Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 08 239
Apply for PA 08 239
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Impact of Health Communication Strategies on Dietary Behaviors (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.068 Chronic Diseases Research, Control, and Prevention 93.135 Centers for Research and Demonstration for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.399 Cancer Control 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on Aug 14, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) State governments Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Special district governments City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Regional Organizations U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Impact of Health Communication Strategies on Dietary Behaviors (R01) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 08 239) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement aimed at supporting research that tests how communication can be used to improve diet-related behaviors and, by extension, reduce risk for chronic disease. The core idea is to move beyond simply providing nutrition information and instead build and evaluate communication approaches that actually shift what people choose, buy, and eat. The announcement is backed by a wide group of federal health agencies and offices, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), as well as partners such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That mix signals that the funders are looking for work that is relevant across multiple health areas (cancer, cardiovascular health, child health, alcohol-related issues, and prevention broadly) and that connects research evidence to real-world public health practice and regulatory contexts.
The purpose of the announcement is to solicit research projects that develop, implement, and evaluate effective diet- and health-related communication strategies. Applicants are expected to study communication as an active intervention, not just as a dissemination tool at the end of a project. In practical terms, this means designing messages, delivery channels, and communication environments and then measuring whether they influence dietary behaviors. The announcement emphasizes interdisciplinary research, encouraging teams that blend expertise from fields like health communication, behavioral science, nutrition, epidemiology, psychology, marketing, public policy, health services, informatics, and community-based research. It also highlights the need to work across diverse populations, reflecting an interest in how communication performs in different cultural, socioeconomic, and geographic contexts, and whether strategies help reduce (or inadvertently worsen) disparities in diet and health outcomes.
A defining feature of the FOA is its focus on multi-level research. Rather than treating diet as purely an individual choice, it encourages studies that examine communication at several interacting levels, such as the individual level (knowledge, attitudes, motivation, self-efficacy, risk perception), the community or environmental level (social norms, retail settings, schools, workplaces, media exposure, community organizations), and the policy level (labeling rules, institutional guidelines, public campaigns, or other structural influences). This framing makes room for projects that test communication in clinics, schools, public health systems, online platforms, food retail environments, or within policy and regulatory contexts, as long as the goal is to rigorously evaluate how communication changes dietary behavior.
The mechanism of support is the NIH R01 research project grant, which is typically used for mature, hypothesis-driven projects with a well-developed research plan and sufficient preliminary basis to justify a larger study. The FOA also notes that it runs in parallel with a companion announcement of the same scientific scope using the R21 mechanism (PA 08 240). In other words, the R01 is meant for more fully developed projects, while the R21 track exists for exploratory or developmental work in the same topic area. The announcement does not guarantee a set number of awards; instead, funding depends on available appropriations and the submission of enough high-quality, competitive applications. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement listed, which generally means applicants are not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of the award.
Eligibility is broad and includes many kinds of organizations that commonly conduct or partner on public health and behavioral research. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments, and independent school districts). The eligibility language also explicitly includes additional categories such as eligible federal agencies, faith-based and community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide net aligns with the announcement's emphasis on multi-level and real-world communication research, where partnerships with schools, communities, health departments, or other local systems are often essential for implementing and evaluating communication interventions.
In terms of timing and status, the FOA was posted on August 14, 2008, with an original and final closing date of September 7, 2011, and it was archived on October 8, 2011. While that means PA 08 239 itself is no longer open for applications, its summary remains useful as a template for the kinds of projects NIH and partner agencies have historically sought in this area: carefully designed studies that test communication strategies tied to diet and health, implemented across different settings and populations, and evaluated for measurable effects on dietary behaviors. For applicants looking for current opportunities, the best practical next step would be to search NIH's active funding announcements for newer FOAs in health communication, nutrition, cancer prevention, cardiovascular prevention, or obesity and diet-related behavioral interventions that mirror this scope.
The official administering agency is the NIH, and the source announcement is hosted on the NIH grants site (the FOA link is provided in the source material). For technical access issues, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
FAQs: The Impact of Health Communication Strategies on Dietary Behaviors (R01) - PA-08-239
What is this funding opportunity?
PA-08-239, titled "The Impact of Health Communication Strategies on Dietary Behaviors (R01)," is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement that supported research testing how communication strategies can improve diet-related behaviors and help reduce chronic disease risk.
What is the main goal of the announcement?
The core goal is to move beyond simply providing nutrition information and instead develop, implement, and evaluate communication approaches that measurably change what people choose, buy, and eat.
What kinds of projects were encouraged?
The announcement solicited research projects that develop, implement, and evaluate effective diet- and health-related communication strategies, treating communication as an active intervention rather than something used only to disseminate findings at the end of a study.
Does the FOA focus on communication as dissemination or as an intervention?
It explicitly emphasizes communication as an intervention. Applicants were expected to design messages, delivery channels, and communication environments and measure whether they influence dietary behaviors.
What outcomes were applicants expected to measure?
Applicants were expected to evaluate whether communication strategies influence dietary behaviors. The description highlights measurable changes related to what people choose, buy, and eat.
What research perspective does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes multi-level research, encouraging studies that examine communication influences at multiple interacting levels rather than treating diet as purely an individual choice.
What are examples of the "multi-level" approach described in the FOA?
The FOA describes multiple levels including: individual factors (knowledge, attitudes, motivation, self-efficacy, risk perception), community/environment factors (social norms, retail settings, schools, workplaces, media exposure, community organizations), and policy-level factors (labeling rules, institutional guidelines, public campaigns, and other structural influences).
Where could interventions or studies be implemented?
The FOA indicates studies could test communication in a range of settings, including clinics, schools, public health systems, online platforms, food retail environments, and policy or regulatory contexts, as long as the research rigorously evaluates how communication changes dietary behavior.
What disciplines or expertise did NIH encourage teams to include?
The FOA highlights interdisciplinary research and encourages teams combining expertise from areas such as health communication, behavioral science, nutrition, epidemiology, psychology, marketing, public policy, health services, informatics, and community-based research.
Does the FOA address diverse populations and health disparities?
Yes. It emphasizes work across diverse populations and asks applicants to consider how communication performs across cultural, socioeconomic, and geographic contexts, including whether strategies reduce or inadvertently worsen disparities in diet and health outcomes.
Which agencies and offices backed this announcement?
The FOA was backed by multiple NIH institutes and offices and federal partners, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), and partners such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What does the broad set of participating agencies suggest about the scope?
It suggests the funders were looking for research relevant across multiple health areas (including cancer, cardiovascular health, child health, alcohol-related issues, and prevention broadly) and work that links evidence to real-world public health practice and regulatory contexts.
What grant mechanism was used?
The mechanism of support is the NIH R01 research project grant.
What does an R01 generally imply for project maturity?
The FOA describes the R01 as typically used for mature, hypothesis-driven projects with a well-developed research plan and enough preliminary basis to justify a larger study.
Was there a related or companion funding announcement?
Yes. The FOA notes it ran in parallel with a companion announcement of the same scientific scope using the R21 mechanism (PA-08-240), positioned for exploratory or developmental work.
Is PA-08-239 still open for applications?
No. It was posted on August 14, 2008, had an original and final closing date of September 7, 2011, and was archived on October 8, 2011.
If this FOA is archived, why is it still useful?
Its summary can serve as a historical template for the kinds of projects NIH and partners have sought in this area: rigorously designed studies that test diet- and health-related communication strategies in real-world settings and measure effects on dietary behaviors across populations.
What is the suggested next step for applicants looking for current funding?
The provided information suggests searching NIH's active funding announcements for newer FOAs in health communication, nutrition, cancer prevention, cardiovascular prevention, obesity, or diet-related behavioral interventions with similar scope.
Is there a guaranteed number of awards?
No. The FOA does not guarantee a set number of awards; funding depends on available appropriations and the submission of enough high-quality, competitive applications.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed in the provided information, indicating applicants generally were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of the award.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments, and independent school districts).
Are faith-based and community-based organizations included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes faith-based and community-based organizations.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions.
Are eligible federal agencies included?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes eligible federal agencies.
Are Hispanic-serving institutions mentioned as eligible?
Yes. Hispanic-serving institutions are explicitly included in the eligibility description.
Who administers this opportunity?
The official administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Where was the official announcement hosted?
The source announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site, and the FOA link is referenced in the source material.
Who is listed for technical access issues?
For technical access issues, the listed contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 08 239) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Impact of Health Communication Strategies on Dietary Behaviors (R21) Apply for PA 08 240 Funding Number: PA 08 240 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Reducing Risk Behaviors by Promoting Positive Youth Development (R01) Apply for PA 08 241 Funding Number: PA 08 241 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Reducing Risk Behaviors by Promoting Positive Youth Development (R03) Apply for PA 08 242 Funding Number: PA 08 242 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Neurotechnology Research, Development, and Enhancement (SBIR R43/R44) Apply for PA 07 389 Funding Number: PA 07 389 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Meetings, Conferences, and Networks for Research Partnerships to Improve Functional Outcomes (R13) Apply for PAR 08 207 Funding Number: PAR 08 207 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Centers for AIDS Research D CFAR, CFAR (P30) Apply for PAR 09 103 Funding Number: PAR 09 103 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Developmental Psychopharmacology (R21) Apply for PA 09 112 Funding Number: PA 09 112 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Developmental Psychopharmacology (R01) Apply for PA 09 111 Funding Number: PA 09 111 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Basic and Translational Research in Emotion (R01) Apply for PA 09 137 Funding Number: PA 09 137 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Community Based Partnerships for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control Research to Inform Policy (R03) Apply for PA 09 140 Funding Number: PA 09 140 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Community Based Partnerships for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control Research to Inform Policy (R21) Apply for PA 09 141 Funding Number: PA 09 141 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03) Apply for PA 09 163 Funding Number: PA 09 163 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Research on Teen Dating Violence (R01) Apply for PA 09 169 Funding Number: PA 09 169 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on Teen Dating Violence (R21) Apply for PA 09 170 Funding Number: PA 09 170 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Womens Mental Health in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R01) Apply for PA 09 174 Funding Number: PA 09 174 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Womens Mental Health in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R21) Apply for PA 09 175 Funding Number: PA 09 175 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Womens Health (K12) Apply for RFA OD 09 006 Funding Number: RFA OD 09 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| The Role of Human Animal Interaction in Child Health and Development (R01) Apply for RFA HD 09 031 Funding Number: RFA HD 09 031 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Limited Competition for the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (U01) Apply for RFA HD 09 006 Funding Number: RFA HD 09 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $760,000 |
| NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Competitive Revisions for Studies Focused on Neuropathic Pain or Neural Plasticity to Promote Collaborative Pain Research (R01) Apply for PAR 09 264 Funding Number: PAR 09 264 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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