Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 14 162
Apply for PA 14 162
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 26, 2014 and posted on Mar 26, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2017. (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: Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County governments Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- 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 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity PA-14-162, titled "Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R21)," supports exploratory and developmental research aimed at understanding how cannabis use and exposure to cannabinoids can affect brain development and later functioning. It is built around the R21 mechanism, which is intended for early-stage, hypothesis-generating, or proof-of-concept studies rather than large, fully mature research programs. The main scientific focus is on exposures that occur across key developmental windows, spanning pre-natal, peri-natal, and post-natal periods through adolescence and into young adulthood, with the expectation that applicants will investigate both immediate biological effects and longer-term outcomes that may emerge later in development.
A central theme of the announcement is clarifying the biological mechanisms by which cannabis or specific cannabinoids influence the developing nervous system. Projects can focus on molecular and cellular pathways, including how exposure may affect neurodevelopmental processes such as neuronal differentiation, synapse formation and pruning, neurotransmitter systems, glial function, and signaling pathways tied to cannabinoid receptors and downstream regulation. The FOA also highlights the importance of linking those mechanistic findings to functional consequences, particularly outcomes that matter for real-world behavior and health. This includes long-term impacts on learning and memory, as well as broader cognitive and emotional development. In practice, responsive studies might examine changes in cognition, executive function, stress reactivity, mood-related behaviors, emotional regulation, and other neurobehavioral domains that are known to undergo major maturation from infancy through young adulthood.
The opportunity is explicitly open to studies in both animal models and humans, which signals NIH interest in a translational pipeline: animal studies can isolate causal exposure effects and probe mechanisms at high resolution, while human studies can address patterns of use, timing of exposure, developmental context, and clinically meaningful outcomes. The FOA is framed broadly enough to accommodate different research designs appropriate to an R21, such as preliminary longitudinal work, development of novel measures or models relevant to cannabis exposure, early testing of biomarkers, or pilot studies that establish feasibility and generate effect size estimates for later, larger R01-level projects.
From an administrative and eligibility standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program under the NIH and is associated with CFDA number 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs). Cost sharing or matching is not required. The award ceiling listed is $200,000, reflecting the typical scale of an R21 budget. A wide range of applicants are eligible, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses and other for-profit entities, independent school districts, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district). The eligibility language also extends to tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a variety of mission-focused institutions such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities. Importantly, non-U.S. entities are eligible as well: foreign organizations and foreign institutions may apply, foreign components are allowed under NIH policy, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may participate.
Key dates indicate the FOA was posted and created on March 26, 2014, with an original and final closing date of May 7, 2017, and an archive date of June 7, 2017. That means the specific announcement is no longer active for new submissions under that number, but it remains a useful reference point for the types of research questions NIH has sought to stimulate in this area and may have successors or related active funding opportunities. The full announcement was hosted on the NIH Grants Guide website, and NIH provided contact support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for access or linking issues.
FAQs: NIH PA-14-162 - Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R21)
What is NIH funding opportunity PA-14-162?
PA-14-162 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R21)." It supported exploratory and developmental research focused on how cannabis use and exposure to cannabinoids may influence brain development and later functioning.
What type of grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity is built around the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed for exploratory, early-stage research such as hypothesis-generating studies, proof-of-concept work, and other developmental projects rather than large, fully mature research programs.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to improve understanding of how cannabis use and exposure to cannabinoids affect the developing nervous system across key developmental windows, including both immediate biological effects and longer-term outcomes that may appear later in development.
Which developmental periods are included in the scope of the research?
The scope spans major developmental windows from pre-natal and peri-natal periods through post-natal development, adolescence, and into young adulthood.
What kinds of scientific questions were considered responsive?
Responsive projects included studies that clarify biological mechanisms by which cannabis or specific cannabinoids influence the developing brain, and studies that connect those mechanisms to meaningful functional outcomes in behavior, cognition, and health.
What biological mechanisms does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes molecular and cellular pathways and neurodevelopmental processes, including neuronal differentiation, synapse formation and pruning, neurotransmitter systems, glial function, and signaling pathways tied to cannabinoid receptors and downstream regulation.
What types of functional outcomes were highlighted?
The FOA highlights outcomes that matter for real-world behavior and health, including long-term impacts on learning and memory, broader cognitive development, emotional development, executive function, stress reactivity, mood-related behaviors, emotional regulation, and other neurobehavioral domains that mature from infancy through young adulthood.
Are both animal and human studies allowed?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly allowed studies in both animal models and humans, reflecting an interest in translational research where animal studies can isolate causal effects and probe mechanisms, while human studies can address patterns and timing of use, developmental context, and clinically meaningful outcomes.
What kinds of study designs fit an R21 for this topic?
The FOA was broad enough to include R21-appropriate designs such as preliminary longitudinal work, development of novel measures or models relevant to cannabis exposure, early testing of biomarkers, and pilot studies to establish feasibility and generate effect size estimates for future, larger projects.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.279, Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching was not required for this funding opportunity.
What was the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling was $200,000, consistent with the typical scale of an R21 budget.
Who was eligible to apply?
A wide range of applicants were eligible, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses and other for-profit entities, independent school districts, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district).
Were tribal entities eligible?
Yes. Eligibility included tribal governments, tribal organizations, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
Did the eligibility include mission-focused and minority-serving institutions?
Yes. The eligibility language extended to institutions such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Could non-U.S. organizations apply?
Yes. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions were eligible to apply. The FOA also allowed foreign components under NIH policy, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations could participate.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The FOA was posted and created on March 26, 2014. The original and final closing date was May 7, 2017, and the archive date was June 7, 2017.
Is PA-14-162 still open for new submissions?
No. Based on the final closing date and archive date provided, this specific announcement is no longer active for new submissions under PA-14-162.
Is the announcement still useful if it is archived?
Yes. Even though it is no longer active, it can still serve as a reference for the types of research questions NIH sought to stimulate in this area and may point applicants toward successor or related active opportunities.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted on the NIH Grants Guide website.
Who provided support for access or linking issues?
NIH provided contact support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for access or linking issues.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education Health
Next opportunity: Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R01)
Previous opportunity: Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R03)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PA 14 162
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 14 162) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Effects of Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids on the Developing Brain (R01) Apply for PA 14 163 Funding Number: PA 14 163 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Avenir Award Program for Genetics or Epigenetics of Substance Abuse (DP2) Apply for RFA DA 15 006 Funding Number: RFA DA 15 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Early Phase Clinical Trials in Imaging and Image Guided Interventions (R01) Apply for PAR 14 166 Funding Number: PAR 14 166 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Physical Sciences Oncology Centers (U54) Apply for PAR 14 169 Funding Number: PAR 14 169 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Avenir Award Program for Research on Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS (DP2) Apply for RFA DA 15 007 Funding Number: RFA DA 15 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Healthy Habits Timing for Developing Sustainable Healthy Behaviors in Children and Adolescents (R21) Apply for PA 14 176 Funding Number: PA 14 176 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Healthy Habits Timing for Developing Sustainable Healthy Behaviors in Children and Adolescents (R01) Apply for PA 14 177 Funding Number: PA 14 177 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| mHealth Tools for Underserved Populations with Chronic Conditions to Promote Effective Patient Provider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self Management (R01) Apply for PA 14 180 Funding Number: PA 14 180 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| mHealth Tools for Underserved Populations with Chronic Conditions to Promote Effective Patient Provider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self Management (R21) Apply for PA 14 181 Funding Number: PA 14 181 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| National Cooperative Drug Discovery/Development Groups (NCDDG) for the Treatment of Mental Disorders, Drug or Alcohol Addiction (U01) Apply for PAR 14 184 Funding Number: PAR 14 184 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revisions to Add Biomedical Big Data Training to Active NLM Institutional Training Grants in Biomedical Informatics (T15) Apply for RFA HG 14 006 Funding Number: RFA HG 14 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIDA Core Center of Excellence Grant Program (P30) Apply for PAR 14 186 Funding Number: PAR 14 186 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program (Si2) Apply for RFA OD 14 004 Funding Number: RFA OD 14 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NLM Information Resource Grants to Reduce Health Disparities (G08) Apply for RFA LM 14 001 Funding Number: RFA LM 14 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Wild Horse and Burro Contraception Apply for L14AS00048 Funding Number: L14AS00048 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Chronic Wounds Advancing the Science from Prevention to Healing (R01) Apply for RFA NR 15 001 Funding Number: RFA NR 15 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Long Term Retention in Care for U.S. Substance Using Populations (R34) Apply for PA 14 222 Funding Number: PA 14 222 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| Long Term Retention in Care for U.S. Substance Using Populations (R21) Apply for PA 14 223 Funding Number: PA 14 223 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Long Term Retention in Care for U.S. Substance Using Populations (R01) Apply for PA 14 224 Funding Number: PA 14 224 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Clinical Evaluation of Adjuncts to Opioid Therapies for the Treatment of Chronic Pain (R01) Apply for PAR 14 225 Funding Number: PAR 14 225 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PA 14 162", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.