’s mission, goals, and/or areas of interest.
  • Plan, objectives, and timeline: Include questions to be addressed, methods and techniques, goals, expected outcomes, and potential impact on the field. Outline the project timeline.
  • Next steps toward external funding: Describe the next step in the research or practice and how the supported work could enable the PIs to pursue funding successfully. Acknowledging that external funding sources may change, provide planned sources and grant types, submission dates, and anticipated funding levels, if possible.
  • Budget and justification: Include expenses in major budget categories, such as student or postdoc support, catering and meals, computing equipment, travel and lodging, books and supplies, honoraria, and contracted services, with explanations as appropriate. If faculty summer salary is included, indicate how it advances the work.
  • Project team: Brief qualifications and contributions of the PIs, key faculty collaborators, or students, including their roles.
  • CVs: An abbreviated CV or NIH biosketch of up to 5 pages for each PI/co-PI.

Submit All Faculty Collaborative Grant materials as one PDF to with the subject line “GVSP Faculty Collaborative Grant Submission”.

Seed Project Grants application process

Applications are due January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET. A letter of intent is not required for Seed Project Grants. A brief proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding CVs) must include:

  • Project title and PIs’ names, departments, and emails.
  • Project description: Describe the area of research or intervention, its significance and impact, and its connection to GVSP’s mission, goals, and/or areas of interest.
  • Research plan and objectives: Include questions to be addressed, methods, goals, rough timeline, and potential for future external funding opportunities.
  • Brief budget and justification: Include a short list of approximate expenses in major budget categories, such as student or postdoc support, materials, contracted services, and travel and lodging. No faculty salary is allowed.
  • CVs: An abbreviated CV or NIH biosketch of up to 5 pages for each PI/co-PI. Undergraduate students should submit a resume.

Submit All Seed Project Grant materials as one PDF to with the subject line “GVSP Seed Grant Submission”.

Timeline

  • November 2, 2026: Grant opportunity posted.
  • December 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET: Letters of intent for Faculty Collaborative Grants due.
  • December 15, 2026: LOI decisions and invitations to submit full applications sent.
  • January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET: Full applications for Faculty Collaborative Grants and Seed Project Grants due.
  • February 12, 2027: Final funding decisions made and applicants notified. Formal funding agreements and funds will follow.
  • February 15, 2027: Funding period begins.
  • December 31, 2027: End of grant period. Faculty Collaborative Grants may request a one-year no-cost extension.

Funding limitations and administration

  • To receive funding, accepted proposals must submit a letter from the relevant Department Chair or Dean indicating support for the application and confirming that the relevant unit can accept and manage the funding. GVSP grant funding cannot be used to pay the 22% University tax. Instructions will be provided with the acceptance notification.
  • Faculty home departments will manage funds, including expenses, reimbursements, and tracking fund balances. Funding agreements to faculty and postdocs will require a signature from the department chair or business manager. Please ensure your department is aware of and will accept this responsibility.
  • All projects must comply with University and school procedures, including IRB approval if applicable.