Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 14 018
Apply for RFA RM 14 018
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science of Behavior Change Assay Development and Validation for Interpersonal and Social Processes Targets (UH2/UH3)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310 Trans NIH Research Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 8, 2015 and posted on Jan 8, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses.
- 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 Science of Behavior Change Assay Development and Validation for Interpersonal and Social Processes Targets (UH2/UH3) opportunity (RFA-RM-14-018) is an NIH Common Fund initiative designed to push high-impact, cross-cutting behavioral science forward using an experimental medicine framework. The Common Fund specifically backs projects that are bold and sometimes high-risk, with the goal of unlocking progress in areas where traditional approaches have moved slowly. In this case, the focus is on improving the science behind behavior change by building stronger, more testable links between specific underlying behavioral targets and real-world health behaviors.
At the center of the announcement is the idea of "target validation" for behavior change within the domain of interpersonal and social processes. Applicants are expected to form interdisciplinary teams that combine basic science and clinical expertise and work collaboratively to identify measurable, modifiable targets tied to health behaviors. The FOA emphasizes medical regimen adherence as a required behavioral focus, but it also requires applicants to include at least one additional health behavior beyond adherence. Importantly, even if the studies involve a particular clinical population, the chosen targets and outcomes need to be justified as relevant to at least two different clinical endpoints or disease conditions. In other words, NIH is looking for targets that generalize and matter across more than one health context, rather than something narrowly specific to a single disorder or setting.
The research program is organized around four structured validation steps. First, teams must identify a set of promising, theory-informed targets within interpersonal and social processes that appear to influence medical regimen adherence and at least one other health behavior. Second, they must use existing experimental manipulations or interventions, or create new ones, that can reliably engage those targets. Third, they must identify or develop assays, meaning measures or measurement systems, that can verify whether target engagement actually occurred. Fourth, they must test whether engaging the target produces meaningful change in medical regimen adherence and the additional health behavior. This is meant to move beyond simply correlating social or interpersonal factors with health outcomes, and instead demonstrate a causal chain: target can be engaged, engagement can be measured, and engagement leads to behavior change.
The funding mechanism is a phased cooperative agreement using the UH2/UH3 structure, which is designed to support a development-to-validation pipeline with clear milestones. The UH2 phase supports the earlier developmental work (steps 1 through 3): selecting targets, creating or adapting methods to engage them, and building or refining assays that confirm engagement. Only UH2 projects that meet their predefined objectives and milestones can transition to the UH3 phase, and that transition is handled administratively by NIH with prioritization based on progress. The UH3 phase supports the later validation work (step 4), where teams test whether target engagement actually drives improvements in adherence and at least one other health behavior. Because the FOA requires applicants to address both phases in their submission, proposals need to present an integrated plan that starts with target and assay development and ends with a clear validation strategy, including milestone-driven decision points.
A key feature of this FOA is the expectation of coordination and shared infrastructure. The initiative is designed to be facilitated by a Resource and Coordinating Center (RCC) supported under a companion funding announcement (RFA-RM-14-017). The overall program aim is not just to produce individual study findings, but to generate broadly usable research assets. The stated output is a toolkit of validated and well-documented assays for specific interpersonal and social process targets, along with experimental manipulations or interventions that reliably engage those targets. That toolkit framing signals that NIH wants deliverables that other researchers can adopt, replicate, and extend, strengthening the field's ability to run experimental medicine-style behavior change studies.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed as a discretionary, health-related cooperative agreement (CFDA 93.310, Trans-NIH Research Support) with no cost-sharing or matching requirement. It was posted January 8, 2015, with an original and current closing date of March 20, 2015, and archived April 20, 2015. Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types such as state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, public housing authorities, school districts, and additional categories including HBCUs, HSIs, TCCUs, AANAPISI institutions, U.S. territories, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and foreign organizations. NIH directs applicants to the Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) program website and FAQ page for updates and guidance, reflecting the program-wide coordination and evolving resources typical of Common Fund initiatives.
In practical terms, this FOA is best understood as an effort to standardize and strengthen how behavioral scientists identify what to change (the target), prove they changed it (assays of engagement), and show that changing it matters (behavioral outcomes), specifically within interpersonal and social mechanisms that shape adherence and other health behaviors. The end goal is a shared set of validated measures and interventions that make behavior change research more precise, more causal, and more transferable across diseases and clinical endpoints.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the purpose of the Science of Behavior Change Assay Development and Validation for Interpersonal and Social Processes Targets (UH2/UH3) opportunity (RFA-RM-14-018)?
This NIH Common Fund funding opportunity supports research that strengthens the science of behavior change using an experimental medicine framework. The core goal is to create stronger, more testable links between specific, underlying behavioral targets (in interpersonal and social processes) and real-world health behaviors, moving the field beyond correlation to a causal, measurable chain of change.
What does the NIH Common Fund emphasize in this initiative?
The Common Fund supports projects that are bold and sometimes high-risk, intended to accelerate progress in areas where traditional approaches have been slow. Here, the emphasis is on building broadly usable research assets that advance behavior change science across health contexts.
What are "interpersonal and social processes targets" in the context of this FOA?
The FOA focuses on behavior change targets that arise from interpersonal and social processes. Applicants are expected to identify targets in this domain that can be measured, modified, and causally linked to changes in health behaviors.
What is meant by "target validation" for behavior change?
Target validation refers to demonstrating a causal chain in which (1) a theory-informed target is identified, (2) an intervention or experimental manipulation can reliably engage that target, (3) assays can verify that engagement occurred, and (4) engaging the target leads to meaningful improvement in health behaviors. The intent is to show that changing the target actually drives behavior change.
What health behaviors must be included in an application?
Applications must include medical regimen adherence as a required behavioral focus. In addition, applicants must include at least one other health behavior beyond adherence.
If a study focuses on a specific clinical population, how broadly must the target and outcomes apply?
Even when studies involve a particular clinical population, applicants must justify the chosen targets and outcomes as relevant to at least two different clinical endpoints or disease conditions. NIH is looking for targets that generalize across more than one health context, rather than targets that are narrowly specific to a single disorder or setting.
What are the four structured validation steps described in the FOA?
The FOA organizes the research program into four steps: (1) identify promising, theory-informed interpersonal/social targets tied to medical regimen adherence and at least one additional health behavior; (2) use existing or newly developed experimental manipulations/interventions that reliably engage those targets; (3) identify or develop assays to verify whether target engagement occurred; and (4) test whether engaging the target produces meaningful change in adherence and the additional health behavior.
What is an "assay" in this funding announcement?
In this FOA, an assay is a measure or measurement system used to verify whether target engagement actually occurred. Assays are central because they provide evidence that the intervention/manipulation engaged the intended interpersonal or social process target.
How is this opportunity different from studies that correlate social factors with health outcomes?
The FOA is designed to go beyond correlation by requiring applicants to demonstrate a causal pathway: the target can be engaged, engagement can be measured with assays, and engagement leads to behavior change in adherence and at least one other health behavior.
What funding mechanism is used (UH2/UH3), and what does it support?
This opportunity uses a phased cooperative agreement mechanism (UH2/UH3). The UH2 phase supports developmental work (target selection, methods to engage targets, and assays of engagement). The UH3 phase supports the later validation work testing whether engaging the target drives improvements in medical regimen adherence and at least one additional health behavior.
What work is expected in the UH2 phase?
UH2 supports steps 1 through 3: selecting theory-informed targets within interpersonal and social processes, creating or adapting experimental manipulations/interventions to engage those targets, and developing or refining assays that confirm target engagement.
What work is expected in the UH3 phase?
UH3 supports step 4: testing whether engaging the target produces meaningful change in medical regimen adherence and in the additional health behavior included in the project.
Is the transition from UH2 to UH3 automatic?
No. Only UH2 projects that meet their predefined objectives and milestones can transition to UH3. The transition is handled administratively by NIH, with prioritization based on progress.
Do applicants need to propose both phases (UH2 and UH3) in a single submission?
Yes. The FOA requires applicants to address both phases in their application and present an integrated plan from target and assay development through a clear validation strategy, including milestone-driven decision points.
What is meant by "milestone-driven" within this program?
The phased structure is designed around clear milestones and decision points. Progress against predefined objectives in UH2 determines whether a project can move into UH3, where the validation testing occurs.
What role does coordination and shared infrastructure play in this initiative?
The FOA expects coordination across the initiative and shared infrastructure facilitated by a Resource and Coordinating Center (RCC) supported through a companion announcement (RFA-RM-14-017). This program-level coordination is intended to support consistent methods, shared resources, and broadly usable outputs.
What is the Resource and Coordinating Center (RCC), and how does it relate to this FOA?
The RCC is supported under a companion funding announcement (RFA-RM-14-017) and is intended to facilitate coordination across the program. This FOA is designed to operate in an ecosystem where shared infrastructure and coordination support development of reusable research assets.
What are the expected deliverables or outputs of the overall program?
The stated output is a toolkit of validated and well-documented assays for specific interpersonal and social process targets, along with experimental manipulations or interventions that reliably engage those targets. The emphasis is on deliverables that other researchers can adopt, replicate, and extend.
Why does the FOA emphasize a "toolkit" of assays and manipulations?
The toolkit framing signals that NIH wants broadly usable, well-documented resources that strengthen the field's capacity to run experimental medicine-style behavior change studies and increase replicability and transferability across diseases and endpoints.
What is the CFDA number and general administrative category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed as a discretionary, health-related cooperative agreement under CFDA 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No. The announcement specifies that there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was posted on January 8, 2015. The original and current closing date was March 20, 2015, and the opportunity was archived on April 20, 2015.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is broad and includes state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, public housing authorities, school districts, and additional categories including HBCUs, HSIs, TCCUs, AANAPISI institutions, U.S. territories, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and foreign organizations.
Where does NIH direct applicants for updates and guidance related to this program?
NIH directs applicants to the Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) program website and an SOBC FAQ page for updates and guidance, reflecting the coordinated and evolving resources typical of Common Fund initiatives.
What is the practical aim of this FOA for the behavior change field?
Practically, the FOA aims to standardize and strengthen how researchers identify what to change (the target), prove they changed it (assays of engagement), and show that changing it matters (behavioral outcomes), specifically for interpersonal and social mechanisms that shape adherence and other health behaviors.
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