Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 15 034
Apply for RFA HD 15 034
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Developing Paradigm Shifting Innovations for in vivo Human Placental Assessment in Response to Environmental Influences (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 26, 2015 and posted on Feb 25, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 1, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $41,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Private institutions of higher education Special district governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
Developing Paradigm Shifting Innovations for in vivo Human Placental Assessment in Response to Environmental Influences (U01) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity created under the Human Placenta Project (HPP). The central goal is to kick start the early development of entirely new, or clearly next generation, technologies and methods that can safely assess the human placenta in vivo across the full course of pregnancy. The emphasis is on expanding what clinicians and researchers can measure and understand about placental structure and function while the pregnancy is ongoing, rather than relying on indirect markers or postpartum examination. A defining feature of this FOA is its focus on exploring how environmental influences affect placental structure and function across gestation, meaning applicants are expected to think about tools that can help connect environmental exposures or conditions with measurable changes in placental biology over time.
The opportunity uses a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally signals an active partnership model with NIH scientific/program staff rather than a fully investigator-driven R01 style award. In practice, that means the work is intended to be high impact, technology-forward, and coordinated with NIH priorities for the HPP, with substantial programmatic involvement to guide progress, milestones, and integration with broader project aims. The funding instrument is listed as discretionary, and the activity category is health, fitting the HPP mission of advancing maternal-fetal and child health through better real-time understanding of placental performance.
From a scope standpoint, the FOA is specifically oriented toward paradigm shifting innovations in placental imaging and assessment. That can include brand-new measurement approaches, significant upgrades to existing imaging modalities, or integrated platforms that make it possible to track placental function safely and repeatedly during pregnancy. The key is that the technology should increase capability for in vivo assessment throughout gestation, not just at a single time point, and it should enable investigation of environmental impacts on the placenta. While the short summary does not list specific required modalities, the phrase "imaging and assessment technologies and methods" suggests broad openness to hardware, software, biomarkers, computational methods, and hybrid systems, so long as they are designed for safe use in pregnant people and meaningfully advance what can be measured about the placenta over time.
Financially, the FOA listed an estimated total funding amount of $41.5 million, with an award ceiling of $3 million per award. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers the barrier for applicants and is typical for NIH research funding. The announcement was posted in late February 2015, with an original and current closing date of June 1, 2015, and an archive date of July 2, 2015, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation that has since closed.
Eligibility is broad and spans many organization types. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education for that nonprofit category), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government such as state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and public housing authorities. The eligibility list also explicitly includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), other tribal organizations, and tribally controlled colleges and universities. The FOA also notes expanded categories such as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander serving institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based and community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), reflecting NIH interest in drawing in diverse technical expertise and perspectives.
Administratively, the opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.286 (Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health) and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research), reinforcing that it sits at the intersection of innovative technology development and maternal-fetal/child health research. The official NIH announcement page is provided via the NIH Grants Guide (RFA-HD-15-034), and NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) contact information is included for access or linking issues, which is typical for NIH FOAs.
In plain terms, this FOA was designed to fund early-stage, high-risk/high-reward work that could dramatically improve how the placenta is observed and evaluated during pregnancy, with a particular interest in tools that can illuminate how environmental factors shape placental function and, by extension, pregnancy outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Developing Paradigm Shifting Innovations for in vivo Human Placental Assessment in Response to Environmental Influences (U01)." It was created under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Placenta Project (HPP).
2) Which agency is offering this grant?
This is an NIH funding opportunity. It appears in the NIH Grants Guide as RFA-HD-15-034.
3) What is the main goal of the opportunity?
The central goal is to kick start early development of entirely new, or clearly next-generation, technologies and methods that can safely assess the human placenta in vivo across the full course of pregnancy. The emphasis is on expanding what clinicians and researchers can measure and understand while pregnancy is ongoing, rather than relying on indirect markers or postpartum examination.
4) What does "in vivo human placental assessment" mean in this context?
In this context, it refers to assessing placental structure and function in a way that can be done safely during pregnancy, repeatedly over time, while the placenta is still in the body and the pregnancy is ongoing.
5) What makes this FOA different from typical placenta research funding?
A defining feature is the focus on exploring how environmental influences affect placental structure and function across gestation. Applicants are expected to think about tools that help connect environmental exposures or conditions with measurable changes in placental biology over time.
6) What kinds of projects are in scope?
The FOA is specifically oriented toward paradigm shifting innovations in placental imaging and assessment. This can include brand-new measurement approaches, significant upgrades to existing imaging modalities, or integrated platforms that make it possible to track placental function safely and repeatedly during pregnancy.
7) Does the opportunity require imaging specifically?
The information provided emphasizes "placental imaging and assessment" and refers to "imaging and assessment technologies and methods." It does not list required modalities, suggesting broad openness as long as the approach advances safe, in vivo measurement across gestation.
8) Are non-imaging approaches allowed (software, biomarkers, computational methods)?
The summary suggests broad openness to hardware, software, biomarkers, computational methods, and hybrid systems, as long as they are designed for safe use in pregnant people and meaningfully advance what can be measured about the placenta over time.
9) What does "paradigm shifting" mean for this FOA?
It points to early-stage, high-risk/high-reward work that is entirely new or clearly next generation, and that would substantially expand capabilities for real-time, in vivo placental assessment throughout pregnancy.
10) What is the expected time course of measurement?
The technology should support assessment "across the full course of pregnancy" and be usable safely and repeatedly during pregnancy, not only at a single time point.
11) How is the environment-related component expected to be addressed?
Applicants are expected to consider tools that can help link environmental exposures or conditions to measurable changes in placental structure and function over time and across gestation.
12) What funding mechanism is used?
The FOA uses the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism.13) What does a U01 cooperative agreement imply for how the project is run?
A U01 generally signals an active partnership model with NIH scientific/program staff rather than a fully investigator-driven R01-style award. The description indicates substantial programmatic involvement to guide progress, milestones, and alignment with broader HPP aims.
14) What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is health, consistent with the Human Placenta Project mission related to maternal-fetal and child health.
15) What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument is listed as discretionary.
16) How much total funding was estimated to be available?
The FOA listed an estimated total funding amount of $41.5 million.
17) What is the maximum award size?
The award ceiling is $3 million per award.
18) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
19) When was the announcement posted?
The announcement was posted in late February 2015.
20) What were the closing and archive dates?
The original and current closing date was June 1, 2015, and the archive date was July 2, 2015.
21) Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. Based on the closing and archive dates provided (June 1, 2015 closing; July 2, 2015 archive), this was a time-limited solicitation that has since closed.
22) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education for that specific nonprofit category); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and many levels of government, including state, county, city or township, special district governments, and public housing authorities.
23) Are tribal entities eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), other tribal organizations, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
24) Are minority-serving institutions and community organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA notes expanded categories including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, AANAPISIs, and faith-based and community-based organizations.
25) Are U.S. territories, regional organizations, or foreign organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
26) What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.286 (Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health) and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research).
27) What do the CFDA numbers indicate about the focus of the FOA?
They reinforce that the opportunity sits at the intersection of innovative technology development and maternal-fetal/child health research.
28) Where can applicants find the official announcement?
The official NIH announcement page is available through the NIH Grants Guide as RFA-HD-15-034.
29) Is there an NIH contact for help with access or linking issues?
Yes. NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) contact information is included for access or linking issues.
30) What is the plain-language summary of what NIH was trying to fund here?
This FOA was designed to fund early-stage, high-impact technologies that could dramatically improve how the placenta is observed and evaluated during pregnancy, with particular interest in tools that can illuminate how environmental factors shape placental function over time.
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