Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21) opportunity (PAR-16-292)?

It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement that supports early-stage, exploratory, and developmental research on mobile health (mHealth) in low and middle income countries (LMICs). The focus is on building or adapting mobile health technologies for LMIC realities and evaluating what happens when those tools are implemented, with an emphasis on measuring health-related outcomes.

What is the main goal of this funding announcement?

The central aim is to fund projects that develop new mHealth technologies or adapt existing ones to fit LMIC settings, and then evaluate implementation results, especially health-related outcomes. The intent is not only to create a tool, but to generate evidence about whether it improves health, strengthens care processes, or meaningfully changes outcomes in real-world contexts.

Does the NIH want projects that only develop an app or tool?

No. This opportunity emphasizes evidence generation. Projects are expected to go beyond building an app or tool by also evaluating what happens when the technology is implemented and assessing outcomes in practical, real-world environments.

What types of research projects fit an R21 mechanism in this opportunity?

The award mechanism is an R21 grant, which is typically used for exploratory or proof-of-concept work. This includes projects that build foundational evidence, pilot an approach, or test key assumptions as a step toward larger trials or scaled programs.

What does NIH mean by "technology and outcomes" in this FOA?

Based on the description provided, "technology" refers to mobile health tools being developed or adapted for LMIC settings, while "outcomes" refers to measuring the effects of implementing those tools, including health-related outcomes and changes in care processes in real-world contexts.

What is the emphasis on innovation and study design?

This FOA places especially high value on innovative, well-designed studies. The strongest projects are those that clearly explain what new understanding the study will produce about designing, adapting, deploying, and evaluating mHealth interventions in resource-constrained environments.

Is multidisciplinary collaboration expected?

Yes. Proposals are expected to bring together expertise across relevant fields such as public health, clinical medicine, behavioral science, implementation science, engineering, data science, human-computer interaction, and health systems research.

What does "generalizable knowledge" mean in this context?

NIH indicates it is looking for research that produces lessons the broader mHealth field can use, not just a solution limited to one narrow context without broader applicability. Strong applications explain what others can learn about how to design, adapt, deploy, and evaluate mHealth interventions in LMIC environments.

What kinds of LMIC constraints should projects account for?

The opportunity highlights the need to design for constraints common in LMIC settings, such as limited connectivity, variable access to devices, cost sensitivity, workforce limitations, literacy and language diversity, and the need to integrate with local health systems and workflows.

What is the listed funding ceiling for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed in the opportunity summary is $125,000.

Which agency is sponsoring this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11).

What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?

The program is associated with multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.393, 93.395, 93.399, and 93.989. This reflects cross-institute and cross-topic relevance of mobile health research.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other applicants as allowed under NIH rules and any additional eligibility notes referenced in the full announcement.

Are organizations outside universities allowed to apply?

Yes. The eligibility described is broad and includes nonprofits, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other eligible applicants under NIH rules, in addition to public and private higher education institutions.

Why is eligibility so broad for this opportunity?

The broad eligibility aligns with the multidisciplinary and technology-driven nature of mHealth work, where strong teams may include universities, health systems, nonprofit implementers, and technology developers.

When was the FOA created and posted?

Key dates in the source listing show the FOA was created and posted on May 26, 2016.

What is the closing date for this funding announcement?

The closing date shown is August 31, 2018. The original and current closing dates are the same in the provided information.

Is this opportunity focused on LMIC implementation in real-world settings?

Yes. The description emphasizes tailoring mHealth solutions to LMIC realities and evaluating implementation with rigorous, outcome-focused measurement in real-world contexts.

What kinds of outcomes are expected to be measured?

The FOA emphasizes measuring health-related outcomes and whether the technology improves health, strengthens care processes, or meaningfully changes outcomes when implemented.

What is NIH ultimately trying to advance through this opportunity?

The opportunity targets research that advances the evidence base on what works in mobile health globally, why it works, and how it can be implemented effectively in resource-limited environments, with a strong emphasis on innovation, sound study design, and generalizable lessons.