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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Local Data for Equitable Communities

This call for proposals (CFP) invites eligible nonprofit organizations in the U.S. to apply for a grant to collect, analyze, and use data to address inequities in the physical, economic, and social conditions of a place. Improving these conditions is key to achieving health equity where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.


The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) expects to award up to 30 grants of $50,000 each, with a period of performance of nine months. The Urban Institute, as the national coordinating center for this program, collaborates with RWJF on program design, grantee support, and communications.

Eligible Geography:

Applicants must focus their projects on local geographies in the U.S. or U.S territories:

  • Neighborhood(s) within a city or county (do not need to be contiguous);
  • City, county, or other municipality (must be contiguous if multiple are the focus of the project);
  • A single metropolitan area; or
  • A tribal area

Eligible Topics:

Applicants must select only one of the following conditions of their selected geography as the primary focus of their project: 

  • Built environment,
  • Climate and environment,
  • Community safety,
  • Healthy food access,
  • Housing, or
  • Transportation.

Organization Eligibility:

  • Awards will be made to organizations, not to individuals.
  • Applicants must be nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The following eligibility exceptions apply:
    • Not eligible to apply: All universities, whether nonprofit, public, or private, whether tax exempt under the Code or not.
    • Not eligible to apply: All state and local government agencies whether tax exempt under the Code or not, including but not limited to, agencies representing states, cities, towns, and villages; public health departments; school districts; and public schools.
    • Not eligible to apply: Private foundations or nonfunctionally integrated Type III supporting organizations, whether tax exempt under the IRS Code or not.
  • Also eligible are organizations that are fiscally sponsored by an eligible tax-exempt 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization. The fiscal sponsor is required to provide the total amount of the award to the organization that will perform the program activities as described in the application, less the fiscal sponsorship fee. The fiscal sponsorship fee is an allowable expense under the award. The Foundation may require additional documentation in these cases.
  • Applicant organizations must be based in the U.S. or its territories.
  • Applicants cannot be a current grantee of the Local Data for Equitable Communities program.
  • Organizations may only submit one proposal.
  • Applicant organizations may contract with and collaborate with any type of organization for their projects. Only one eligible nonprofit organization may represent the collaboration as the applicant and be the Foundation’s contact in the application process.
  • The applicant organization must play a substantive role in the project.
  • See the Call for Proposals for more information on eligible and ineligible activities.

Awards:

Awards funded under this opportunity will be structured as grants.
Up to 30 awards will be funded. 
Up to 30 awards will be funded. 
Awards will be for nine months.

Important Dates:

February 5, 2026, 11AM AZ – Optional applicant webinar (Registration link)
March 3, 2026, 1PM AZ – Deadline for receipt of full proposals
May 11, 2026 – Awarded applicants are notified
July 1, 2026 – Grant start date

Call for Proposals Webpage | Call for Proposals (download) | FAQs for Applicants | Applicant Portal