Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 12 246
Apply for PA 12 246
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of Mathematical Cognition and Reasoning and the Prevention of Math Learning Disabilities (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 25, 2012 and posted on Jul 25, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Independent school districts Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education State governments City or township governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions 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) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced this discretionary grant opportunity, titled "Development of Mathematical Cognition and Reasoning and the Prevention of Math Learning Disabilities (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 12 246), to encourage early-stage, innovative, and multidisciplinary research focused on how mathematical thinking develops, why it sometimes breaks down, and how math learning disabilities (MLD) might be prevented or remediated in real-world settings. Framed as an R21 mechanism, the emphasis is on novel ideas, exploratory or developmental studies, and potentially higher-risk approaches that can open up new directions for larger future projects. The scientific scope explicitly spans cognitive processes, neuroplasticity, genetics, and environmental influences, signaling that proposals can range from behavioral and educational research to neuroscience-informed studies, so long as they meaningfully advance understanding of mathematical cognition and learning difficulties.
At the core of the FOA is a push to deepen what is known about the factors that contribute to the development, growth, and impairment of mathematical cognition. NIH highlights foundational abilities that underlie math competence, such as apprehending and reasoning about magnitude and number, as well as the related processing of temporal and spatial relationships. In practical terms, this means the opportunity supports work that investigates how people perceive quantity, compare and manipulate numbers, understand numerical relationships, and integrate spatial-temporal reasoning that often supports math problem solving. The announcement is equally concerned with the pathways that lead to impairment, including mechanisms that may produce persistent difficulties characteristic of MLD, and it encourages research designs that can disentangle which cognitive or neural components are primary drivers versus secondary consequences of poor math achievement.
A major goal is to build an evidence base that can inform effective interventions, with an explicit focus on approaches that can work outside highly controlled laboratory conditions. The FOA points toward interventions aimed at remediation (helping individuals who already show significant difficulties) and prevention (reducing risk before severe problems become entrenched). By using the phrase "efficacious in real world contexts," the announcement underscores the importance of practicality and eventual usability in authentic educational or community environments. While the FOA is not limited to intervention studies, it makes clear that foundational research should ideally connect to intervention design, refinement, or identification of malleable targets that could be addressed through training, instruction, or other supports.
Administratively, this is a grant opportunity within the NIH funding activity category of Health, Income Security, and Social Services, listed under CFDA number 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research), indicating alignment with child development and related research priorities. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds. The award ceiling listed is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, exploratory scale typical of R21 projects. The FOA was posted on July 25, 2012, with an original and final closing date of January 7, 2015, and an archive date of February 7, 2015, meaning the announcement is no longer active but remains relevant as a record of NIH priorities and as a template for similar future solicitations.
Eligibility is broad and includes many organizational types across the public, private, nonprofit, educational, and governmental sectors. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, public and state controlled institutions, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (with certain distinctions for institutions of higher education), small businesses and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), independent school districts, and multiple layers of government such as county, city or township, state, special district governments, and public housing or Indian housing authorities. The FOA also explicitly includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments), as well as regional organizations. In addition, the eligibility section calls out a range of institution types and communities that NIH encourages to participate, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and U.S. territories or possessions. Importantly, the opportunity allows non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) to apply, as well as non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, and it permits foreign components as defined by NIH policy, reflecting NIH's openness to international collaboration and globally relevant research questions in mathematical learning and disability.
For applicants seeking the complete details, the full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants policy and guide site at the link provided in the source material. NIH also provided contact support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for technical access or linking issues. Overall, the FOA’s central message is that NIH was looking for creative, cross-disciplinary studies that explain how mathematical reasoning and learning develop, identify the biological and environmental factors that shape those trajectories, and translate that knowledge into realistic strategies to prevent or reduce math learning disabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIH grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Development of Mathematical Cognition and Reasoning and the Prevention of Math Learning Disabilities (R21)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA 12 246.
What kind of grant mechanism is this, and what does that imply?
This is an NIH R21 discretionary grant opportunity. The R21 mechanism emphasizes early-stage, innovative, exploratory, and developmental research. It is intended to support novel ideas and potentially higher-risk approaches that can generate new directions and position investigators for larger future projects.
What is the central focus of the FOA?
The FOA encourages multidisciplinary research on how mathematical thinking develops, why it sometimes breaks down, and how math learning disabilities (MLD) might be prevented or remediated in real-world settings.
What scientific areas or disciplines does the FOA explicitly include?
The scientific scope explicitly spans cognitive processes, neuroplasticity, genetics, and environmental influences. This supports a broad range of proposals, from behavioral and educational research to neuroscience-informed studies, as long as they meaningfully advance understanding of mathematical cognition and learning difficulties.
What types of foundational mathematical abilities are highlighted as important?
NIH highlights foundational abilities underlying math competence, including apprehending and reasoning about magnitude and number, as well as processing temporal and spatial relationships. This includes how people perceive quantity, compare and manipulate numbers, understand numerical relationships, and integrate spatial-temporal reasoning used in math problem solving.
Does the FOA address both typical development and impairment?
Yes. The FOA seeks to deepen understanding of the factors that contribute to the development and growth of mathematical cognition, as well as the factors and pathways that contribute to impairment, including mechanisms that may produce persistent difficulties characteristic of MLD.
What does NIH mean by understanding "primary drivers" versus "secondary consequences" of poor math achievement?
The FOA encourages research designs that can disentangle which cognitive or neural components are primary contributors to math learning problems versus which difficulties may emerge as downstream or secondary consequences of poor math achievement.
Is intervention research required under this opportunity?
No. The FOA is not limited to intervention studies. However, it emphasizes building an evidence base that can inform effective interventions, and it notes that foundational research should ideally connect to intervention design, refinement, or the identification of malleable targets for training, instruction, or other supports.
What is the FOA's stance on prevention versus remediation of math learning disabilities?
The FOA points toward both remediation (helping individuals who already show significant difficulties) and prevention (reducing risk before severe problems become entrenched).
What does "efficacious in real world contexts" mean in the context of this FOA?
It signals an emphasis on practicality and eventual usability in authentic educational or community environments, rather than approaches that only work under highly controlled laboratory conditions.
What funding activity category is this opportunity listed under?
The opportunity is within the NIH funding activity category of Health, Income Security, and Social Services.
What CFDA number is associated with this FOA, and what does it indicate?
The CFDA number is 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research). This indicates alignment with child development and related research priorities.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $200,000, consistent with the smaller, exploratory scale typical of R21 projects.
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on July 25, 2012.
What were the closing dates for applications?
The original and final closing date listed was January 7, 2015.
Is this FOA still active?
No. The FOA is no longer active. It has an archive date of February 7, 2015, and remains relevant as a record of NIH priorities and as a template for similar future solicitations.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, public and state controlled institutions, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, with certain distinctions for institutions of higher education), small businesses, other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), independent school districts, and multiple levels of government (county, city or township, state, special district governments, and public housing or Indian housing authorities).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations, including those other than federally recognized tribal governments.
Are regional organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Regional organizations are included in the eligibility list.
Does NIH encourage participation from specific institution types or communities?
Yes. The eligibility section calls out and encourages participation from Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and U.S. territories or possessions.
Can non-U.S. entities apply?
Yes. The FOA allows non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) to apply, permits non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, and allows foreign components as defined by NIH policy.
Where could applicants find the complete official announcement?
The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants policy and guide site at the link provided in the source material.
Who was listed as a contact for technical access or linking issues?
NIH provided contact support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for technical access or linking issues.
What is the overall message of the FOA in plain terms?
NIH was looking for creative, cross-disciplinary R21 studies that explain how mathematical reasoning and learning develop, identify biological and environmental factors shaping those trajectories, clarify why math learning difficulties persist for some individuals, and translate that knowledge into realistic strategies to prevent or reduce math learning disabilities in real-world settings.
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