# Pilot Project Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT & ST AGRIC COLLEGE · 2024 · $390,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Pilot Project Program
Unhealthy behavior patterns are primary drivers of chronic disease and premature death in the U.S. as well as
an immense financial burden on the healthcare system. The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health (VCBH) is
dedicated to improving U.S. public health by investigating processes underpinning these unhealthy behavior
patterns and developing and disseminating/implementing efficacious and cost-effective behavior-change
interventions. The overarching aim of this Phase 3 Pilot Project Program is to strategically build upon progress
made in Phases 1 and 2 in establishing VCBH as a sustainable center of research excellence. The proposed
Pilot Project Program will invite proposals for Pilot Project applications on a rolling basis. The Pilot Project
Program will prioritize collaborative research that builds upon five current VCBH research strengths: (1) tobacco
regulatory science, (2) tobacco control, (3) rural addiction crisis, (4) cardiopulmonary research, and (5) studies
of neurobiological development and risk. Applications will be rigorously evaluated to identify meritorious projects
with the greatest potential for impact and funding. Among meritorious applications, priority will be given to early-
career investigators and those that utilize VCBH cores. Early-career investigators will receive comprehensive
mentorship from VCBH senior investigators adhering to practices established in COBRE Phases 1 and 2. Pilot
Project Leaders will be encouraged to collaborate with ongoing VCBH themed working groups established
around these five areas of VCBH scientific strength to plan for collaborative NIH proposals in the R series and
P01 and center grants applications. We will also be vigilant regarding opportunities to seed new research
directions that align with the VCBH mission. Overall, the proposed Pilot Project Program will be critically
important to sustaining VCBH productivity, early-career mentoring, and generating the preliminary data
necessary for competitive NIH and other grant applications, all essential to firmly situating VCBH on a
scientifically meritorious and sustainable fiscal foundation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10889936
- **Project number:** 5P30GM149331-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT & ST AGRIC COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen T Higgins
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $390,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10889936

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10889936, Pilot Project Program (5P30GM149331-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10889936. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*