The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) https://www.ssrc.org has launched the Mercury Project, a three year $10 million investment to address the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation on public health as a result of the COVID-pandemic.
The focus will be on solutions that create equity in access to health information, provide interventions that remove obstacles people face when trying to access reliable health information, and develop effective approaches on how to increase COVID-19 vaccinations to that with future vaccine efforts.
The Rockefeller Foundation https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org plus $2 million in funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation https://www.rwjf.org and $500K from Craig Newmark Philanthropies https://craignewmarkphilanthropies.org will be awarded to examine the serious threat of misinformation and disinformation in the public health system and how it impacts the public health system. The initiative will identify tools, methods, and interventions that better support people’s health across nations.
The Mercury Project will fund projects based in the U.S., Africa, Asia, and Latin America for up to three years and will connect organizations fighting public health misinformation on five continents and share resources and communicate best practices.
A part of the program will include annual international convenings of grantees, other researchers, and leaders in policy and technology to develop joint recommendations that advance global public health.
The Mercury Project is accepting applications for projects examining the causes and costs of health misinformation and disinformation online and/or offline that pioneer the following:
- Interventions that remove obstacles people face to access reliable health information
- Solutions that create equity in access to health information
Initial letters of inquiry will be accepted on a rolling basis now and through May 1, 2022. Go to the Social Science Research Council website for information on the application process.