Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 09 009
Apply for RFA ES 09 009
- 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 Oct 23, 2009 and posted on Oct 23, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 30, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,700,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Small businesses Special district governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) State governments Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions 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 Environmental Influences during Windows of Susceptibility in Breast Cancer Risk (U01) opportunity (RFA-ES-09-009) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Its central aim is to fund research that clarifies how environmental factors interact with genetic and biologic processes during specific "windows of susceptibility" across a woman's life, and how those interactions may raise or lower lifetime breast cancer risk. Rather than focusing only on broad associations, the announcement emphasizes work that digs into gene-environment interactions and the molecular mechanisms that connect exposures to biologic changes relevant to breast cancer development, especially when those exposures occur at particularly sensitive life stages.
The FOA is positioned as one part of a larger, coordinated Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program (BCERP) effort. Projects funded under this mechanism are meant to run in parallel with separate companion announcements that support ongoing epidemiologic studies and a separate award that provides coordinating functions for the BCERP network (referenced as RFA-ES-09-008 and RFA-ES-09-010). In practical terms, that means applicants are not working in isolation; they are expected to contribute to a transdisciplinary network where basic laboratory, mechanistic, and ancillary projects connect to population-based research so the program can move from exposure and risk observation toward credible biological explanations and, eventually, actionable prevention strategies.
The research scope is broad in terms of what counts as an "environmental factor." The BCERP framework explicitly includes chemical, physical, and social environmental influences, acknowledging that breast cancer risk may be shaped by multiple exposure types and by real-world combinations of stressors rather than a single agent. The work encouraged here includes basic laboratory research as well as ancillary research projects that leverage existing populations or ongoing clinical studies. The mention of "existing populations or clinical studies" signals an interest in building on established cohorts, biospecimen resources, or clinical infrastructures to accelerate discovery, improve comparability, and deepen interpretation of epidemiologic signals using mechanistic endpoints.
A defining requirement of this opportunity is a genuine community partnership. Each funded research project must partner with a local community-based or advocate organization where breast cancer is a priority concern. The community partner is not treated as an optional outreach add-on; it is integral to the project and is expected to help with outreach and translation activities. That includes communicating findings to the public and policymakers, helping translate research results into understandable and usable information, and building relationships among researchers, community members, and other stakeholders. The community partners are also expected to collaborate across the broader BCERP network, and specifically to coordinate with Community Outreach and Translation Cores tied to the ongoing epidemiologic investigations. The program design makes it clear that producing knowledge is only part of the objective; the other part is ensuring that knowledge is communicated responsibly and used in ways that matter for communities.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary cooperative agreement (U01), which generally means NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement compared to a standard research grant. The funding activity category is listed under education, environment, and health, and it aligns with multiple CFDA numbers spanning environmental health and cancer research (93.113, 93.393, 93.396, 93.399). The estimated total funding for the announcement is $2.7 million, with an award ceiling of $300,000. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated. The posting and creation date is October 23, 2009, with an original and current closing date of December 30, 2009, and an archive date of January 30, 2010.
Eligibility is intentionally broad and includes many types of institutions and organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (and small businesses), state and local governments, special district governments, independent school districts, tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities (including Indian housing authorities), and a range of other entities referenced in the eligibility text. The announcement also explicitly names categories often highlighted in NIH eligibility language, such as historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based and community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations. The overall structure suggests the agencies wanted to encourage diverse, multi-sector participation, consistent with the program's emphasis on transdisciplinary science and community-engaged translation.
In summary, RFA-ES-09-009 funds mechanistic and gene-environment interaction research focused on life-stage-specific susceptibility to environmental influences that could alter breast cancer risk, carried out within a coordinated national research network and paired with required community partnerships that prioritize outreach, translation, and stakeholder engagement. The result the program is aiming for is not only better scientific understanding of how exposures during sensitive periods affect breast biology and cancer risk, but also clearer pathways for communicating evidence and supporting prevention-relevant decisions by individuals, communities, and policymakers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Environmental Influences during Windows of Susceptibility in Breast Cancer Risk (U01)" and is identified as RFA-ES-09-009.
Which federal agencies are leading this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
What is the main goal of RFA-ES-09-009?
The central aim is to fund research that clarifies how environmental factors interact with genetic and biologic processes during specific "windows of susceptibility" across a woman's life, and how those interactions may raise or lower lifetime breast cancer risk.
What does "windows of susceptibility" mean in the context of this announcement?
Within this FOA, "windows of susceptibility" refers to specific, particularly sensitive life stages across a woman's life when environmental exposures may have stronger or different biological effects relevant to breast cancer risk.
What types of research does the FOA emphasize?
The announcement emphasizes research that goes beyond broad exposure-disease associations and instead investigates gene-environment interactions and the molecular mechanisms that connect exposures to biologic changes relevant to breast cancer development, especially when exposures occur during sensitive life stages.
Is this focused only on epidemiology?
No. While the broader program includes epidemiologic components (supported under companion announcements), this FOA emphasizes mechanistic and gene-environment interaction research, including basic laboratory work and ancillary projects that leverage existing populations or ongoing clinical studies.
What counts as an "environmental factor" under this program?
The BCERP framework explicitly includes chemical, physical, and social environmental influences. The program also acknowledges that breast cancer risk may be shaped by multiple exposure types and real-world combinations of stressors rather than a single agent.
How does this FOA fit into the larger Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program (BCERP)?
RFA-ES-09-009 is positioned as part of a larger, coordinated BCERP effort. Funded projects are intended to run in parallel with companion announcements that support ongoing epidemiologic studies (referenced as RFA-ES-09-008) and a separate coordinating award that provides network coordination functions (referenced as RFA-ES-09-010).
Does the FOA expect applicants to work as part of a network rather than independently?
Yes. Applicants are expected to contribute to a transdisciplinary BCERP network where basic laboratory, mechanistic, and ancillary projects connect to population-based research. The stated intent is to move from exposure and risk observations toward credible biological explanations and, eventually, actionable prevention strategies.
What does "transdisciplinary" mean here?
Based on the FOA description, "transdisciplinary" indicates that projects should integrate across disciplines (for example, mechanistic biology, exposure science, and population-based research) and participate in a coordinated program where research and translation activities connect across multiple award components.
Are ancillary research projects allowed or encouraged?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages ancillary research projects that leverage existing populations or ongoing clinical studies.
Why does the FOA mention existing populations or ongoing clinical studies?
The FOA signals an interest in building on established cohorts, biospecimen resources, or clinical infrastructures to accelerate discovery, improve comparability across studies, and help interpret epidemiologic signals using mechanistic endpoints.
Is a community partnership required?
Yes. A defining requirement is a genuine community partnership. Each funded research project must partner with a local community-based or advocate organization where breast cancer is a priority concern.
Is the community partner role optional or just outreach?
No. The FOA describes the community partner as integral to the project, not an optional outreach add-on. The partner is expected to help with outreach and translation activities.
What kinds of activities are community partners expected to support?
Community partners are expected to assist with outreach and translation, including communicating findings to the public and policymakers, helping translate research results into understandable and usable information, and building relationships among researchers, community members, and other stakeholders.
Do community partners need to collaborate across the BCERP network?
Yes. The FOA states that community partners are expected to collaborate across the broader BCERP network and specifically coordinate with Community Outreach and Translation Cores tied to the ongoing epidemiologic investigations.
What type of NIH award mechanism is this?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement (U01).
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?
As described in the opportunity summary, a U01 generally means NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement compared to a standard research grant.
What is the total estimated funding amount for this announcement?
The estimated total funding for the announcement is $2.7 million.
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling) per award?
The award ceiling is $300,000.
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated for this opportunity.
What is the funding activity category for this FOA?
The funding activity category is listed under education, environment, and health.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity aligns with CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.393, 93.396, and 93.399, spanning environmental health and cancer research.
What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The posting and creation date is October 23, 2009. The original and current closing date is December 30, 2009. The archive date is January 30, 2010.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); state and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public housing authorities (including Indian housing authorities); and other entities referenced in the eligibility text.
Are minority-serving institutions and similar categories explicitly included?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly names categories commonly highlighted in NIH eligibility language, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs).
Can federal agencies apply?
The eligibility text explicitly includes eligible federal agencies.
Are faith-based and community-based organizations eligible applicants?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes faith-based and community-based organizations.
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions.
Are foreign organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations.
What is the program trying to produce or achieve overall?
The program aims to generate stronger scientific understanding of how exposures during sensitive periods affect breast biology and cancer risk, and to create clearer pathways for communicating evidence and supporting prevention-relevant decisions by individuals, communities, and policymakers.
Does the FOA prioritize translation and communication of results?
Yes. The FOA emphasizes that producing knowledge is only part of the objective; ensuring that knowledge is communicated responsibly and used in ways that matter for communities is also a core goal, supported through required community partnerships and coordination with outreach and translation cores.
What is the practical significance of being part of BCERP for an awardee?
Based on the description, awardees are expected to participate in a coordinated national research effort, align their work with parallel epidemiologic studies and a coordinating center function, and collaborate across projects to link mechanistic findings with population-based observations and outreach/translation activities.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institutes of Health
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Next opportunity: Coordinating Center for the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (U01)
Previous opportunity: Roadmap Transformative Research Projects Program (R01)
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA ES 09 009) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Coordinating Center for the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (U01) Apply for RFA ES 09 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 09 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| Limited Competition Continuation of Studies on Early Environmental Exposures and Human Puberty (U01) Apply for RFA ES 09 008 Funding Number: RFA ES 09 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $650,000 |
| Enabling Technologies in DNA Repair Research (R21) Apply for PAR 10 016 Funding Number: PAR 10 016 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Limited Competition for the Global Research Initiative Program, Basic/Biomedical Sciences (R01) Apply for PAR 10 278 Funding Number: PAR 10 278 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Deepwater Horizon Disaster Research Consortia Health Impacts and Community Resiliency (U19) Apply for RFA ES 11 006 Funding Number: RFA ES 11 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Superfund Hazardous Substance Research and Training Program (P42) Apply for RFA ES 10 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 10 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Innovative Bioavailability Assays to Assess the Effectiveness of Contaminated Sediment Remediation (R01) Apply for RFA ES 11 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 11 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Limited Competition Fogarty International Research Collaboration Basic Biomedical (FIRCA BB) Research Award (R03) Apply for PAR 11 037 Funding Number: PAR 11 037 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Senior Fellows (Parent F33) Apply for PA 11 114 Funding Number: PA 11 114 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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