Breast Cancer and the Environment Communication Research Initiative (R21) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Breast Cancer and the Environment Communication Research Initiative (R21) (RFA-ES-15-017)?

This is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity from HHS (listed under HHS-NIH11) that supports early-stage, exploratory research focused on how to communicate findings about breast cancer risk and environmental factors. The emphasis is on communication approaches that are understood, trusted, adopted, and acted on in real-world settings.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The main purpose is to improve how environmental breast cancer risk information is framed, delivered, tested, disseminated, and implemented so it can move beyond awareness and lead to preventive actions. The initiative is designed to help close the gap between research findings and practical decisions by individuals, organizations, and policymakers.

What types of research does this initiative prioritize?

The initiative prioritizes communication research that is outcome-oriented. It encourages studies that can show measurable changes in individual behavior (such as exposure-reduction behaviors or consumer choices) and/or policy and practice change (such as organizational practices, community interventions, or regulatory and institutional decisions that reduce environmental exposures).

Does this program fund basic lab research on carcinogens or clinical trials?

No. This announcement is centered on the communication process itself rather than basic laboratory studies of carcinogens or clinical trials. The focus is on how risk information is communicated and whether communication strategies produce meaningful preventive action.

What does it mean to design risk messages "with dissemination in mind from the beginning"?

It means communication products and strategies should be created to travel into realistic settings where people and institutions make decisions. The program is looking for approaches that are not only evidence-based, but also deployable, scalable, and implementable by the audiences and organizations that would realistically use them.

What settings are considered relevant for dissemination and implementation?

The opportunity highlights settings such as households, workplaces, healthcare settings, schools, community organizations, and policy arenas. These are the places where communication strategies may be delivered and where adoption and sustained use can be evaluated.

Is the initiative limited to whether a message is understandable or well-liked?

No. While understanding and acceptance may be part of a project, the initiative is aimed at whether the message and its delivery strategy can produce meaningful real-world outcomes, including preventive behavior change and policy or practice changes that reduce environmental exposures.

What are examples of outcomes the program wants applicants to measure?

Examples described include measurable individual behavior change (such as changes in consumer choices, exposure-reduction behaviors, or uptake of prevention guidance) and policy or organizational change (such as new practices, community-level interventions, or regulatory/institutional decisions that reduce environmental exposures).

What kinds of project activities might fit under this announcement?

Projects may involve identifying barriers to effective risk communication, testing different message frames, evaluating dissemination channels, tailoring communication for specific audiences, and studying implementation strategies that improve adoption and sustainment over time.

What is the ultimate goal of the initiative?

The ultimate goal is to advance communication-based prevention efforts that reduce breast cancer risk associated with environmental factors. This includes developing, disseminating, and implementing communication interventions that help people and decision-makers interpret complex environmental health research and convert it into practical prevention steps.

What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity, and what does it imply?

This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory or developmental work. It is often used to generate foundational evidence, pilot data, and proof-of-concept results rather than large, definitive studies.

What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?

The listed award ceiling is $200,000.

When was this opportunity posted, and what was the application closing date?

The opportunity was posted and created on November 5, 2015, and the application closing date was February 10, 2016.

Which broad activity categories does this opportunity fall under?

It falls under the broad activity categories of education, environment, and health.

Which CFDA numbers are associated with this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.113 and 93.399.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, reflecting the real-world nature of dissemination and implementation work. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as described in the full eligibility text.

Why is eligibility so broad for this announcement?

The announcement emphasizes dissemination and implementation in real-world contexts, where effective communication often requires partnerships across academia, public health systems, community organizations, and other stakeholders. Broad eligibility supports that cross-sector approach.

What makes a project a good fit for this program based on the description?

A strong fit would treat communication as a core part of prevention science, design messages and delivery strategies intended for real-world use, and evaluate whether those strategies lead to protective behavior or policy/practice decisions that reduce environmental contributions to breast cancer risk.

What is the overall problem this program is trying to address?

The program is aimed at closing the gap between what research discovers about breast cancer and environmental risks and what communities, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers can do with that information. It supports studies that improve how evidence is communicated so it can translate into prevention actions.