Program Overview
The Health Equity Accelerator program is designed to advance health equity in underserved communities. By integrating innovative solutions with a life sciences focus, participants can address unmet healthcare needs, reduce disparities, and promote health equity. The program invites applications from both non-profit and for-profit organizations based in Massachusetts to develop transformative solutions in targeted areas under the health equity lens. These areas include, but are not limited to:
- Clinical Trials (education or recruitment)
- Precision Medicine and Genomics
- AI and Machine Learning
- Medical Devices
- Point-of-Care Diagnostics
- Biotechnology and Drug Discovery
- Preventative Health
- Mental Health Screening and Assessment Tools
Up to $250,000 is available for the program and we anticipate making five awards of approximately $50,000 each to support Massachusetts-based organizations developing innovative health equity solutions.
The application period will run from Sept. 23 – Dec. 6, 2024 at 1 p.m. EST.
Eligibility and Evaluation
An eligible applicant must be a Massachusetts-based non-profit or for-profit organization (Applicant) proposing a project to develop translatable solutions for health equity and addressing healthcare disparities in underserved communities. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to: research organizations, medical centers, incubators, and early-stage companies.
An external panel of scientists and industry experts with expertise in health equity will review applications.
Please see the full list of eligibility requirements and the evaluation process.
Resources
- Please note that the submission system only allows one active application per grant program at a time for each user account. It is possible to have an active application across multiple programs, as well as submit applications for the same program sequentially.
Deliverables, Confidentiality, and General Conditions
R.E.D.: Research Equipment Database
D.A.T.A. (Databases, Algorithms, Tools, and Analyses) Repository
Impact on the Ecosystem
Historically, there have been significant racial and ethnic disparities in access to medical advancements and technologies. People of color are underrepresented in clinical trials and medical research, which leads to biased clinical algorithms and a lack of effective treatments for underserved communities. Funding for drug discovery often neglects diseases that primarily impact these populations, exacerbating health inequities. Additionally, barriers such as cost, insurance coverage, and geographic location further limit access to innovative therapies. The consequences are profound: According to BMC, black residents in Boston are 1.5 times more likely to die prematurely of cancer and have a 4.1 times higher rate of infant mortality, while Hispanic residents are 2.2 times more likely to contract COVID-19. The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center will support and incentivize projects that target these disparities, fostering research and solutions that promote health equity in Commonwealth.1,2
Connect with us to Learn More
If you have questions regarding the application process, e-mail: HealthEquity@masslifesciences.com.
[1] Kaiser Family Foundation. (2021, July 20). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Medical Advancements and Technologies. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-access-to-medical-advancements-and-technologies/
[2] Boston Medical Center. Health Equity Accelerator. Retrieved from https://www.bmc.org/health-equity-accelerator
