Abstract C conduct to mechanism: 2) granting experiential region title describes the Objective o this project: RACING AHEAD ( R esearch-focused A ssessment of apacity, I nstitutional N eeds and G rowth strategies to A dvance H ealth E quity and A ddress D isparities). We will a eeds assessment t o identify gaps in health disparities research capacity and develop an action plan catalyze a vertical growth in extramural biomedical research funding to advance health equity. qualifies as a resource-limited institution by NIH STRONG criteria and is a strong match for this 1) our annual NIH Research Project Grant funding is at an all-time high of only $11.1M in FY2022; founded as a regional t eacher training school, ECU is now classified as an R2 university, with 10 egree- colleges/schools, including 5 health professional schools; 3) we academically prepare and provide learning opportunities to students from underrepresented populations in biomedical research. has a longstanding mission to serve rural eastern North Carolina (ENC), a racially and ethnically diverse with significant economic distress and health disparities. The f n ECU d ECU ECU faculty span varied disciplines that work to understand and reduce health disparities through an engagement in community, basic, translational, clinical, and transdisciplinary research. The ECU bridge We research, Assessment and Center for Health Disparities (CHD) is a key component of ECU's efforts to academic silos and build research synergies. assembled a strong leadership team with complementary expertise in needs assessment, biomedical health disparities, and strategic planning. Co-investigators from the CHD and Institutional Planning, & Research (IPAR) strengthen the team as do Cross Campus Core faculty who will provide insights increase campus participation. Our robust Steering Committee of ECU stakeholders will work with the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) to oversee and guide the project. Aim 1. Assess organizational capacity for health disparities research – We will employ integrated mixed methods to assess university research infrastructure and support systems and identify barriers to research productivity. We will leverage university data systems and engage the ECU community with focus groups and surveys, aided by consultants from aspiration research peers. Aim 2. Develop an action plan to strengthen institutional capacity for health disparities research – We will share Aim 1 outcomes internally and develop short- and long-term action plans to address identified needs with articulated metrics, milestones, and strategic priorities. We will use the transdisciplinary NIMHD Research Framework to define our health disparities research strengths and themes for collaboration. disparities extramural Long-term Goal: To form a transdisciplinary community united with shared expectations, goals, health research foci and strategic priorities, whose synergies will catalyze increased competitiveness for biomedical research support. . .

Narrative East ethnically RACING assessment barriers, vertical Carolina University has a longstanding mission to serve rural eastern North Carolina, a racially and diverse region with significant health disparities and adverse social determinants of health. This AHEAD project will identify gaps in health disparities research capacity through an institutional needs and develop an action plan for improvement. By leveraging existing strengths, reducing identified and building a supportive infrastructure and transdisciplinary community, the action plan will catalyze a growth in extramural biomedical research funding to advance health equity in our region.