July 7, 2020

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity: 2020 TD Ready Challenge: Innovative COVID-19 Solutions; due July 9

Applications due July 9 

These instructions are for VUMC investigators. VU investigators should apply through InfoReady and address any questions to: VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu. 

Program Overview: 

VUMC may submit 1 application to the TD Ready Challenge: Innovative COVID-19 Solutions. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) Ready Challenge will fund grants of up to $1 million CAD [the present equivalent of $745,000 USD**] to provide innovative solutions that address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically for communities that are experiencing disproportionate impacts of COVID-19.  

TD seeks applications that will help drive accelerated, sustained and equitable recovery. Applications must work to explicitly address inequities exacerbated by the pandemic, as well as one or more of the four interconnected drivers of change of the TD Ready Commitment (Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health). 

The pandemic is not only a health crisis, but also a social, economic and environmental one. In the face of COVID-19, these intrinsic links have never been clearer, and a holistic approach is needed to address the impacts. Today, COVID-19 and its devastating consequences have created a remarkable climate of uncertainty that has rippled through all aspects of our society. In the past few months alone, several studies have shown the significant impacts already being felt across North America, though not all people are experiencing these effects equally. There is growing evidence that COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting certain populations across North America including: 

  • Individuals from racialized and/or newcomer communities; 

  • Those who are a part of Indigenous communities;  

  • Those that have unstable employment or inflexible working conditions;  

  • Those experiencing insecure, inadequate, or nonexistent housing conditions;  

  • Individuals living in remote communities and are socially or geographically isolated.  

Competitive Projects Will:  

  • Support communities experiencing disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 based on factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geographic location 

  • Address impacts of COVID-19 by demonstrating promising approaches to helping build community resilience 

  • Align with one or more of the drivers of change of the TD Ready Commitment (see above) 

  • Have wide demographic or geographical reach in the areas TD operates within across North America 

  • Use the grant to scale and/or replicate solutions to additional communities or populations (or pilot projects with material evidence of viable success and scalability) 

  • Have a clear evaluation and measurement process to track impact 

  • Enable new approaches that are innovative in nature  

**Note that a maximum of 20% of the grant award can be directed towards overhead costs (i.e., office space and supplies, salaries, venue rentals, evaluation reporting, etc.)  

See the program page and the common questions section for more information.  

Internal Application Process: 

Anyone interested in being considered as VUMC’s nominee must submit the following (in a single PDF) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on July 9. 

  1. Brief research plan including summary budget (2 pages max, references may be included on a separate page) 

  1. Letter of support from department chair/center director; 

  1. NIH Biosketch  

Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu