Pilot Services Research Grants Not Involving Clinical Trials (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 19 189

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 189

Pilot Services Research Grants Not Involving Clinical Trials (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PAR 19 189, is a discretionary NIH grant program in the health area (CFDA 93.242) created on February 21, 2019, and administered under the National Institutes of Health, with the opportunity aligned to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) services research priorities. The central goal is to support pilot services research projects that are relevant to NIMH's mission but are not clinical trials and are not intended to be an immediate lead-in to testing a specific service intervention. In other words, the program is designed for early, exploratory, or foundational services research that can clarify problems, methods, measures, data sources, service contexts, or implementation barriers in ways that move the field forward, even if the next step is not an intervention trial.

A key feature of this announcement is its explicit fit within NIMH's broader expectations for intervention studies. NIMH has moved toward requiring an experimental therapeutics model for intervention research, which typically emphasizes identifying and engaging a target and showing that the intervention affects that target. At the same time, this opportunity recognizes that many important services research questions do not involve clinical trials at all, yet they still address real-world mental health service systems and can meaningfully improve the evidence base. As a result, this R34 is positioned for projects that can generate pilot data, develop or refine research approaches, and answer practical services research questions without conducting a clinical trial.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public, private, nonprofit, and academic entities. Eligible applicants listed in the source include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, along with public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Tribal eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments, as well as Native American tribal organizations and tribal governments that are not federally recognized. The announcement also permits applications from public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities. On the nonprofit side, both 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education) and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) may apply. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are eligible as well, reflecting a wide net intended to capture service settings and research teams across sectors.

In addition to those general categories, the opportunity specifically calls out additional eligible applicants that often reflect underserved communities, specialized institutions, and place-based or culturally specific organizations. These include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), and applicants located in a U.S. territory or possession. Taken together, the eligibility language signals an intent to encourage participation from organizations working directly within diverse communities and service systems, including those outside the continental United States and, in some cases, outside the United States entirely.

The funding instrument is a grant (R34 mechanism) and the opportunity category is discretionary. The source information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. The original closing date listed is March 17, 2022, which is important context for anyone assessing whether the announcement is currently active or whether a successor notice or reissued funding opportunity should be located through NIH.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pilot Services Research Grants Not Involving Clinical Trials (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-02-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-03-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 19 189

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