Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 14 012
Apply for RFA ES 14 012
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Influences during Windows of Susceptibility in Breast Cancer Risk (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.399 Cancer Control.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 3, 2014 and posted on Nov 3, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 28, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $6,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses Special district governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- 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 not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
Environmental Influences during Windows of Susceptibility in Breast Cancer Risk (U01) (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-ES-14-012) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement aimed at advancing the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP). The central purpose of this opportunity is to deepen scientific understanding of how environmental exposures, together with genetic factors, shape breast cancer risk, with a particular focus on "windows of susceptibility." These windows refer to specific life stages when breast tissue and related biological systems may be especially sensitive to environmental influences, meaning that exposures during these periods could have an outsized impact on later breast cancer risk compared to exposures at other times.
The opportunity supports transdisciplinary research projects, meaning applicants are expected to bring together expertise across fields rather than staying within a single discipline. A core expectation is that proposed projects address one or more plausible windows of susceptibility and deliberately integrate experimental model research with human studies. In practical terms, the program is looking for tightly linked research where findings from laboratory or animal models and findings from epidemiologic, clinical, or population-based human studies inform one another. The goal of requiring this integration is to speed up progress on several fronts at once: identifying which environmental factors matter most, clarifying the biological mechanisms that explain how those exposures influence breast cancer risk, and using that mechanistic understanding to point toward realistic prevention strategies.
A defining feature of this funding announcement is that community engagement is not optional. Applications must include community-academic partnerships and clearly defined community engagement activities. This emphasizes that the research should not occur in isolation from the people and communities most affected by breast cancer risk and environmental exposures. The intent is typically to improve study relevance, support recruitment and retention where human research is involved, ensure better communication about environmental risks and research results, and help shape prevention approaches that are practical and acceptable in real-world settings.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01). A U01 generally indicates substantial involvement from the NIH in the conduct of the project compared with a standard research grant, often through programmatic coordination, milestones, and active collaboration to ensure the project aligns with broader program goals. The funding opportunity falls under health, environment, education, and cancer-related activity categories and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.113 (Environmental Health), 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research), 93.396 (Cancer Biology Research), and 93.399 (Cancer Control).
Financially, the estimated total funding listed is $6.2 million, with an award ceiling of $600,000. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which lowers barriers for applicants that may not have access to non-federal matching funds. The opportunity was posted on November 3, 2014, with an original and current closing date of January 28, 2015, and an archive date of February 28, 2015, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, school districts, and a range of local, county, state, tribal, and special district governments. The eligibility language also explicitly includes several categories of institutions and organizations often emphasized in federal research capacity-building, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply; however, foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means certain forms of international collaboration may be permissible when justified and properly structured.
In short, this grant opportunity is designed to fund coordinated, cross-disciplinary breast cancer research that zeroes in on sensitive life-stage windows when environmental exposures may be particularly consequential, while intentionally linking mechanistic work in experimental systems with human evidence. It also requires that researchers build real partnerships with communities and plan concrete engagement activities, reflecting a program-level commitment to making the science more relevant, transparent, and oriented toward prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity?
This opportunity is titled Environmental Influences during Windows of Susceptibility in Breast Cancer Risk (U01) under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-ES-14-012. It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement intended to advance the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP).
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The central purpose is to deepen scientific understanding of how environmental exposures, together with genetic factors, shape breast cancer risk, with a specific focus on "windows of susceptibility" (life stages when breast tissue and related systems may be especially sensitive to environmental influences).
What are "windows of susceptibility" in the context of this program?
"Windows of susceptibility" refers to specific life stages when breast tissue and related biological systems may be more sensitive to environmental influences. The program emphasizes that exposures during these periods could have a larger impact on later breast cancer risk than exposures occurring at other times.
What kind of research approach is expected (single-discipline vs. multi-discipline)?
The opportunity supports transdisciplinary research projects. Applicants are expected to bring together expertise across fields rather than operating within a single discipline.
Does the project have to focus on a specific life stage?
Projects are expected to address one or more plausible windows of susceptibility. The solicitation is centered on studying these sensitive periods and how environmental exposures during those periods may influence breast cancer risk.
Is integration between experimental research and human research required?
Yes. A core expectation is that projects deliberately integrate experimental model research with human studies. The program is looking for tightly linked research where laboratory or animal model findings and human study findings inform one another.
What is meant by "tightly linked" experimental and human studies?
Based on the description, "tightly linked" means that results from experimental systems (such as laboratory or animal models) and results from human research (such as epidemiologic, clinical, or population-based studies) are designed to connect and mutually inform each other, rather than running as separate, unrelated components.
What outcomes or impacts is the NIH trying to accelerate through this integrated design?
The integration requirement is intended to speed progress on multiple fronts at once, including:
- Identifying which environmental factors matter most for breast cancer risk
- Clarifying biological mechanisms linking exposures to risk
- Using mechanistic understanding to point toward realistic prevention strategies
Is community engagement optional?
No. Community engagement is described as not optional. Applications must include community-academic partnerships and clearly defined community engagement activities.
What is the purpose of requiring community-academic partnerships?
The intent is for research to be conducted in partnership with the people and communities most affected by breast cancer risk and environmental exposures. As described, community engagement can help improve study relevance, support recruitment and retention for human research, strengthen communication about environmental risks and study results, and help shape prevention approaches that are practical and acceptable in real-world settings.
What is the award mechanism and what does it imply?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U01). A U01 generally indicates substantial involvement from the NIH in conducting the project compared with a standard research grant, often through programmatic coordination, milestones, and active collaboration to keep the project aligned with broader program goals.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary funding opportunity using the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism.
What activity areas does this opportunity fall under?
The funding opportunity falls under health, environment, education, and cancer-related activity categories.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity is associated with the following CFDA numbers:
- 93.113 (Environmental Health)
- 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research)
- 93.396 (Cancer Biology Research)
- 93.399 (Cancer Control)
How much total funding is estimated for this program?
The estimated total funding listed is $6.2 million.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is listed as $600,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on November 3, 2014. The original and current closing date is January 28, 2015, and the archive date is February 28, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
Based on the provided dates (closing date January 28, 2015 and archive date February 28, 2015), this was a time-limited solicitation and is not presented as currently open.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits, including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- School districts
- Local, county, and state governments
- Tribal governments
- Special district governments
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Eligible federal agencies
Are specific types of minority-serving institutions explicitly included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes categories often emphasized in federal research capacity-building, including:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions
- Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
Can foreign organizations apply directly?
No. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly based on the provided eligibility description.
Can a U.S. organization include non-U.S. components in its application?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply based on the provided information.
Is any form of international collaboration allowed?
Yes, to a limited extent. The description states that foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This typically means some types of international collaboration may be permissible when justified and properly structured, even though foreign institutions cannot apply directly.
What kinds of human research does the program reference?
The human research examples described include epidemiologic, clinical, or population-based human studies.
What kinds of experimental research does the program reference?
The experimental research examples described include laboratory and animal model work, presented as "experimental model research."
What is the program trying to do beyond identifying risks?
Beyond identifying environmental factors and mechanisms, the stated goal includes using mechanistic understanding to point toward realistic prevention strategies and ensuring prevention approaches are practical and acceptable through required community engagement.
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| Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine (R01) Apply for PA 08 052 Funding Number: PA 08 052 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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