Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this grant opportunity?

This is the NIH Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21) funding opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number PAR-10-040. It supports exploratory and developmental research focused on getting research-tested health interventions into routine real-world use.

What is the main purpose of PAR-10-040?

The main purpose is to bridge the gap between what research shows works and what actually gets used in everyday health settings. Projects are expected to focus on practical ways to disseminate (spread) and implement (put into routine use) evidence-based interventions and services.

What kinds of studies does this FOA aim to fund?

It aims to fund exploratory and developmental studies that identify practical, effective, and efficient strategies for dissemination and implementation. The emphasis is on real-world conditions and the realities of adoption, delivery, sustainability, and scaling within routine systems.

What does "dissemination" mean in this program?

Within this opportunity, dissemination refers to spreading research-tested interventions or evidence-based services so they are more broadly known and available to the settings and people who can use them.

What does "implementation" mean in this program?

Implementation refers to putting evidence-based interventions and services into routine practice in real-world public health or clinical environments, including attention to how they are adopted, delivered, sustained, and scaled.

What types of interventions or services are in scope?

Interventions can include health behavior change programs and evidence-based services across prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and efforts to improve quality of life, as long as the focus is on moving proven approaches into routine practice settings.

Is the emphasis on proving an intervention works in a controlled setting?

No. The emphasis is on moving proven approaches into real-world public health and clinical practice environments. Applicants are expected to go beyond controlled efficacy and address practical adoption and delivery challenges in everyday systems.

What grant mechanism is used for this announcement?

This announcement uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental grant mechanism (R21), which is generally used for early-stage, proof-of-concept, or method-development work that may support later, larger projects.

Are there related NIH opportunities on the same topic?

Yes. This FOA runs in parallel with companion announcements covering the same scientific scope but different mechanisms: PAR-10-038 (R01) and PAR-10-039 (R03). Applicants are expected to choose the mechanism that best fits the maturity and scope of their proposed work.

How should an applicant decide between R21, R01, and R03 for this topic area?

Based on the information provided, applicants should select the mechanism that matches the maturity, scope, and risk level of the project: R21 for exploratory/developmental work, R01 for more mature full-scale research, and R03 for smaller projects.

How much funding is available per award?

The listing includes an award ceiling of $200,000. Awards can vary in size and duration depending on project design, timeline, and budget needs.

How many awards will NIH make?

The number of awards is not fixed in advance. NIH expects variation based on proposed projects, and totals depend on the number of applications received, their quality, their costs, and available funds.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of the award.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses and entities other than small businesses); and multiple levels of government such as state, county, city or township, special district governments, and independent school districts.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations, as well as Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

Are public housing authorities eligible?

Yes. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities are included among eligible applicants.

Are institutions like HBCUs and Hispanic-serving institutions eligible?

Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and other mission-driven and capacity-building institutions.

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.

Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?

Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are included among eligible applicants.

Are federal agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. Eligible federal agencies are included among eligible applicants.

What health topics does this opportunity cover?

The opportunity spans multiple health domains reflected by the CFDA numbers provided, including oral health; deafness and communication disorders; mental health; alcohol research; drug abuse and addiction; nursing research; cancer causes and prevention; allergy, immunology, and transplantation; and microbiology and infectious diseases. The common thread is dissemination and implementation research that translates evidence-based interventions and services into routine practice.

Does the program require a particular disease area?

The provided information suggests a broad health scope. The key requirement is that the project centers on dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions or services into real-world practice settings.

When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

The posted and created date listed is November 30, 2009. The original and current closing date listed is January 7, 2013. The archive date listed is February 7, 2013.

Which agency administers this opportunity?

The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Where was the full announcement hosted?

The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide at the link provided in the notice.

Who is the contact for access or linking issues?

For access or linking issues, the contact support referenced is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.