Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 06 392
Apply for PA 06 392
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.361 Nursing Research 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 16, 2009 and posted on May 4, 2006.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2009 Multiple Receipt Dates See Link to Full Announcement for details.. (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: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) City or township governments 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 Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County governments Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education State governments Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply. Eligible agencies of the Federal Government can apply. Faith based or community based organizations can apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity PA-06-392, titled "Research on Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (R21)," supports exploratory and developmental research aimed at improving understanding of autism and related autism spectrum disorders. The FOA is designed to fund early-stage, innovative projects that can generate pilot data, test new ideas, or establish proof of concept in areas where the field needs fresh approaches. The scientific focus is broad and includes studies that clarify how autism spectrum conditions are diagnosed and identified, how common they are and how they vary across populations (epidemiology), what causes or contributes to them (etiology), what genetic factors are involved, what treatments may be effective, and how services can be delivered in ways that are practical, effective, and accessible. The announcement explicitly welcomes basic research, clinical research, and applied research, reflecting an interest in everything from underlying biology to real-world interventions and service systems.
The disorders and diagnostic categories referenced in the announcement include Autistic Disorder (autism) as well as autism spectrum disorders such as Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and Atypical Autism, consistent with how the spectrum was commonly described at the time the FOA was posted. Projects can therefore address a wide range of developmental trajectories, symptom profiles, and functional outcomes, as long as the work is tied to autism and ASD-related questions. A key theme is generating knowledge that can translate into better identification, better treatments, and better systems of care, including research on "optimal means of service delivery" (for example, how interventions are implemented in schools, clinics, community settings, or public systems, and how those implementations can be improved).
This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant mechanism (R21), which typically emphasizes novel, high-impact ideas that may still be at an early stage and may not yet have the extensive preliminary data usually expected for larger mechanisms. The FOA notes that it runs in parallel with announcements of the same scientific scope using other NIH mechanisms: an R03 small research grant (PA-06-391) and an R01 research project grant (PA-06-390). Applicants choosing those mechanisms must follow the separate submission requirements for those specific announcements, but the underlying research topics are aligned across the three options. In practical terms, this structure gives investigators multiple entry points depending on the maturity and scale of the proposed work: smaller and more limited projects via R03, full-scale hypothesis-driven projects via R01, and exploratory or proof-of-concept work via R21.
The FOA aligns with the broader goals laid out in the Autism Research Matrix developed by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), referenced in the announcement. That matrix provides a framework for priority research areas across autism science, spanning topics like diagnosis, biology, risk factors, treatments and interventions, services, and lifespan issues. Applications that clearly connect their aims to those kinds of priority domains are a natural fit for the intent of this program.
On budget and timeline, the R21 under this announcement is capped at a two-year project period. Direct costs are limited to $275,000 total over the two years, with a maximum of $200,000 in direct costs in any single year. This budget profile is meant to support tightly scoped projects that can move quickly, answer a focused set of questions, or establish feasibility for a larger follow-on study. As with typical NIH competitions, awards depend on the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of high-quality, meritorious applications. The FOA also notes that because proposed projects can differ widely in methods and scope, actual award size and number of awards may vary based on the quality, duration, and cost profiles of applications received.
Eligibility is intentionally broad. A wide range of organizations can apply, including for-profit and non-profit organizations, public or private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories, and units of state and local government. The announcement also allows applications from eligible federal institutions, domestic and foreign institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, and Indian/Native American tribal governments and tribally designated organizations (both federally recognized and other-than-federally recognized entities are mentioned). The inclusion of foreign institutions is explicitly stated, which can be important for teams with international cohorts, specialized expertise, or unique study populations.
For investigators, the FOA is open to any Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) with the skills, knowledge, and resources to carry out the proposed research. It specifically encourages individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities to apply for NIH support, consistent with NIH-wide aims to broaden participation in biomedical and behavioral research. The FOA also allows an applicant to submit more than one application as long as each submission is scientifically distinct, meaning teams can propose multiple different exploratory projects without needing to force them into one package.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity categorized under multiple CFDA program areas, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of autism research across mental health, child health and development, neuroscience, nursing research, communication disorders, and environmental health. The posted date is May 4, 2006, with multiple receipt dates (application due dates) as described in the full announcement, and the opportunity was later archived in October 2009. The full text and official instructions were provided through the NIH Grants Guide link associated with PA-06-392, and the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact is listed for access or technical issues.
FAQs: NIH PA-06-392 - Research on Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (R21)
What is NIH PA-06-392?
PA-06-392 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity announcement titled "Research on Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (R21)." It supports exploratory and developmental research intended to improve understanding of autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with an emphasis on early-stage, innovative projects.
What is the goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal is to fund projects that can generate pilot data, test new ideas, or establish proof of concept in autism and ASD research areas where fresh approaches are needed. The intent includes producing knowledge that can translate into better identification, better treatments, and better systems of care.
What type of grant mechanism does this FOA use?
This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant mechanism (R21), which is typically designed for novel, high-impact ideas that may be in early stages and may not yet have extensive preliminary data.
How long can an R21 project last under this announcement?
The project period is capped at two years.
What is the budget limit for PA-06-392 (R21)?
Direct costs are limited to $275,000 total over the two-year period, with a maximum of $200,000 in direct costs in any single year.
Does the FOA say anything about award amounts or the number of awards?
Yes. Awards depend on the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of high-quality, meritorious applications. The FOA also notes that actual award size and the number of awards may vary because proposed projects can differ widely in methods, duration, and cost profiles.
What research areas are within the scientific scope?
The scientific scope is broad and includes basic, clinical, and applied research. Areas specifically described include diagnosis and identification, epidemiology (how common ASD is and how it varies across populations), etiology (causes or contributors), genetics, treatments, and services research focused on practical, effective, and accessible service delivery.
Are both basic science and real-world intervention studies allowed?
Yes. The FOA explicitly welcomes basic research, clinical research, and applied research, reflecting interest in topics ranging from underlying biology to real-world interventions and service systems.
What does the FOA mean by "optimal means of service delivery"?
It refers to research on how interventions and services are implemented in real settings (such as schools, clinics, community settings, or public systems) and how those implementations can be improved to be more practical, effective, and accessible.
Which autism-related disorders and diagnostic categories are referenced?
The announcement references Autistic Disorder (autism) and autism spectrum disorders as commonly described at the time, including Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and Atypical Autism.
Do projects need to focus on a specific ASD subgroup or diagnosis?
No specific subgroup requirement is stated. Projects may address a wide range of developmental trajectories, symptom profiles, and functional outcomes, as long as the work is tied to autism and ASD-related questions.
Is this FOA connected to broader federal autism research priorities?
Yes. The FOA aligns with the Autism Research Matrix developed by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), which provides a framework for priority research areas across autism science (for example, diagnosis, biology, risk factors, treatments and interventions, services, and lifespan issues).
Are there related NIH announcements with the same scientific scope?
Yes. The FOA notes that it runs in parallel with other announcements of the same scientific scope using different NIH mechanisms: an R03 small research grant (PA-06-391) and an R01 research project grant (PA-06-390).
How should an applicant choose between the R21, R03, and R01 options mentioned?
Based on the FOA description, the mechanisms provide different entry points depending on maturity and scale: R03 is for smaller and more limited projects, R01 is for full-scale hypothesis-driven projects, and R21 is for exploratory or proof-of-concept work. Each mechanism has separate submission requirements under its own announcement.
What organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes for-profit and non-profit organizations; public or private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories; and units of state and local government. The FOA also allows applications from eligible federal institutions, domestic and foreign institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, and Indian/Native American tribal governments and tribally designated organizations (including both federally recognized and other-than-federally recognized entities).
Are foreign institutions allowed to apply?
Yes. The inclusion of foreign institutions is explicitly stated in the eligibility description.
Who is eligible to serve as Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)?
Any PD/PI with the skills, knowledge, and resources to carry out the proposed research may apply, according to the FOA.
Does the FOA encourage applications from underrepresented groups?
Yes. It specifically encourages individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities to apply for NIH support.
Can an applicant submit more than one application to this FOA?
Yes. The FOA allows an applicant to submit more than one application as long as each submission is scientifically distinct.
Is this opportunity associated with specific CFDA program areas?
Yes. The FOA is categorized under multiple CFDA program areas, reflecting autism research as cross-cutting across areas such as mental health, child health and development, neuroscience, nursing research, communication disorders, and environmental health.
When was this FOA posted, and what is its current status?
The posted date is May 4, 2006. The opportunity was later archived in October 2009.
Does the FOA have multiple application due dates?
Yes. The description indicates that there were multiple receipt dates (application due dates) as described in the full announcement.
Where are the official instructions and full text located?
The full text and official instructions were provided through the NIH Grants Guide link associated with PA-06-392.
Who is listed as a contact for access or technical issues with the announcement?
The NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact is listed for access or technical issues.
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