Projects to Advance Integrative Health Equity throughout the Osher Center

Crowd-sourcing innovative ideas to nurture health and inspire well-being through cross-program collaboration to address health inequities.

Overview 

We invite broad input and ideas from everyone at the Osher Center--staff, learners, faculty--to advance the Integrative Health Equity Initiative through projects in direct patient care and health professions education. This open, online, project idea submission system provides a tangible way for the Osher community to contribute to the Integrative Health Equity Initiative to advance our efforts to address inequities in health and healthcare with integrative medicine through cross-program collaboration. 

This one-time project award opportunity is funded by a block grant from the Mount Zion Health Fund. 

Eligibility

The project must be led by a current member of the Osher Center and directly benefit the OCIH community at Mount Zion.  Current members are defined as staff, learners, and faculty with at least 50% FTE at OCIH, or OCIH core or affiliated faculty members. 

Project team: Collaboration across Osher Center programs (clinic, education, research, administration, and finance) is encouraged. 

Proposal Format 

Phase 1 (Oct 29-Nov 8) 

Please include the following information in your submission:

Project Title

Names of Project Lead(s) and Key Team Members 

Brief Project Description, including Feasibility and Anticipated Impact (150 words maximum) 

Total Budget Requested 

Phase 2 (Nov 11-Nov 22) 

If you are invited to submit a proposal for Phase 2, expand the previously provided Project Description (1 page maximum) to address Forum comments and also include:

  • Project Significance and Innovation
  • Timeline

Upload a simple budget as a Budget attachment. The budget will only be visible to the author, Forum manager, and reviewers.

Award Budget

  • Budgets should be in the $12,000-20,000 range. Total funding available for all awarded projects is $50,000.
  • Projects must be completed by November 30, 2025.
  • Funding is not renewable.
  • Funds may be requested for salary support for project team members. Make sure to confirm potential release time with your supervisor and/or program director in advance.  
  • Equipment expenses are ineligible.
  • Funds will be managed by Program Directors, unless project lead is PI eligible. 

Review Criteria 

Proposals will be reviewed based on the following criteria:  

  • Significance. Does the project focus on an area that will help to advance integrative health equity? 

  • Innovation. Is the project original and creative? Is it not yet being worked on at the Osher Center? 

  • Feasibility. Can the project be completed by November 30, 2025? 

  • Impact. Does the project have potential to have ongoing impact, beyond the funding period?  

  • Collaboration. Does the project include team members from more than one Osher Center program?  

Selection

A panel of Center members with expertise in integrative health equity will review all submissions.

Requirements of Awardees

Recipients of funded proposals are required to submit a final progress report in December 2025 to Marliese Warren, Integrative Health Equity Initiative Program Manager, marliese.warren@ucsf.edu. Progress reports must include:  

  1. Activities conducted, including who was served by the project (e.g., target population, number of individuals served). 

  1. Contributions to integrative health equity.  

  1. Project sustainability (i.e., opportunities for continuation of current project and/or plans for future support to expand or extend project).  

 

Timeline

  • Phase 1: Initial Submission of Project Ideas (Oct 29 - Nov 8)

    1. Submit a description of your project idea (one short paragraph, about 150 words). 

    2. Follow activity on the Forum and respond to comments on your proposal--and also provide comments on proposals submitted by others. 

    3. All project ideas will be considered for invitation to Phase 2. 

  • Phase 2: Optimization (Nov 11 - Nov 22)

    By invitation, selected project teams will expand previously provided project ideas into a 1-page proposal. Project ideas should integrate feedback shared through this Open Proposal Forum. 

  • Nov 22: Final Proposal Due

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