Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 261
Apply for PAR 16 261
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.273, 93.313, 93.393, 93.399, 93.853, 93.866, 93.867,.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 16, 2016 and posted on May 16, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2019. (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: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, 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, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R21) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-261) is a discretionary NIH research grant designed to push forward the tools and approaches researchers use to study behavior and social processes. Instead of primarily funding studies that test a specific substantive hypothesis (for example, whether an intervention changes a health outcome), this program is aimed at strengthening the underlying methodological foundation of behavioral and social science research. The central focus is on innovations that improve how studies are designed, how key concepts are measured, how data are collected, and how data are analyzed, with the end goal of making research in these fields more accurate, reliable, efficient, and informative.
This FOA supports work that develops or refines research methods in areas such as research design (for instance, improving experimental or quasi-experimental designs, strengthening causal inference strategies, or optimizing study structures for real-world settings), measurement (such as creating or validating new instruments, improving reliability and validity, reducing bias, or better capturing complex constructs like stress, social relationships, decision-making, or behavior change), data collection techniques (including approaches that increase data quality, feasibility, or representativeness, potentially in challenging populations or contexts), and data analysis methods (for example, new statistical techniques, computational approaches, modeling strategies, or analytic workflows tailored to the unique challenges of behavioral and social data). The emphasis is on methodological progress that can benefit a broader community of researchers, not just a single project or dataset.
The award is offered under the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for exploratory or developmental research. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the program's intent to fund early-stage or proof-of-concept work that can demonstrate feasibility, establish preliminary performance, or provide a strong platform for later, larger-scale studies. The administering agency is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11). Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the announcement (93.173, 93.213, 93.273, 93.313, 93.393, 93.399, 93.853, 93.866, 93.867), indicating that the methodological innovations this FOA encourages can align with a range of NIH mission areas and institute priorities connected to health, behavior, and social science.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that conduct or support research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as allowed under the FOA's additional eligibility language. In practice, this wide eligibility is meant to encourage methodological contributions from universities, research institutes, community-focused organizations, and private-sector groups with relevant technical expertise.
Key administrative details included in the listing show the FOA was created and posted on May 16, 2016, with a closing date of September 7, 2019 (both the original and current closing dates match in the provided data). While the opportunity in this listing reflects that specific submission window, the broader takeaway is that PAR 16-261 represents NIH interest in targeted investments that improve behavioral and social science methods, recognizing that better measurement and stronger analytic and design tools can raise the quality and impact of research across many health and social domains.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R21) opportunity?
It is an NIH discretionary research grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-261) designed to advance the tools, methods, and approaches used to study behavioral and social processes. The emphasis is on improving the methodological foundation of behavioral and social science research rather than primarily testing a single substantive hypothesis.
Which agency administers this grant opportunity?
The administering agency is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11).
What does the program prioritize funding?
The program prioritizes methodological innovations that improve how studies are designed, how key concepts are measured, how data are collected, and how data are analyzed. The overall goal is to make behavioral and social science research more accurate, reliable, efficient, and informative.
Does this program fund substantive hypothesis-testing studies (for example, an intervention trial)?
This opportunity is described as not primarily aimed at funding studies that test a specific substantive hypothesis (such as whether an intervention changes a health outcome). Instead, it focuses on strengthening underlying research methodology that can benefit behavioral and social science research broadly.
What types of research design innovations are supported?
Examples include improving experimental or quasi-experimental designs, strengthening causal inference strategies, and optimizing study structures for real-world settings.
What types of measurement-related work are supported?
Examples include creating or validating new instruments, improving reliability and validity, reducing bias, and better capturing complex constructs such as stress, social relationships, decision-making, or behavior change.
What kinds of data collection innovations are supported?
The FOA supports approaches that increase data quality, feasibility, or representativeness, including work relevant to challenging populations or contexts.
What kinds of data analysis innovations are supported?
Examples include new statistical techniques, computational approaches, modeling strategies, or analytic workflows tailored to challenges common in behavioral and social data.
Is the emphasis on a method that helps many researchers or just one project?
The emphasis is on methodological progress that can benefit a broader community of researchers, not just a single project or dataset.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered under the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for exploratory or developmental research.
What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
What type of work is the $200,000 ceiling intended to support?
The ceiling reflects the program intent to fund early-stage or proof-of-concept work that can demonstrate feasibility, establish preliminary performance, or create a strong platform for later, larger-scale studies.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this announcement?
Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the announcement: 93.173, 93.213, 93.273, 93.313, 93.393, 93.399, 93.853, 93.866, and 93.867.
What do the multiple CFDA numbers indicate about the scope of this FOA?
The multiple CFDA numbers indicate that the methodological innovations encouraged by this FOA can align with a range of NIH mission areas and institute priorities connected to health, behavior, and social science.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that conduct or support research, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as governments
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Other entities as allowed under the FOA's additional eligibility language
Are both nonprofit and for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, excluding higher education institutions in those categories) as well as for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as governments are also included.
Are public entities like local governments and school districts eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
When was this FOA created and posted?
The listing indicates the FOA was created and posted on May 16, 2016.
What is the closing date shown in the listing?
The listing shows a closing date of September 7, 2019 (and notes that the original and current closing dates match in the provided data).
What is the main takeaway about NIH interest reflected in PAR 16-261?
The opportunity reflects NIH interest in targeted investments that improve behavioral and social science methods, based on the idea that better measurement and stronger analytic and design tools can raise the quality and impact of research across many health and social domains.
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Applicants also applied for:
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| Development and Application of PET and SPECT Imaging Ligands as Biomarkers for Drug Discovery and for Pathophysiological Studies of CNS Disorders (R01) Apply for PAR 16 266 Funding Number: PAR 16 266 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Infrastructure Development Training Programs for Critical HIV Research at Low-and Middle-Income Country Institutions (G11) Apply for PAR 16 280 Funding Number: PAR 16 280 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $92,000 |
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| Prescription Drug Abuse (R21) Apply for PA 16 232 Funding Number: PA 16 232 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Planning Grant for Fogarty HIV Research Training Program for Low-and Middle-Income Country Institutions (D71) Apply for PAR 16 281 Funding Number: PAR 16 281 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $28,000 |
| Program to Assess the Rigor and Reproducibility of Exosome-Derived Analytes for Cancer Detection (R21) Apply for PAR 16 277 Funding Number: PAR 16 277 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Cancer Prevention, Control, Behavioral Sciences, and Population Sciences Career Development Award (K07) Apply for PAR 16 284 Funding Number: PAR 16 284 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Silencing of HIV-1 Proviruses (R61/R33) Apply for RFA AI 16 038 Funding Number: RFA AI 16 038 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| The NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22) Apply for PAR 16 293 Funding Number: PAR 16 293 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Integrative Research on Polysubstance Abuse and Addiction (R21/R33) Apply for PAR 16 291 Funding Number: PAR 16 291 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Limited Competition for the Continuation of the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) Research Project Sites (U01) Apply for RFA AA 17 003 Funding Number: RFA AA 17 003 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Limited Competition for the Continuation of the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) Data Analysis Resource (U24) Apply for RFA AA 17 005 Funding Number: RFA AA 17 005 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| Limited Competition for the Continuation of the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) Administrative Resource (U24) Apply for RFA AA 17 004 Funding Number: RFA AA 17 004 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Intervening with Cancer Caregivers to Improve Patient Health Outcomes and Optimize Health Care Utilization (R01) Apply for PAR 16 317 Funding Number: PAR 16 317 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Intervening with Cancer Caregivers to Improve Patient Health Outcomes and Optimize Health Care Utilization (R21) Apply for PAR 16 318 Funding Number: PAR 16 318 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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