Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DD 15 001
Apply for RFA DD 15 001
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Public Health Research on Modifiable Risk Factors for Spina Bifida" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.073 Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention and Surveillance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 5, 2015 and posted on Dec 23, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 24, 2015 Letter of Intent Due Date 01/23/2015 Application Due Date 02/24/2015 NO LATER THAN 5PM. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses City or township governments Independent school districts State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses County 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 Special district governments.
- Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government U.S. Territory or Possession Faith based or Community based Organizations Regional Organizations Bona Fide Agents Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity "Public Health Research on Modifiable Risk Factors for Spina Bifida" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA DD 15 001) is a CDC discretionary funding announcement that supports public health research aimed at better understanding why spina bifida still occurs even in settings where folate intake should be adequate. The core premise is that mandatory folic acid fortification and widespread folic acid use have reduced neural tube defects, but they have not eliminated spina bifida, suggesting that additional, potentially preventable risk factors may be contributing. This opportunity specifically targets research that can identify those modifiable factors, clarify how they operate, and strengthen the evidence base needed to inform prevention strategies beyond folate.
The CDC is offering this funding as cooperative agreements, meaning awardees should expect an active partnership with CDC staff during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship. The research scope emphasizes studying potentially modifiable risk factors for spina bifida in populations where folate status is not the primary limiting issue. In practice, that means applicants should focus on locations with established mandatory folic acid fortification or on study populations where there is individual-level information about periconceptional folic acid use, allowing researchers to account for folate exposure when analyzing other risks.
Within that folate-adequate context, the CDC highlights several types of projects it wants to support. One major aim is the identification of novel modifiable risk factors that have not been fully explored or confirmed. Another aim is investigating factors that may change the strength or direction of known associations, such as how physical activity might interact with obesity or other established risk factors. A third explicit priority is replication, meaning projects that confirm previously reported links from large population-based epidemiologic studies, including studies such as the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Taken together, the announcement is looking for rigorous epidemiologic work that can either uncover new prevention targets or validate earlier findings so they are reliable enough to guide policy and public health practice.
The opportunity anticipates making two awards. The estimated total funding is $1.8 million, with individual awards expected to fall between $125,000 (floor) and $350,000 (ceiling). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which can make the program more accessible to organizations that do not have discretionary funds to contribute.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that can carry out applied public health research. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, special districts, and independent school districts), federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories), small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. The eligibility notes also indicate inclusion of a wide range of institution types and organizational categories such as Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, eligible federal agencies, US territories or possessions, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, bona fide agents, and FFRDCs.
Key administrative dates show that the announcement was posted on December 23, 2014, with a letter of intent due January 23, 2015, and the full application due February 24, 2015 by no later than 5 PM. The archive date is March 26, 2015, indicating this was a time-limited competition that has since closed, but the details remain useful as a reference point for the CDCs approach to funding spina bifida prevention research in the post-fortification era.
For questions or difficulty accessing the full announcement, the listed contact is the CDC Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) within the Procurement and Grants Office, reachable by phone at 770-488-2700 or by email at PGOTIM@cdc.gov, during business hours Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Public Health Research on Modifiable Risk Factors for Spina Bifida."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is RFA DD 15 001.
Which federal agency is offering this funding?
The funding is offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a discretionary funding announcement.
What is the main purpose of the funding opportunity?
The purpose is to support public health research that helps explain why spina bifida still occurs even in settings where folate intake should be adequate, and to identify additional potentially preventable (modifiable) risk factors beyond folate.
Why does the announcement focus on risk factors beyond folate?
The announcement is based on the premise that mandatory folic acid fortification and widespread folic acid use have reduced neural tube defects, but have not eliminated spina bifida. This suggests other, potentially preventable risk factors may still be contributing.
What type of award mechanism is used (grant vs cooperative agreement)?
The CDC is offering this funding as cooperative agreements, meaning recipients should expect an active partnership with CDC staff during the project rather than a hands-off relationship.
What kind of research does CDC want to fund under this opportunity?
The scope emphasizes rigorous epidemiologic research to identify modifiable risk factors for spina bifida, clarify how those factors operate, and strengthen the evidence base needed to inform prevention strategies beyond folate.
Does the opportunity specify the folate context for the research?
Yes. Projects should focus on populations where folate status is not the primary limiting issue. In practice, that means settings with established mandatory folic acid fortification, or study populations where individual-level information about periconceptional folic acid use is available so folate exposure can be accounted for when analyzing other risks.
What are examples of project types or aims highlighted in the announcement?
The CDC highlights several priorities: (1) identifying novel modifiable risk factors that have not been fully explored or confirmed; (2) examining factors that may modify known associations (for example, physical activity interacting with obesity or other established risks); and (3) replication studies that confirm previously reported links from large population-based epidemiologic studies, including work such as the National Birth Defects Prevention Study.
Does the announcement encourage replication of prior findings?
Yes. Replication is an explicit priority, including confirmation of links previously reported in large population-based epidemiologic studies (such as the National Birth Defects Prevention Study).
How many awards did CDC anticipate making?
The opportunity anticipated making two awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount for the opportunity?
The estimated total funding was $1.8 million.
What was the expected funding range per award?
Individual awards were expected to range from $125,000 (floor) to $350,000 (ceiling).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education; state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, special districts, and independent school districts); federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); small businesses; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Does the eligibility language mention specific institution types or communities?
Yes. The eligibility notes indicate inclusion of many institution and organizational categories, including (among others) Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, eligible federal agencies, US territories or possessions, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, bona fide agents, and FFRDCs.
When was the announcement posted?
The announcement was posted on December 23, 2014.
Was a letter of intent (LOI) required, and when was it due?
A letter of intent was due on January 23, 2015.
When was the full application due?
The full application was due February 24, 2015, no later than 5 PM.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The archive date is March 26, 2015, indicating the competition was time-limited and has since closed. The details may still be useful as a reference for CDC's approach to funding spina bifida prevention research in the post-fortification era.
Who can be contacted for questions or for difficulty accessing the full announcement?
The listed contact is the CDC Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) within the Procurement and Grants Office.
What are the contact details for CDC TIMS?
Phone: 770-488-2700. Email: PGOTIM@cdc.gov.
What are the business hours for the listed contact?
Business hours are Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern.
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