Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 14 243
Apply for PA 14 243
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.313 NIH Office of Research on Womens Health 93.361 Nursing Research 93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases 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 Jun 4, 2014 and posted on Jun 4, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2017. (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: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments County governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Research on Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 14-243) supports exploratory, early-stage projects aimed at improving what is known about people who experience more than one chronic pain condition at the same time, or who appear to shift from one chronic pain diagnosis to another over time. The core idea behind the announcement is that chronic pain conditions do not always occur in isolation. Clinical observations increasingly show that patients diagnosed with one chronic pain disorder often have symptoms consistent with additional pain conditions, and some patients later meet criteria for a different pain-related diagnosis. This FOA is designed to push the field toward clearer answers about how common these overlaps are, why they happen, how they change across the lifespan, and what kinds of treatment approaches may work best for patients whose pain presentations do not fit neatly into a single diagnostic box.
The scientific emphasis spans epidemiological, clinical, and translational research. On the population side, the FOA encourages studies that clarify prevalence and patterns of overlap, including how frequently certain chronic pain conditions co-occur and which groups are at higher risk. On the clinical and translational side, it encourages research into mechanisms and contributors that may explain overlapping pain, including biological mechanisms, psychological variables, and clinical risk factors. The announcement also highlights the need to map the natural history of these conditions, meaning how overlapping pain conditions begin, progress, and evolve over time, and whether there are identifiable trajectories such as stable comorbidity, worsening multi-site pain, or transitions between diagnostic categories. A related goal is to identify underlying etiologies, which can include shared pathways or drivers that may link different pain conditions, and to use that knowledge to inform better therapeutic strategies for people with complex, overlapping pain.
A major structural objective of the FOA is team formation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. NIH is explicitly looking for research groups that bridge expertise in pain mechanisms with translational and clinical expertise, so that projects are not limited to either basic mechanistic theory or purely descriptive clinical work. The FOA also encourages investigators to bring in collaborators from outside the traditional pain field to broaden approaches and sharpen interpretation of comorbid pain. In practice, this could include specialists in areas like epidemiology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, women’s health, nursing science, health services research, biostatistics, data science, or other domains that can strengthen study design, measurement, and mechanistic insight. Another theme is resource development and leverage: applicants are encouraged to build on existing cohorts, datasets, clinical registries, biospecimen repositories, or assessment tools when possible, and to develop new resources when needed to advance the study of overlapping chronic pain conditions.
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory, developmental work that can generate key preliminary findings, test new concepts, or establish feasibility for a larger program of research. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, and the announcement indicates there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The activity sits within a broad health-related funding category and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers reflecting the cross-cutting nature of pain research, including oral and craniofacial research, complementary and integrative health, alcohol research programs, women’s health, nursing research, arthritis and musculoskeletal/skin diseases, neuroscience/neurological disorders, and child health and human development. This breadth signals that NIH views overlapping pain conditions as a multi-institute concern that intersects many clinical areas and patient populations.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. domestic organizations such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, with the noted exception categories), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses are explicitly listed as eligible in addition to small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts, and certain housing authorities). The FOA also allows participation from tribal governments and tribal organizations, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal entities. Beyond these categories, additional eligible applicants include a wide range of mission-driven and capacity-building institutions and organizations, such as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander serving institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations. Importantly, the eligibility list also includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions, underscoring NIH’s interest in inclusive participation and potentially diverse study populations or international collaborations where appropriate.
In terms of timing and administrative details, the FOA was posted and created on June 4, 2014, with an original and current closing date listed as September 7, 2017, and an archive date of October 8, 2017, indicating it is no longer active as an open competition but remains available as a reference for the goals and structure NIH previously sought under this specific announcement. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide webpage referenced in the additional information link. For access or technical issues with the electronic announcement, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Overall, this FOA is centered on a practical and scientifically challenging problem: many patients live with pain that spans multiple conditions, and the health system often approaches these diagnoses separately. NIH’s intent here is to accelerate studies that can explain shared mechanisms and risk factors, document real-world patterns of overlap and transition, and lay groundwork for more effective, patient-centered approaches to prevention and treatment for those with comorbid chronic pain conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Research on Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (R21)".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA 14-243.
Which agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
This FOA supports exploratory, early-stage research aimed at improving what is known about people who experience more than one chronic pain condition at the same time, as well as people who may shift from one chronic pain diagnosis to another over time. The FOA is designed to move the field toward clearer answers about how common overlaps are, why they happen, how they change across the lifespan, and what kinds of treatment approaches may work best for complex pain presentations.
What are "chronic overlapping pain conditions" in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, chronic overlapping pain conditions refer to clinical situations where a patient diagnosed with one chronic pain disorder also has symptoms consistent with additional pain conditions, or where a patient later meets criteria for a different pain-related diagnosis. The core idea is that chronic pain conditions do not always occur in isolation.
What kinds of research does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes epidemiological, clinical, and translational research approaches. It encourages both population-level studies (to clarify prevalence and patterns of overlap) and studies aimed at understanding mechanisms and contributors to overlapping pain (biological, psychological, and clinical risk factors).
Does the FOA support research on how overlapping pain conditions change over time?
Yes. A highlighted theme is mapping the natural history of overlapping pain conditions, including how they begin, progress, and evolve over time, and whether there are identifiable trajectories such as stable comorbidity, worsening multi-site pain, or transitions between diagnostic categories.
What does the FOA mean by identifying "underlying etiologies"?
The FOA encourages work to identify possible shared pathways or drivers that may link different chronic pain conditions. The intent is to use improved understanding of underlying etiologies to inform better therapeutic strategies for people with complex, overlapping pain.
Is cross-disciplinary collaboration an explicit goal of this opportunity?
Yes. A major structural objective is team formation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. NIH is explicitly looking for research groups that bridge expertise in pain mechanisms with translational and clinical expertise, and it encourages bringing in collaborators from outside the traditional pain field.
What kinds of collaborators are encouraged?
The FOA notes that collaborators could include specialists in areas such as epidemiology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, women’s health, nursing science, health services research, biostatistics, data science, or other domains that strengthen study design, measurement, and mechanistic insight.
Does the FOA encourage use of existing datasets or resources?
Yes. Applicants are encouraged to build on existing cohorts, datasets, clinical registries, biospecimen repositories, or assessment tools when possible, and to develop new resources when needed to advance the study of overlapping chronic pain conditions.
What funding mechanism does this FOA use?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism.
What type of projects are typically appropriate for an R21 under this FOA?
The R21 mechanism is described here as supporting exploratory, developmental work that can generate key preliminary findings, test new concepts, or establish feasibility for a larger program of research.
What is the listed award ceiling?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA indicates there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What broad scientific or health areas does NIH associate with this FOA?
The FOA is associated with multiple cross-cutting program areas (reflected via multiple CFDA numbers), including: oral and craniofacial research, complementary and integrative health, alcohol research programs, women’s health, nursing research, arthritis and musculoskeletal/skin diseases, neuroscience/neurological disorders, and child health and human development. This signals NIH views overlapping pain as a multi-institute concern.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. domestic organizations such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, with noted exception categories), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other-than-small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts, and certain housing authorities).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal entities, as well as tribal organizations.
Are minority-serving and capacity-building institutions eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISIs.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes faith-based or community-based organizations.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), as well as regional organizations.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes U.S. territories or possessions.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes eligible federal agencies in the eligibility list.
Is this FOA still open for applications?
No. The FOA lists a closing date of September 7, 2017 and an archive date of October 8, 2017, indicating it is no longer active as an open competition and remains available as a reference for NIH’s prior goals and structure under this announcement.
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted/created on June 4, 2014.
Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide webpage referenced in the FOA’s additional information link.
Who is the contact for access or technical issues with the electronic announcement?
The contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What problem is NIH trying to address with this FOA?
The FOA is centered on the practical and scientific challenge that many patients live with pain spanning multiple conditions, while healthcare systems often approach pain diagnoses separately. NIH’s intent is to accelerate research that explains shared mechanisms and risk factors, documents real-world overlap and transition patterns, and lays groundwork for more effective, patient-centered prevention and treatment strategies for comorbid chronic pain conditions.
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