Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 078
Apply for PAR 16 078
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Education and Health: New Frontiers (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279, 93.399, 93.865, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 12, 2016 and posted on Jan 12, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 07, 2019. (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: State governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
Education and Health: New Frontiers (R21) (PAR 16-078) is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity from HHS (listed under HHS-NIH11) designed to fund exploratory, early-stage research that digs into how education influences health. The central aim is not just to confirm that education and health are linked, but to unpack the actual pathways connecting them. In practical terms, the program is looking for studies that can identify which specific features of education matter most (for example, particular educational experiences, quality-related factors, or characteristics of educational settings) and clarify the mediating factors that shape whether and how education produces downstream health effects. The intent is to move the field closer to a causal understanding by specifying mechanisms rather than relying on broad correlations.
The announcement emphasizes careful identification of the aspects and qualities of education that appear responsible for health-related differences, along with the intermediate steps that carry those effects. That typically means researchers are expected to articulate and test plausible mediators, such as economic stability, employment conditions, health behaviors, psychosocial resources, stress exposure, social networks, cognitive or non-cognitive skills, access to information, or interactions with institutions. The program framing points toward research that can disentangle competing explanations, clarify directionality, and describe how the education-health relationship may vary depending on context, population, or educational environment.
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 funding mechanism, which is commonly used to support innovative, developmental, or high-impact ideas that may be at an earlier stage of evidence than an R01. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, signaling relatively small, targeted projects intended to generate key data, test novel approaches, or establish proof of concept for larger future studies. While the expected number of awards is not provided in the source data, the structure and budget cap suggest a competitive program aimed at seeding new research directions.
Eligible applicants are broad and include state governments, city or township governments, special district governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations. Nonprofit organizations are also eligible, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education). This wide eligibility aligns with the interdisciplinary nature of education-and-health research, which often involves partnerships among academic researchers, public agencies, school systems, health entities, and community or tribal organizations.
The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.279, 93.399, 93.865, 93.866), indicating it sits at the intersection of several NIH-related program areas and potentially reflects cross-institute interest in education as a social determinant of health. The opportunity was posted on January 12, 2016, created the same day, and lists a closing date of January 7, 2019 (both original and current in the provided record). Overall, the grant is aimed at pushing the field toward a more precise understanding of how educational experiences translate into health outcomes by isolating the active ingredients of education and mapping the mediators that drive causal effects.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the “Education and Health: New Frontiers (R21)” opportunity?
Education and Health: New Frontiers (R21) (PAR 16-078) is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), listed under HHS-NIH11. It supports exploratory, early-stage research focused on understanding how education influences health.
Which agency is offering this grant?
The opportunity is offered by HHS through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is listed under HHS-NIH11.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The central goal is to move beyond simply showing that education and health are associated and instead identify the pathways that connect them. The program emphasizes specifying mechanisms and mediators that explain how educational experiences translate into downstream health outcomes.
What does “New Frontiers” mean in the context of this program?
Based on the description provided, “New Frontiers” refers to pushing research past broad correlations and toward a more precise, mechanism-focused understanding of the education-health relationship, including which aspects of education matter most and why.
What kind of research is this opportunity trying to fund?
The program is aimed at exploratory, early-stage studies that can isolate specific features of education (such as particular experiences, quality-related factors, or characteristics of educational settings) and test intermediate steps (mediators) that carry educational effects into health outcomes.
Is the program interested in confirming that education and health are linked?
No. The emphasis is not on simply confirming an education-health link. The focus is on unpacking the actual pathways that connect education to health and clarifying causal mechanisms rather than relying on broad correlations.
What does it mean to “identify features of education that matter most”?
It means identifying which specific educational ingredients appear responsible for health-related differences. Examples mentioned include particular educational experiences, quality-related factors, and characteristics of educational settings.
What are “mediating factors” in this opportunity?
Mediating factors are the intermediate steps that help explain how education leads to health effects. The announcement highlights the expectation that researchers articulate and test plausible mediators rather than leaving the pathway unspecified.
What are examples of mediators the program expects applicants to consider?
Examples listed include economic stability, employment conditions, health behaviors, psychosocial resources, stress exposure, social networks, cognitive or non-cognitive skills, access to information, and interactions with institutions.
Does the program encourage research that addresses competing explanations and directionality?
Yes. The framing points toward research that can disentangle competing explanations, clarify directionality, and describe how education-health relationships may vary by context, population, or educational environment.
What is the funding mechanism used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 funding mechanism, which is commonly used for innovative, developmental, or high-impact ideas that may be earlier-stage than a typical R01.
What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000, indicating smaller, targeted projects intended to generate key data, test novel approaches, or establish proof of concept for larger future studies.
Does the provided information state how many awards NIH expects to make?
No. The expected number of awards is not provided in the source information.
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, city or township governments, special district governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), in both cases other than institutions of higher education).
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status are eligible (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicants.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
Are government entities eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible applicants include state governments, city or township governments, and special district governments.
Why does this opportunity list multiple CFDA numbers?
The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.279, 93.399, 93.865, 93.866), which indicates it sits at the intersection of several NIH-related program areas and may reflect cross-institute interest in education as a social determinant of health.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers provided are 93.279, 93.399, 93.865, and 93.866.
When was this opportunity posted and created?
It was posted on January 12, 2016, and created on January 12, 2016.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The closing date listed is January 7, 2019 (shown as both the original and current closing date in the provided record).
What does the program mean by moving toward a “causal understanding”?
Within the provided description, moving toward a causal understanding means specifying and testing mechanisms and mediators that plausibly carry educational influences into health outcomes, rather than stopping at broad associations or correlations.
Does the opportunity emphasize variation by population or context?
Yes. The description notes interest in research that can describe how the education-health relationship may vary depending on context, population, or educational environment.
Is this opportunity intended for large, long-term projects?
The R21 mechanism and $200,000 award ceiling indicate relatively small, targeted projects intended to seed new research directions, generate key data, test novel approaches, or provide proof of concept for larger future studies.
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Previous opportunity: Education and Health: New Frontiers (R03)
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 16 078) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Basic Biopsychosocial Mechanisms and Processes in the Management of Chronic Conditions (R21) Apply for PAR 16 095 Funding Number: PAR 16 095 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Obesity Policy Evaluation Research (R01) Apply for PA 16 165 Funding Number: PA 16 165 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Administrative Supplements for Research on Sleep Disturbances and Impact on Chronic Pain (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 16 164 Funding Number: PA 16 164 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01) Apply for PA 16 190 Funding Number: PA 16 190 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revision Applications for U.S-South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (U01) Apply for RFA AI 16 040 Funding Number: RFA AI 16 040 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revision Applications for U.S-South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (R01) Apply for RFA AI 16 039 Funding Number: RFA AI 16 039 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (K12) Apply for RFA OD 16 013 Funding Number: RFA OD 16 013 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Foundations of Non-Invasive Functional Human Brain Imaging and Recording - Bridging Scales and Modalities (R01) Apply for RFA MH 17 235 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 235 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early-Stage Research for Large-Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) Apply for RFA EY 17 001 Funding Number: RFA EY 17 001 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects - eTargetedBCP (R21) Apply for RFA NS 17 015 Funding Number: RFA NS 17 015 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Administrative Supplements for Research on Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Populations (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 17 098 Funding Number: PA 17 098 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - eTeamBCP (U01) Apply for RFA NS 18 008 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 008 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Research Opportunities Using Invasive Neural Recording and Stimulating Technologies in the Human Brain (U01) Apply for RFA NS 18 010 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 010 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - eTeamBCP (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 029 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 029 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - TeamBCP (U19 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 19 002 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 002 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - TeamBCP (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 19 003 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 003 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program: Phase 2 Clinical Trials (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA AR 19 029 Funding Number: RFA AR 19 029 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Coordinating Center to Support NIDA Preventing Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adolescents and Young Adults (ages 1630) Initiative (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA DA 19 034 Funding Number: RFA DA 19 034 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Medical Rehabilitation Research Resource (P2C Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA HD 20 004 Funding Number: RFA HD 20 004 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Limited Competition for Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study - Data Analysis, Informatics and Resource Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA DA 20 003 Funding Number: RFA DA 20 003 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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