Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 10 002

  • The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science of Behavior Change Finding Mechanisms of Change in the Laboratory and the Field (R01)" 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 Feb 4, 2010 and posted on Feb 4, 2010.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 26, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $4,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education County governments Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Independent school districts State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions 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 "Science of Behavior Change: Finding Mechanisms of Change in the Laboratory and the Field (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-RM-10-002) supports Research Project Grant (R01) applications aimed at strengthening the basic science behind how and why people change health-related behaviors. The central theme is bridging tightly controlled laboratory work with real-world field research so that discoveries about behavior change mechanisms are not stuck in one setting, but instead translate across contexts where interventions are actually delivered. In practice, the FOA is looking for studies that do more than test whether an intervention works; it wants projects that identify the underlying processes that drive behavior change, when those processes are most influential, and for whom they matter most.

A key goal of this initiative is to help establish a more unified "science of behavior change" by pinpointing mechanisms that are shared across different health behaviors rather than treating each behavior as its own isolated problem. That includes mechanisms involved in starting a change (initiation), sustaining it over time (maintenance), or preventing relapse. NIH emphasizes that stronger mechanistic knowledge can improve intervention design by clarifying the best targets to intervene on and the best timepoints across the lifecourse to intervene, such as early childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, older adulthood, or other periods when behavior patterns and biological or social conditions may be particularly malleable. Another major objective is to support work that can explain common mechanisms across multiple behaviors, including "bundled" behaviors that often co-occur in real life (for example, physical activity, diet, sleep, tobacco use, alcohol use, medication adherence, or stress management), with the long-term payoff being interventions that are more efficient and more scalable.

The FOA also prioritizes research that improves tailoring and precision in behavior change interventions. That means identifying characteristics of at-risk individuals or groups that affect how they respond to interventions, and developing evidence that helps match the right intervention components to the right people. Closely related is the interest in identifying which individuals or populations are most likely to benefit from specific interventions, which can reduce wasted effort and cost and can improve both equity and effectiveness when programs are implemented in communities, clinics, schools, workplaces, or digital environments.

Another emphasis is on novel technologies for behavioral assessment and behavior change. While the announcement does not prescribe specific tools, the intent is to encourage modern measurement and intervention approaches that can capture behavior and its drivers with greater accuracy and in more natural settings. This can include technology-enabled monitoring, real-time assessment, and intervention delivery methods that make it easier to connect hypothesized mechanisms (like reward valuation, self-control, stress reactivity, habit formation, social influence, or cognitive bias) to observable behavior change in everyday life.

Methodologically, NIH explicitly encourages investigators to draw from multiple basic science and translational perspectives. The FOA highlights behavioral economics, social and behavioral science, cognitive and affective neuroscience, neuroeconomics, behavior genetics and genomics, and systems science as particularly relevant approaches. The point of listing these fields is to push applicants toward mechanistic explanations that can be tested and refined, including multi-level models that connect biological, cognitive, emotional, social, and environmental influences. The expectation is that this kind of integrative, mechanism-focused work will ultimately improve the efficacy (how well interventions work under ideal conditions), effectiveness (how well they work in real-world settings), and cost efficiency (how much benefit is achieved per unit cost) of behavior change interventions.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, this opportunity uses the standard NIH R01 mechanism. NIH planned to commit up to $4,000,000 total to the initiative beginning in Fiscal Year 2010, with an anticipated 6 to 7 new awards. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity is categorized under discretionary grant funding in the health area (CFDA 93.310, Trans-NIH Research Support).

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types: public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, other for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses in that category), city/township, county, state, and special district governments, independent school districts, public housing/Indian housing authorities, and tribal governments or tribal organizations. The FOA also notes additional eligible applicants such as faith-based or community-based organizations, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). The announcement was posted February 4, 2010, with an original and current closing date of April 26, 2010, and an archive date of May 27, 2010. The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the listed RFA link, with NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts provided for access or linking issues.

FAQs: NIH RFA-RM-10-002 - Science of Behavior Change: Finding Mechanisms of Change in the Laboratory and the Field (R01)

What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled "Science of Behavior Change: Finding Mechanisms of Change in the Laboratory and the Field (R01)."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-RM-10-002.

What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?

This opportunity uses the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) mechanism.

What is the main purpose of this FOA?

The main purpose is to strengthen the basic science of how and why people change health-related behaviors by identifying mechanisms of behavior change, and by ensuring those mechanistic insights translate across both laboratory and real-world field contexts.

What does NIH mean by "mechanisms of change" in this announcement?

In this FOA, mechanisms of change refer to the underlying processes that drive behavior change, including understanding when those processes are most influential and for whom they matter most, rather than only testing whether an intervention works.

Is this FOA only interested in whether an intervention works?

No. The FOA specifically emphasizes studies that go beyond efficacy-only questions and instead identify the processes that produce behavior change, including timing (when mechanisms matter) and heterogeneity (for whom they matter).

Why does the FOA emphasize connecting laboratory and field research?

The central theme is bridging tightly controlled laboratory work with real-world field research so discoveries about behavior change mechanisms are not confined to one setting and can translate across the contexts where interventions are actually delivered.

What is meant by building a unified "science of behavior change"?

The FOA aims to help establish a more unified science by pinpointing mechanisms shared across different health behaviors, instead of treating each behavior as a completely separate problem.

Does the FOA address different phases of behavior change?

Yes. It explicitly references mechanisms involved in initiating behavior change, maintaining it over time, and preventing relapse.

Does NIH care about timing across the lifecourse?

Yes. The FOA highlights that mechanistic knowledge can clarify the best timepoints to intervene across the lifecourse, including periods such as early childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, older adulthood, or other times when conditions may be particularly malleable.

What types of health-related behaviors are relevant to this FOA?

The FOA references multiple health behaviors and examples of "bundled" behaviors that often co-occur, such as physical activity, diet, sleep, tobacco use, alcohol use, medication adherence, and stress management.

What are "bundled" behaviors in the context of this FOA?

"Bundled" behaviors are sets of behaviors that commonly co-occur in real life (for example, sleep and stress management, or diet and physical activity). The FOA is interested in mechanisms that may explain change across multiple behaviors at once.

What is the long-term payoff NIH is aiming for with this mechanistic focus?

The FOA describes a long-term payoff of developing interventions that are more efficient and more scalable by targeting common mechanisms across behaviors and across settings.

Does the FOA prioritize tailored or precision behavior change approaches?

Yes. The FOA prioritizes research that improves tailoring and precision by identifying characteristics of at-risk individuals or groups that affect intervention response and by generating evidence to match intervention components to the right people.

How does this FOA describe the benefits of better tailoring and precision?

It suggests tailoring can reduce wasted effort and cost and can improve equity and effectiveness when programs are implemented across settings like communities, clinics, schools, workplaces, or digital environments.

Are technology-based approaches encouraged?

Yes. The FOA emphasizes interest in novel technologies for behavioral assessment and behavior change, including approaches that improve measurement accuracy and enable monitoring, real-time assessment, and intervention delivery in natural settings.

Does the FOA require specific tools or technologies?

No. The announcement does not prescribe specific tools, but it encourages modern measurement and intervention approaches that can connect hypothesized mechanisms to observable real-world behavior change.

What kinds of mechanisms or drivers of behavior change are mentioned as examples?

Examples included in the FOA description include reward valuation, self-control, stress reactivity, habit formation, social influence, and cognitive bias.

What research perspectives or disciplines does NIH highlight as relevant?

The FOA highlights multiple basic science and translational perspectives, including behavioral economics, social and behavioral science, cognitive and affective neuroscience, neuroeconomics, behavior genetics and genomics, and systems science.

What is NIH expecting methodologically from applications?

The FOA encourages mechanistic explanations that can be tested and refined, including integrative and multi-level models that connect biological, cognitive, emotional, social, and environmental influences.

How does NIH expect this research to improve interventions?

The FOA states that integrative, mechanism-focused work is expected to improve intervention efficacy (ideal conditions), effectiveness (real-world settings), and cost efficiency (benefit achieved per unit cost).

How much total funding did NIH plan to commit to this initiative?

NIH planned to commit up to $4,000,000 total to the initiative beginning in Fiscal Year 2010.

How many awards were anticipated?

The FOA anticipated approximately 6 to 7 new awards.

Is cost-sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

What is the CFDA number and program area listed?

The FOA lists CFDA 93.310, Trans-NIH Research Support, and categorizes the opportunity under discretionary grant funding in the health area.

What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes: public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; small businesses; other for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses in that category); local governments (city/township, county); state governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing/Indian housing authorities; and tribal governments or tribal organizations.

Are community-based and faith-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA notes that faith-based or community-based organizations are among additional eligible applicants.

Are minority-serving institutions mentioned as eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly mentions eligibility for organizations such as historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs).

Are U.S. territories or regional organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA notes additional eligible applicants including U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations.

Are federal agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA lists eligible federal agencies among additional eligible applicants.

Are non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) eligible?

Yes. The FOA states that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are eligible.

When was the FOA posted?

The announcement was posted on February 4, 2010.

What was the application closing date?

The original and current closing date listed was April 26, 2010.

When was the FOA archived?

The archive date listed was May 27, 2010.

Where was the full announcement made available?

The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the listed RFA link.

Who was listed for help with access or linking issues?

The FOA included NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for access or linking issues.

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