Our Health ROI is an open-source Next.js application built by a concerned citizen to highlight the importance of NIH-funded medical research. Users can easily search medical conditions and generate custom messages to advocate directly to lawmakers, showing the real-world impact of public health funding.
- Instant Condition Search: Find NIH-funded projects, patents, publications, and clinical trials for specific medical conditions.
- Direct Advocacy Tools: Generate personalized, data-driven messages to Congress.
- Real-Time Data: Leveraging NIH APIs to provide current funding and research details.
- User Privacy First: No personal user data collection or storage.
- Accessibility Focus: Built with inclusive design principles for all users.
| Area | Technologies Used |
|---|---|
| Framework | Next.js (App Router, React 19) |
| Styling | SCSS (transitioning to BEM - class names are unstructured) |
| Component Lib | Headless UI |
| Animations | Framer Motion |
| Data Validation | Zod |
| Email Integration | Nodemailer |
| Deployment | Vercel |
app
├── api # API route handlers
├── about, faq, ... # Page routes
components
├── common # Reusable buttons, headers, links, inputs
├── containers # Major layout and data-driven containers
├── layout # Global layout components (Header, Footer)
├── modals # Modal dialogs and popups
├── icons # SVG Icons and animated graphics
context # React Context providers
lib
├── fetchers # Data-fetching functions for NIH APIs
├── hooks # Custom React hooks
└── utils # Utilities for email/message formatting
styles # SCSS architecture (BEM + Utility)
├── abstracts # Variables & mixins
├── base # Reset and global styles
├── components # Component-specific styles
└── utilities # Utility classes (spacing, typography)
Prerequisites: Node.js (20+ recommended), npm/yarn/pnpm
- Clone this repository:
git clone https://github.com/BorofskyDev/our-health-roi-next.git- Navigate to project directory:
cd our-health-roi-next- Install dependencies:
npm install # or yarn install # or pnpm install- Configure environment variables: Create .env.local in root, and add:
SMTP_HOST=
SMTP_PORT=
SMTP_USER=
SMTP_PASS=
SMTP_FROM=- Start the development server:
npm run dev # or yarn dev # or pnpm dev- Open your browser to:
http://localhost:3000
- NIH RePORTER API: Fetches current data on NIH-funded medical research.
- Nodemailer (SMTP): Sends user-generated advocacy emails directly.
Key utility functions found in /lib/utils include:
- buildResearchLines.ts: Formats research data for display.
- messageTemplates.ts: Prepares templated emails and scripts.
- sendSiteContactEmail.ts: Handles email sending logic through Nodemailer.
This project leverages SCSS with clearly defined mixins, variables, and utility classes:
- Abstracts: SCSS mixins (flex, grid, accessibility) and variables (colors, typography, spacing).
- Components: Modularized component-specific styles (buttons, headers, modals).
- Utilities: Spacing, typography, layout helper classes.
Contributions from developers passionate about public health advocacy are warmly welcome!
- Fork this repository
- Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/new-feature)
- Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some feature')
- Push to the branch (git push origin feature/new-feature)
- Open a Pull Request
Or, simply reach out via the site's contact page.
What inspired this site? A social media comment sparked me—a passionate NIH supporter—to build this tool so people can understand its importance.
Is there a cost to use Our Health ROI? No, it's entirely free, even though maintaining the site does cost me personally.
Who should use Our Health ROI? Every American who relies—or might someday rely—on medical technology.
More FAQs are available on the FAQ page.
Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.
- Website: ourhealthroi.com
- GitHub Issues: Submit issues or bugs
- Direct Contact: Contact Form
Deployed with ❤️ on Vercel:
- Next.js deployment docs
- Linting & Formatting: ESLint, TypeScript enforced.
- Accessibility: Focus on semantic HTML, keyboard navigation, and ARIA roles.
- Open Graph Integration: Dynamic images via Vercel OG for rich social sharing.
This project is independent—no ads, no sponsors. If you'd like to help with hosting costs, support via PayPal.