Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 171
Apply for PAR 15 171
- The National Institutes of Health in the education food and nutrition health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233 National Center on Sleep Disorders Research 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.321 Dietary Supplement Research Program 93.361 Nursing Research 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.399 Cancer Control 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.838 Lung Diseases Research 93.839 Blood Diseases and Resources Research 93.847 Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 2, 2015 and posted on Apr 2, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2018. (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: County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Special district governments Small businesses Independent school districts Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
- 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:
The Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R21) funding opportunity (PAR 15-171) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) exploratory/developmental grant program focused on improving how researchers measure what people eat and how physically active they are. The core idea behind the announcement was that many nutrition and physical activity studies are limited by measurement problems, such as incomplete self-reporting, recall bias, cultural or age-related mismatches in survey tools, and device limitations. NIH used this FOA to encourage early-stage, high-impact projects that could move the field toward more accurate, practical, and scalable ways to assess diet and activity in real-world populations.
The FOA invited a broad range of innovative research directions. One major emphasis was on developing novel assessment approaches, meaning entirely new ways to capture dietary intake or physical activity, or creative combinations of existing approaches that result in more reliable data. Another emphasis was on improving methods used to evaluate and validate instruments, including better study designs and analytic strategies for testing whether a tool truly measures what it claims to measure. The announcement also highlighted the need for assessment tools that work well in culturally diverse populations and across different age groups, specifically calling out children and older adults, where standard adult-centric tools may fail due to differences in eating patterns, portion estimation, memory, literacy, caregiver involvement, or mobility and functional limitations.
Technology development and improved use of existing technology were also central to the FOA. This could include new sensors, mobile or web-based tools, wearable devices, image-assisted food logging, barcode scanning, passive monitoring approaches, or smarter integrations of multiple data streams. The point was not technology for its own sake, but technology that measurably improves data quality, reduces burden on participants, and performs better across settings and populations. Alongside tool development, the FOA encouraged statistical methods and modeling work aimed at improving assessment and correcting for known measurement errors and biases. That includes approaches that can calibrate self-report data against objective measures, adjust for systematic underreporting or misclassification, and quantify uncertainty in a way that strengthens downstream analyses linking diet and activity to health outcomes.
Another important theme was capturing the multidimensional nature of diet and physical activity behaviors rather than treating them as single, simple variables. The FOA encouraged work using pattern analysis to understand behaviors as combinations and sequences (for example, dietary patterns rather than single nutrients, or activity profiles rather than total minutes). It also encouraged integrated measurement of diet and physical activity together, including attention to the environmental context in which those behaviors occur, such as neighborhood factors, food environments, social settings, time constraints, and other contextual variables that shape daily choices. This reflects a push toward measurement systems that better represent how behavior actually happens in everyday life, which can improve both observational research and intervention studies.
Administratively, this was an NIH discretionary grant opportunity using the R21 mechanism, which is designed for exploratory, early-stage, and potentially higher-risk ideas that can open up new research directions. The award ceiling listed for the opportunity was $200,000, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted on April 2, 2015, and it ultimately closed on September 7, 2018, with an archive date of October 8, 2018, meaning it is no longer accepting applications under that specific announcement.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of organizations. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), state and local governments (such as county and city/township governments), special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, and other applicants as clarified in NIH eligibility language. The FOA also explicitly included a range of institution types and community-oriented entities such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, federal agencies, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), which is consistent with NIH policies that sometimes allow foreign participation depending on program rules and scientific justification.
The FOA was associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning several health research areas, reflecting how measurement of diet and physical activity cuts across many NIH institutes and disease domains. These included programs connected to cancer, cardiovascular and lung disease, diabetes and kidney disease, child health and human development, nursing research, dietary supplements, alcohol research, and sleep disorders research. In practice, that cross-cutting list signals that improved measurement methods were viewed as broadly enabling infrastructure for many kinds of health research, from disease prevention to behavioral interventions and population surveillance.
For reference and administrative support, the announcement pointed applicants to the NIH Grants Guide web page for PAR 15-171, and provided NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for access or linking issues (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV).
FAQs: Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R21) - PAR 15-171
What is PAR 15-171?
PAR 15-171, titled "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R21)," was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) exploratory/developmental funding opportunity focused on improving how researchers measure dietary intake and physical activity.
What was the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal was to support early-stage, high-impact projects that address common measurement problems in nutrition and physical activity research, such as incomplete self-reporting, recall bias, survey tools that do not fit certain cultures or age groups, and limitations of existing devices and technologies.
What grant mechanism did this opportunity use?
This opportunity used the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory and developmental research. R21 awards are generally suited to early-stage concepts that may be higher-risk but could open new directions for the field.
How much funding was available per award?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity was $200,000.
Was cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Is PAR 15-171 still accepting applications?
No. The opportunity is no longer open. It was posted on April 2, 2015, closed on September 7, 2018, and had an archive date of October 8, 2018.
What kinds of problems in diet and physical activity measurement was NIH trying to address?
The announcement emphasized limitations that can weaken research results, including self-report errors, recall bias, tools that do not work well across cultural contexts or age groups, and technology/device constraints. The intent was to improve accuracy, practicality, and scalability of assessment in real-world populations.
What types of projects did NIH encourage under this FOA?
The FOA encouraged a broad range of innovative directions, including new assessment approaches, improved validation and evaluation methods, technology-enabled tools, statistical methods to correct measurement error, and approaches that better capture the multidimensional nature of diet and physical activity behaviors.
What does "novel assessment approaches" mean in the context of this FOA?
It included entirely new ways to capture dietary intake or physical activity, as well as creative combinations of existing methods that lead to more reliable or useful data.
Did the FOA include work on validating and evaluating assessment instruments?
Yes. A major emphasis was improving how instruments are evaluated and validated, including better study designs and analytic strategies to test whether a tool measures what it claims to measure.
Why did the FOA highlight culturally diverse populations?
Because assessment tools can perform differently across cultures and contexts. The FOA highlighted the need for tools that work well in culturally diverse populations, where standard instruments may not match typical foods, eating patterns, language, or norms.
Which age groups were specifically called out as needing better assessment tools?
Children and older adults were specifically highlighted, because adult-centric tools may fail due to differences in eating patterns, portion estimation, memory, literacy, caregiver involvement, and mobility or functional limitations.
What role did technology play in this FOA?
Technology development and better use of existing technology were central themes. The FOA emphasized technology that improves data quality, reduces participant burden, and performs well across different settings and populations.
What are examples of technologies mentioned or implied by the FOA?
Examples included sensors, mobile or web-based tools, wearable devices, image-assisted food logging, barcode scanning, passive monitoring approaches, and integrations of multiple data streams.
Did NIH want technology projects even if they did not improve measurement?
No. The FOA explicitly framed technology as a means to an end. The focus was on technology that measurably improves assessment quality and feasibility, rather than technology for its own sake.
Were statistical methods and modeling approaches within scope?
Yes. The FOA encouraged statistical methods and modeling work to improve assessment and correct known measurement errors and biases.
What kinds of statistical or analytic improvements were included?
Approaches could include calibrating self-report data against objective measures, adjusting for systematic underreporting or misclassification, and quantifying uncertainty to strengthen downstream analyses that link diet and activity to health outcomes.
Did the FOA encourage measuring diet and physical activity as more than single variables?
Yes. A key theme was capturing the multidimensional nature of behaviors, such as using pattern analysis to examine dietary patterns rather than single nutrients, and activity profiles rather than only total minutes.
Was integrated measurement of diet and physical activity encouraged?
Yes. The FOA encouraged integrated measurement of diet and physical activity together, reflecting how these behaviors interact in real life and how combined measurement can improve research and intervention studies.
Did the FOA include attention to environmental or contextual factors?
Yes. It encouraged attention to the context in which behaviors occur, including neighborhood factors, food environments, social settings, time constraints, and other contextual variables that shape daily choices.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. It included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and various government entities (state, local, county, city/township, special district governments), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, and other applicants as covered by NIH eligibility language.
Did the FOA explicitly include certain institution types and community-oriented organizations?
Yes. It explicitly included institution types and entities such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and federal agencies.
Were foreign (non-U.S.) organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The FOA indicated that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) were included, consistent with NIH policies that may allow foreign participation depending on program rules and scientific justification.
Why were multiple CFDA numbers associated with this FOA?
The FOA was linked to multiple CFDA numbers across health research areas because improved measurement of diet and physical activity supports many NIH institutes and disease domains. Measurement improvements were positioned as cross-cutting infrastructure that can strengthen research in many fields.
Which health research areas were connected to the CFDA list mentioned?
The CFDA list included programs connected to cancer, cardiovascular and lung disease, diabetes and kidney disease, child health and human development, nursing research, dietary supplements, alcohol research, and sleep disorders research.
Where could applicants find the official announcement and administrative reference information?
The FOA directed applicants to the NIH Grants Guide page for PAR 15-171.
Who was listed for help with access or linking issues?
The NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact was provided for access or linking issues: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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