The Forge AHEAD Center Pilot Plus program: An integrated framework combining pilot funding, training, and...

The Deep South has the highest prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in the United States, with marked disparities by race, socioeconomic status, and rurality. Addressing these disparities requires not only effective interventions, but also a translational science workforce equipped to design, implement, and scale solutions in real-world settings. The Forge AHEAD Center was established to improve cardiometabolic health outcomes across the Deep South by advancing both research and scientific workforce development. As a central component of this mission, the Center has developed the "Pilot Plus" model, an integrated framework that combines pilot funding with structured training in translational science, multidisciplinary team-based mentorship, and embedded community engagement. Early-stage investigators are supported through coordinated access to methodological expertise, including dissemination and implantation science and assessment of social determinants of health, while community stakeholders are incorporated into the research process. By aligning funding, training, and infrastructure within a single program, the Pilot Plus model addresses fragmentation in traditional research development approaches and expands access to critical resources across institutions. This model provides an adaptable framework for strengthening translational research capacity and developing a cadre of demographically varied investigators prepared to advance health outcomes in regions with a high burden of chronic disease.