Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 09 140
Apply for RFA MH 09 140
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Study of Suicidality and Mental Health in the U.S. Army (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 5, 2009 and posted on Jan 5, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 3, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Special district governments State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity "Collaborative Study of Suicidality and Mental Health in the U.S. Army (U01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA MH 09 140) is a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funding call developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army to address growing concerns about mental health problems, behavioral adjustment challenges, and rising suicide rates among Army personnel and recent combat veterans. The central goal is to fund a large, rigorous epidemiologic research effort that can map and explain suicide risk, suicide-related behaviors, and mental health outcomes in Army populations, while also examining psychological resilience and factors that may protect soldiers from negative outcomes. The work is meant to generate actionable knowledge quickly, focusing on factors that could realistically be changed through policy, programs, clinical practice, leadership actions, or targeted supports.
A defining feature of this opportunity is its whole-of-career perspective. The funded study is expected to evaluate selected samples of soldiers across essentially the full arc of Army service, using both cross-sectional snapshots and longitudinal follow-up. That includes entry-level training and early service, pre-deployment preparation, deployment and non-combat assignments, post-deployment periods, and the transition out of the military into civilian life. By covering multiple phases, the study is positioned to identify when risk tends to increase, when protective factors matter most, and how exposures and experiences at one stage may shape outcomes later. The intent is not just to describe how common certain problems are, but to understand their determinants and how those determinants interact over time.
The scientific emphasis is on identifying modifiable risk factors, modifiable protective factors, and moderators that influence suicide-related outcomes. "Modifiable" is important here because the program is explicitly oriented toward findings that can translate into practical prevention strategies, rather than factors that are purely descriptive or unchangeable. Examples in this context could include social and unit-level support, access to care, stigma barriers, sleep and fatigue patterns, substance use, stress exposure, disciplinary actions, relationship strain, traumatic experiences, or institutional and environmental conditions, although the FOA itself frames this broadly rather than prescribing a narrow list. The study is also expected to look beyond risk alone by examining resilience mechanisms and protective processes, reflecting an interest in what helps soldiers cope and remain healthy in the face of stressors.
Another key expectation is that, once empirically supported modifiable factors are identified, investigators will move one step closer to prevention by identifying specific intervention options that could address those factors and by developing initial research designs for later testing. In other words, the project should help set up the next generation of work by outlining credible intervention approaches and proposing how future trials could be structured. At the same time, the FOA draws a clear boundary around scope: finalizing the design and actually implementing intervention or screening trials is not part of this award. This is meant to keep the funded effort focused on the epidemiologic and foundational work needed to justify and shape subsequent intervention research.
The award uses the NIH Cooperative Agreement mechanism (U01), which signals substantial scientific or programmatic involvement by the funding agencies compared to a standard investigator-initiated grant. In practical terms, a U01 typically implies close coordination with NIMH and the Army, shared expectations around milestones and deliverables, and a collaborative approach to maximizing scientific and operational value. The FOA also explicitly highlights innovation as a priority, encouraging applicants to use creative methods that improve both the scientific yield and real-world usefulness of the research, which could include novel sampling strategies, integrated data sources, advanced analytic methods, or approaches that strengthen feasibility in military settings.
Funding for this opportunity was substantial for a single award. NIMH and the U.S. Army committed up to $10,000,000 in total costs in Fiscal Year 2009 to support one application, meaning the program was structured as a single, large, coordinated study rather than multiple smaller projects. The expected number of awards was one, reinforcing the idea of a unified research effort with shared methods and coherent outputs.
Eligibility was broad, spanning many common NIH applicant types. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and nonprofit organizations including those with and without 501(c)(3) status (with the standard NIH distinctions). The FOA also explicitly noted additional eligible entities such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and U.S. territories or possessions, among others. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which is consistent with many NIH research mechanisms.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted January 5, 2009, with an original and current closing date of April 3, 2009, and an archive date of May 4, 2009. It falls under CFDA 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants) and is categorized as discretionary funding in the health area. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with NIMH as the lead institute for the scientific program, working jointly with the U.S. Army. The full announcement was made available via the NIH grants website under the referenced RFA link, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research provided contact support for access or technical linking issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Collaborative Study of Suicidality and Mental Health in the U.S. Army (U01)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA MH 09 140.
Who is sponsoring and leading this funding opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead institute for the scientific program, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army.
What is the overall purpose of the grant?
The purpose is to support a large, rigorous epidemiologic research effort focused on suicidality and mental health among U.S. Army personnel and recent combat veterans. The study is intended to map and explain suicide risk, suicide-related behaviors, and mental health outcomes, while also examining resilience and protective factors that may help prevent negative outcomes.
Why was this research initiative created?
It was created in response to growing concerns about mental health problems, behavioral adjustment challenges, and rising suicide rates among Army personnel and recent combat veterans.
What kind of research approach is emphasized?
The FOA emphasizes a large-scale epidemiologic approach that can describe patterns and, importantly, explain determinants of suicide-related outcomes and mental health in Army populations.
What does the FOA mean by focusing on "modifiable" factors?
"Modifiable" factors are risks or protective influences that can realistically be changed through actions like policy changes, programs, clinical practice improvements, leadership actions, or targeted supports. The opportunity is oriented toward findings that can translate into practical prevention strategies, rather than factors that are purely descriptive or unchangeable.
What types of factors might be examined under this FOA?
The FOA frames this broadly, but examples consistent with the description include social and unit-level support, access to care, stigma barriers, sleep and fatigue patterns, substance use, stress exposure, disciplinary actions, relationship strain, traumatic experiences, and institutional or environmental conditions.
Does the FOA focus only on risk factors for suicide?
No. In addition to risk factors, the study is expected to examine psychological resilience, protective processes, and mechanisms that help soldiers cope and remain healthy in the face of stressors.
What is meant by a "whole-of-career" perspective?
The study is expected to evaluate selected samples of soldiers across essentially the full arc of Army service. That includes entry-level training and early service, pre-deployment preparation, deployment and non-combat assignments, post-deployment periods, and the transition from military service into civilian life.
Is the study expected to be cross-sectional, longitudinal, or both?
Both. The funded work is expected to use cross-sectional snapshots as well as longitudinal follow-up to understand how risk and protective factors operate and interact over time.
What is the intended practical impact of the research?
The intent is to generate actionable knowledge quickly by identifying determinants that can be influenced through real-world levers such as policies, programs, clinical practices, leadership actions, or targeted supports.
What are investigators expected to do after identifying empirically supported modifiable factors?
Investigators are expected to identify specific intervention options that could address those modifiable factors and to develop initial research designs for later testing in subsequent studies.
Are intervention or screening trials included in the scope of this award?
No. The FOA explicitly states that finalizing the design and actually implementing intervention or screening trials is not part of this award. The focus is on epidemiologic and foundational work that can justify and shape later intervention research.
What funding mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses the NIH Cooperative Agreement mechanism (U01).
What does it mean that this is a U01 cooperative agreement?
A U01 indicates substantial scientific or programmatic involvement by the funding agencies compared to a standard investigator-initiated grant. In practice, it typically implies close coordination with NIMH and the Army, shared expectations around milestones and deliverables, and a collaborative approach to maximize scientific and operational value.
Is innovation encouraged in this FOA?
Yes. Innovation is highlighted as a priority, and applicants are encouraged to use creative methods that improve scientific yield and real-world usefulness, such as novel sampling strategies, integrated data sources, advanced analytic methods, or approaches that strengthen feasibility in military settings.
How much funding was available for this opportunity?
NIMH and the U.S. Army committed up to $10,000,000 in total costs in Fiscal Year 2009 to support this opportunity.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The expected number of awards was one, indicating a single large, coordinated study rather than multiple smaller projects.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, consistent with NIH distinctions).
Were minority-serving institutions and U.S. territories included as eligible entities?
Yes. The FOA explicitly noted additional eligible entities such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and U.S. territories or possessions, among others.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on January 5, 2009.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date was April 3, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was May 4, 2009.
What CFDA number is associated with this funding opportunity?
The opportunity falls under CFDA 93.242, Mental Health Research Grants.
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as discretionary funding in the health area.
Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available via the NIH grants website under the referenced RFA link for this opportunity.
Who provided contact support for access or technical linking issues?
NIH's Office of Extramural Research provided contact support for access or technical linking issues.
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