Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 10 016
Apply for RFA RM 10 016
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science of Structure, Organization and Practice Design in the Efficient Delivery of Effective Healthcare (R21)" 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 Aug 13, 2010 and posted on Aug 13, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 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 $1,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Special district governments State governments City or township governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts.
- 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 RFA-RM-10-016, titled "Science of Structure, Organization and Practice Design in the Efficient Delivery of Effective Healthcare (R21)," supports exploratory and developmental research aimed at improving how healthcare is produced and delivered. The core emphasis is on generating practical, evidence-based insights that can reduce waste and inefficiency in healthcare systems while preserving or improving patient outcomes. In other words, the program is looking for research that does not just describe that healthcare is expensive, but pinpoints why costs are high in ways that can realistically be changed, and then tests or refines approaches that can fix those drivers without harming quality.
The opportunity specifically calls for R21 projects that advance two related goals. First, applicants should help identify specific, modifiable causes of high and rising healthcare costs that are tied to the structure and organization of care, as well as to how care is produced in real-world settings. This could include how clinical teams are organized, how services are coordinated across providers and sites, how workflows and practice designs influence utilization, and how organizational incentives or operational decisions may generate unnecessary spending. Second, the FOA encourages the development and refinement of interventions, practices, or policies designed to address those cost drivers. Importantly, the intent is not cost-cutting for its own sake; proposed solutions should maintain or enhance outcomes, signaling that value, effectiveness, and patient health remain central evaluation criteria.
This FOA is part of the NIH Health Economics Common Fund Program, reflecting a broader NIH interest in rigorous economic and systems-focused research that can inform better health system performance. The funding mechanism is the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21), which is typically used for early-stage, high-potential studies that may involve new conceptual models, preliminary data collection, pilot testing, or proof-of-concept evaluation. Because it is an R21, the expectation is often that projects will be innovative, focused, and capable of producing actionable findings or a strong foundation for subsequent, larger-scale research.
For the 2011 cycle referenced in the announcement, NIH estimated a total of about $1.2 million in available funding and anticipated making roughly six awards, depending on the scientific merit of applications received. Individual project sizes and durations could vary based on the scope of the proposed work, and the final number and amounts of awards would ultimately depend on proposal quality, budgets, and project periods. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the award.
The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within the health funding activity area, and it is associated with CFDA number 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support). The announcement was posted on August 13, 2010, with an original and current closing date of October 26, 2010, and an archive date of November 26, 2010, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation for that period.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that could conduct health services, health economics, or systems research. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and a range of government entities such as state, county, city/township, special district governments, and independent school districts. Tribal entities are explicitly included, both federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, as well as tribally controlled colleges and universities. The eligibility list also expands to include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), reflecting NIH's interest in drawing from a wide pool of researchers and settings where healthcare delivery and organizational design can be studied.
Overall, this FOA is designed for researchers who want to tackle the operational and organizational roots of healthcare spending and test promising ways to redesign care delivery for better efficiency and equal or better health outcomes. Competitive applications would be expected to clearly connect an identified cost driver to a modifiable structural or organizational factor, propose a plausible intervention or policy lever, and outline an approach that can generate credible early evidence on both economic impacts and health outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the official title and number of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is NIH RFA-RM-10-016, titled "Science of Structure, Organization and Practice Design in the Efficient Delivery of Effective Healthcare (R21)."
What is the main purpose of this opportunity?
This FOA supports exploratory and developmental research aimed at improving how healthcare is produced and delivered. The emphasis is on practical, evidence-based insights that can reduce waste and inefficiency while preserving or improving patient outcomes.
What type of research is NIH trying to encourage here?
The FOA is focused on research that goes beyond describing that healthcare is expensive. It seeks studies that identify why costs are high in ways that can realistically be changed, and that test or refine approaches to address those drivers without harming quality or outcomes.
What are the two core goals of projects under this FOA?
Projects are expected to advance two related goals: (1) identify specific, modifiable causes of high and rising healthcare costs tied to the structure, organization, and real-world production of care; and (2) develop and refine interventions, practices, or policies designed to address those cost drivers while maintaining or enhancing outcomes.
What does the FOA mean by "structure, organization, and practice design" in healthcare?
Based on the FOA description, this includes how clinical teams are organized, how services are coordinated across providers and sites, how workflows and practice designs influence utilization, and how organizational incentives or operational decisions can generate unnecessary spending.
Is the goal simply to cut costs?
No. The FOA explicitly frames the intent as improving efficiency and reducing waste without harming care. Proposed solutions are expected to maintain or improve outcomes, keeping value, effectiveness, and patient health central to evaluation.
What grant mechanism is being used?
The funding mechanism is the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21).
What does an R21 mechanism imply about the stage and scope of work?
The R21 mechanism is typically used for early-stage, high-potential studies. The FOA describes the expectation for innovative, focused projects that may involve new conceptual models, preliminary data collection, pilot testing, or proof-of-concept evaluation, with the goal of producing actionable findings or a foundation for later, larger-scale research.
What NIH program is this FOA associated with?
This FOA is part of the NIH Health Economics Common Fund Program, reflecting NIH interest in rigorous economic and systems-focused research to inform better health system performance.
How much total funding was NIH expecting to make available for the referenced cycle?
For the 2011 cycle referenced in the announcement, NIH estimated about $1.2 million in total funding available.
How many awards was NIH expecting to make?
NIH anticipated making roughly six awards, depending on the scientific merit of the applications received.
What is the maximum award amount mentioned?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Are project sizes and durations fixed?
No. The FOA notes that individual project sizes and durations could vary depending on the scope of the proposed work, and that the final number and amounts of awards would depend on proposal quality, budgets, and project periods.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the award.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The FOA is associated with CFDA number 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).
When was the announcement posted, and what were the key dates?
The announcement was posted on August 13, 2010. The original and current closing date listed is October 26, 2010, and the archive date is November 26, 2010.
Does the listed timeline suggest this was a time-limited solicitation?
Yes. The presence of a specific closing date and an archive date indicates it was a time-limited solicitation for that period.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and government entities such as state, county, city/township, special district governments, and independent school districts.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Are minority-serving institutions mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA eligibility list includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are included in the eligibility list.
Are U.S. territories or regional organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes eligible federal agencies.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) among eligible applicants.
What kinds of project topics would fit the FOA based on the description provided?
Projects that fit include those that identify modifiable cost drivers rooted in organizational or operational design (for example, team organization, coordination across providers/sites, workflow design, practice design effects on utilization, and incentive or operational decisions that generate unnecessary spending) and that develop or refine interventions or policy levers to address those drivers while maintaining or improving outcomes.
What would a competitive application likely need to demonstrate?
Based on the FOA description, competitive applications would be expected to clearly connect an identified cost driver to a modifiable structural or organizational factor, propose a plausible intervention or policy lever, and outline an approach capable of producing credible early evidence on both economic impacts and health outcomes.
What funding activity area and grant type is this categorized under?
The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within the health funding activity area.
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