Opportunity Information: Apply for BHER 001

  • The Economic Research Service in the food and nutrition health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Behavioral Health Economics Research Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • This funding opportunity was created on May 23, 2008 and posted on May 23, 2008.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 3, 2008. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $240,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $30,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
Apply for BHER 001

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Opportunity Summary:

The Behavioral Health Economics Research Program (Funding Opportunity Number BHER-001) is a competitive grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Economic Research Service (ERS). It focuses on funding research that uses behavioral economics to encourage healthier eating habits and help prevent obesity. In practical terms, the program is looking for studies that test or evaluate strategies informed by how people actually make food choices in real-world settings, such as how pricing, incentives, defaults, information framing, convenience, and other decision-making cues can shift behavior toward healthier diets. The overall purpose is to generate evidence that supports USDA efforts to improve nutrition outcomes and help ensure the population is healthy and well nourished.

This is a discretionary grant program within the Food and Nutrition Health activity area, and ERS expects to make up to eight awards. The estimated total funding available is $240,000. Individual awards are relatively small: the funding range is from $20,000 (award floor) to a maximum of $30,000 (award ceiling), and the cap includes indirect costs. Each grant can run for up to three years, but the total amount cannot exceed $30,000 over the entire project period, meaning applicants would typically need to propose targeted, well-scoped research that can be completed with limited resources or that fits as a focused component of a larger research agenda.

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to any type of applicant organization or entity, subject to any additional eligibility details that may have been included in the full announcement. Importantly, there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.

The opportunity was posted on May 23, 2008, with an application deadline (closing date) of July 3, 2008, and it was later archived on August 2, 2008. For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement at the time, the listed point of contact was Lisa Mancino in the Food Economics Division at ERS, reachable by phone at 202-694-5563, with an option to email questions to her as well.

At a high level, a strong proposal for this program would likely have emphasized a clear behavioral-economic mechanism (for example, how changing the way choices are presented affects purchasing or consumption), a credible research design, and outcomes tied directly to healthier eating and obesity prevention. Because ERS is USDA s research arm focused on economic and policy-relevant evidence, the program would especially value findings that can inform nutrition policy, program design, or practical interventions that can be scaled or replicated.

Behavioral Health Economics Research Program (BHER-001) FAQs

What is the Behavioral Health Economics Research Program (BHER-001)?

The Behavioral Health Economics Research Program (Funding Opportunity Number BHER-001) is a competitive grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Economic Research Service (ERS). It supports research that uses behavioral economics to encourage healthier eating habits and help prevent obesity.

Which federal agency is offering this grant?

This opportunity is offered by USDA, administered through the Economic Research Service (ERS).

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The main goal is to generate evidence on how behavioral-economics-informed strategies can shift real-world food choices toward healthier diets, supporting USDA efforts to improve nutrition outcomes and help ensure the population is healthy and well nourished.

What kinds of research topics does the program want to fund?

The program is focused on studies that test or evaluate strategies informed by how people actually make food choices in real-world settings. Examples of decision-making cues and levers mentioned include pricing, incentives, defaults, information framing, convenience, and other mechanisms that can influence behavior toward healthier eating.

Does this program specifically target obesity prevention?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly emphasizes encouraging healthier eating habits and helping prevent obesity.

Is this a competitive grant?

Yes. BHER-001 is described as a competitive grant opportunity.

What type of grant program is this?

It is a discretionary grant program within the Food and Nutrition Health activity area.

How many awards does ERS expect to make?

ERS expects to make up to eight awards.

How much total funding is available under this opportunity?

The estimated total funding available is $240,000.

What is the funding range for individual awards?

Individual awards range from $20,000 (award floor) to $30,000 (award ceiling).

Do indirect costs count toward the $30,000 maximum?

Yes. The award ceiling of $30,000 includes indirect costs, meaning the total federal amount for the project (including indirect costs) cannot exceed $30,000.

What is the maximum project period?

Each grant can run for up to three years.

Can the budget exceed $30,000 if the project lasts three years?

No. Even though the project period can be up to three years, the total amount cannot exceed $30,000 over the entire project period.

What does the relatively small award size imply for project scope?

The described award size suggests applicants would typically need to propose targeted, well-scoped research that can be completed with limited resources, or a focused component of a larger research agenda.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to any type of applicant organization or entity, subject to any additional eligibility details that may have been included in the full announcement.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.

When was this opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on May 23, 2008.

What was the application deadline?

The application deadline (closing date) was July 3, 2008.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on August 2, 2008.

Who was the point of contact listed for questions?

The listed point of contact was Lisa Mancino in the Food Economics Division at ERS.

How could applicants contact the point of contact?

The information provided lists a phone number for Lisa Mancino at 202-694-5563 and notes that applicants could email questions to her as well.

What kinds of approaches would likely be considered strong for this program?

Based on the program description, strong proposals would likely emphasize (1) a clear behavioral-economic mechanism (for example, how changing the way choices are presented affects purchasing or consumption), (2) a credible research design, and (3) outcomes tied directly to healthier eating and obesity prevention.

What kinds of outcomes is ERS likely interested in?

ERS is likely interested in outcomes that directly relate to healthier diets and obesity prevention, especially findings that can inform USDA nutrition policy, program design, or practical interventions that can be scaled or replicated.

Why does the program emphasize real-world settings?

The opportunity description highlights "real-world settings" because it is seeking evidence on how people actually make food choices in practice, and how practical decision cues (like defaults, pricing, or framing) can shift behavior toward healthier eating.

How does this program connect to USDA priorities?

The stated purpose is to generate evidence that supports USDA efforts to improve nutrition outcomes and help ensure the population is healthy and well nourished, with an emphasis on policy-relevant and program-relevant research.

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