Implementation of a Pilot Project Program to Expand Research on Alcohol Use Disorders in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities.

Background: Pilot project programs offer early-stage and other investigators support to pursue emerging research areas, explore new methodologies, gain experience as principal investigators, and collect pilot data needed to pursue larger extramural research funding, such as from the National Institutes of Health. Pilot project programs may be particularly important to early-stage investigators from underrepresented backgrounds, who must overcome unique challenges to launching careers in community-based participatory research. This paper describes the structure, function, and impact of the Native Center for Alcohol Research and Education (NCARE) Pilot Project Core.