Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 08 135
Apply for PAR 08 135
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies of Humans (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 25, 2009 and posted on Apr 3, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2010. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Special district governments State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Independent school districts.
- 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 Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies of Humans (R21) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to support early-stage, high-quality human research in complementary and alternative medicine. Issued under Funding Opportunity Number PAR 08-135, this announcement is backed by multiple NIH partners, including the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). The central aim is to build the scientific groundwork for CAM by funding preliminary studies in humans that can clarify feasibility, refine methods, generate initial evidence, and strengthen the rationale for later, larger clinical trials. In practical terms, the program is meant to move promising CAM ideas from early questions toward well-justified, definitive studies that can determine efficacy and effectiveness.
The grant uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is specifically intended for exploratory or developmental research rather than mature, large-scale clinical trials. Projects supported under this FOA are expected to produce foundational results such as pilot data, early signals of biological or clinical activity, recruitment and retention lessons, validation of outcome measures, dosing or intervention standardization work, and other critical information needed to design stronger follow-on studies. The broader expectation is that these smaller, earlier investigations will reduce uncertainty and improve the quality of subsequent clinical research on CAM interventions, including those relevant to cancer and aging and those involving dietary supplements.
Funding levels and the number of awards are not fixed because NIH anticipates a wide range of project types and costs across applicants. Instead of committing to a set pool or award count, NIH indicates that award size, duration, and total number of funded projects will depend on the number of applications received, their scientific quality, their proposed timelines, and their budgets. Even with that flexibility, the FOA sets clear boundaries on how much support an individual project can request. The maximum project period is three years, and direct costs are capped at $400,000 total across the three-year period, with an additional limit of no more than $250,000 in direct costs in any single year. The R21 award under this announcement is not renewable, meaning it is intended to be a one-time, limited-duration award that ideally positions the research team to compete for subsequent funding through other mechanisms.
A notable feature of this opportunity is its broad eligibility. A wide range of organizations can apply, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and multiple levels of government entities such as state, county, city/township, special districts, and eligible federal agencies. The eligibility list also includes entities that often receive special consideration in federal programs, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, and other Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions. Tribal governments and tribal organizations are also eligible, and the announcement indicates that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations may apply as well, along with U.S. territory or possession agencies and faith-based or community-based organizations, as applicable. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to contribute a specific portion of project costs from non-federal sources.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the education and health domain, tied to CFDA numbers that reflect complementary and integrative health research (93.213), cancer cause and prevention research (93.393), and aging research (93.866). The opportunity was posted on April 3, 2008, with later system dates indicating record creation and archiving, and it includes an NIH Grants Guide link for the full announcement text. For technical issues accessing the announcement or troubleshooting links, the listed contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV. Overall, the program is best understood as NIH support for carefully designed, human-focused pilot and early clinical research in CAM that can credibly inform and justify larger, definitive clinical studies later on.
FAQs: Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies of Humans (R21) - PAR 08-135
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies of Humans (R21). It supports early-stage, high-quality human research in CAM intended to produce foundational evidence and methods that can lead to larger, more definitive clinical studies.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR 08-135.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The central purpose is to build the scientific groundwork for complementary and alternative medicine by funding preliminary studies in humans. These studies are meant to clarify feasibility, refine methods, generate initial evidence, and strengthen the rationale for later, larger clinical trials that can evaluate efficacy and effectiveness.
What type of research does NIH want to support under this FOA?
The FOA is focused on exploratory or developmental human studies in CAM. Supported projects are expected to generate foundational results such as pilot data, early signals of biological or clinical activity, recruitment and retention lessons, validation of outcome measures, dosing or intervention standardization work, and other information needed to design stronger follow-on studies.
Is this grant meant to fund large, mature clinical trials?
No. This uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory or developmental research rather than mature, large-scale clinical trials.
What is the grant mechanism used?
The grant uses the NIH R21 mechanism (Exploratory/Developmental Grant).
What outcomes or deliverables are expected from an R21 project under this announcement?
Projects are expected to produce foundational results that reduce uncertainty and improve the quality of later clinical research. Examples described include pilot data, feasibility findings, recruitment/retention lessons, validated outcome measures, and intervention/dosing standardization work that can support subsequent applications and larger studies.
How does this FOA relate to future clinical trials?
The program is designed to move promising CAM ideas from early questions toward well-justified, definitive studies. In practice, it aims to strengthen the rationale and readiness for later larger clinical trials that can determine efficacy and effectiveness.
Which NIH components are involved in supporting this opportunity?
This announcement is backed by multiple NIH partners, including the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS).
Are studies related to cancer, aging, or dietary supplements relevant here?
Yes. The description notes relevance to CAM interventions including those related to cancer and aging and those involving dietary supplements.
How much funding can an applicant request?
Direct costs are capped at $400,000 total across the project period, with an additional limit of no more than $250,000 in direct costs in any single year.
What is the maximum project length?
The maximum project period is three years.
Is the number of awards or total funding pool fixed?
No. NIH does not commit to a set pool or award count for this FOA. Award size, duration, and the total number of funded projects depend on the number of applications received, scientific quality, proposed timelines, and budgets.
Can this R21 award be renewed?
No. The R21 award under this announcement is not renewable. It is intended as a one-time, limited-duration award that can position teams to compete for later funding through other mechanisms.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and multiple levels of government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts, and eligible federal agencies). The eligibility list also includes faith-based or community-based organizations as applicable.
Are minority-serving institutions eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, and other Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Tribal governments and tribal organizations are included as eligible applicants.
Can non-U.S. organizations apply?
Yes. The announcement indicates that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations may apply.
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. Agencies of U.S. territories or possessions are included in the eligibility description.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this opportunity.
What type of grant is this considered?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity in the education and health domain.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is tied to CFDA numbers 93.213 (complementary and integrative health research), 93.393 (cancer cause and prevention research), and 93.866 (aging research).
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on April 3, 2008, with later system dates indicating record creation and archiving.
Where can applicants find the full announcement text?
The listing references an NIH Grants Guide link for the full announcement text.
Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement or troubleshooting links?
For technical issues, the listed contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 08 135) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Correlative Studies with Specimens from Multi Site Trials (R21) Apply for PA 08 133 Funding Number: PA 08 133 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Correlative Studies with Specimens from Multi Site Trials (R01) Apply for PA 08 134 Funding Number: PA 08 134 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mitochondria in Cancer Epidemiology, Detection, Diagnosis and Prognosis (R01) Apply for PA 08 143 Funding Number: PA 08 143 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mitochondria in Cancer Epidemiology, Detection, Diagnosis and Prognosis (R21) Apply for PA 08 144 Funding Number: PA 08 144 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award R25 Apply for PAR 08 145 Funding Number: PAR 08 145 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Biomarkers of Infection Associated Cancers (R01) Apply for PA 08 156 Funding Number: PA 08 156 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Biomarkers of Infection Associated Cancers (R21) Apply for PA 08 157 Funding Number: PA 08 157 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Transdisciplinary Research on Fatigue and Fatigability in Aging (R01) Apply for PA 08 161 Funding Number: PA 08 161 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Transdisciplinary Research on Fatigue and Fatigability in Aging (R21) Apply for PA 08 162 Funding Number: PA 08 162 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Stem Cells and Cancer (R21) Apply for PA 08 165 Funding Number: PA 08 165 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Economics of Treatment and Prevention Services for Drug Alcohol Abuse (R03) Apply for PA 08 172 Funding Number: PA 08 172 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Economics of Treatment and Prevention Services for Drug Alcohol Abuse (R01) Apply for PA 08 174 Funding Number: PA 08 174 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Novel Lentiviral Models of HIV Neuropathogenesis (R01) Apply for PAS 08 178 Funding Number: PAS 08 178 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Novel Lentiviral Models of HIV Neuropathogenesis (R21) Apply for PAS 08 179 Funding Number: PAS 08 179 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies using Cells, Tissues, and Animal Models of Disease (R21) Apply for PA 08 185 Funding Number: PA 08 185 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Medications Development for Polydrug Addiction Treatment (R01) Apply for PAS 08 186 Funding Number: PAS 08 186 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Medications Development for Polydrug Addiction Treatment (R21) Apply for PAS 08 187 Funding Number: PAS 08 187 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Integrating Biobehavioral and Sociocultural Research to Prevent HIV Transmission and Infection (R01) Apply for PA 08 188 Funding Number: PA 08 188 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Integrating Biobehavioral and Sociocultural Research to Prevent HIV Transmission and Infection (R21) Apply for PA 08 189 Funding Number: PA 08 189 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Geographic and Contextual Influences on Energy Balance Related Health Behaviors (R01) Apply for PA 08 192 Funding Number: PA 08 192 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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