Phase II
Learn more about Phase II of the NIH Build UP Trust Challenge.
NIH Build UP Trust Challenge launched on August 15, 2023, and inspired a wide range of teams and organizations to submit promising strategies to increase research participation and the adoption of medical care by building trust and improving engagement with historically underserved communities.
Each team that submitted a valid submission received reviews from five of their fellow applicants (Peer-to-Peer Review), five Expert Panel members, and five NIH Judging Panel members. Reviewers used a scoring rubric to assess the submissions assigned to them. Scores and feedback from Peer Review were for informational purposes – scores and feedback from both the Expert Panel and NIH Judging Panel did factor into Phase II participant selection. To understand the scores attributed to each Finalist and Honorable Mention submission, we invite you to test-drive the scoring rubric.
NIH Judging Panel scores were statistically normalized to ensure a level playing field for everyone and resulted in a rank order of all valid submissions. Top-scoring submissions were then reviewed by the NIH Team to select 20 total Phase II Participants (10 Finalists and 10 Honorable Mentions), with consideration given to the rank order and other factors such as diversity of solution type, geography, and community served.
Phase II begins July 2024
Interim update in January 2025
Phase II ends, and final reports are due Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Phase II Demonstration Day & Award Announcement in November 2025
Each Phase II Participant will have the opportunity to share an interim update with the Build UP Trust Challenge team in January 2025.
Final reports are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, August 7, 2025. They must include key outcomes and demonstration of impact, descriptions of barriers encountered, lessons learned, and the potential for long-term impact and scale. Submitted reports will be evaluated by an Expert Panel using the scoring criteria outlined below.
The NIH Build UP Trust Challenge Selection Committee will review the reports submitted by Phase II participants and the results of the Expert Panel to select up to four winners who will each receive up to $200,000. All Phase II Participants will have the opportunity to present during an in-person demonstration day where the awards will be announced.
Reports submitted by Phase II participants will be evaluated using scoring criteria that are based on those that were used for Phase I.
Equitable (0-5): To what extent was the solution able to increase access of underserved populations to health care and/or participation in biomedical research? Did the solution improve access for underserved populations and representation in decision-making and solution development?
Transformative (0-5): What is the evidence that the solution had a positive impact on the communities it intended to serve? Is there clear potential for the solution’s sustainability and scale up in the future? With the goal of promoting systemic change, does the solution include best practices and models for sustainable improvement in health and well-being for the proposed underserved populations?
Community-centered (0-5): Has the solution demonstrated a measurable increase in community engagement? Does it provide clear evidence of coordination with community partners and key stakeholders (i.e., key interested parties) to anticipate and respond to community needs and increase community buy-in and trust? How has it bolstered existing efforts and increased or strengthened partnerships?
Feasible (0-5): To what extent has the team completed the proposed plan? What are the metrics of successes, evidence of impact, and lessons learned? How has the solution increased usability and participation of underserved populations in health care and/or biomedical research? Are there tools and strategies in place to sustain and/or scale in an effective and cost-efficient way (i.e., affordability)?
Provide key feasible metrics as applicable:
