Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 09 003
Apply for PAR 09 003
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Grants for Behavioral Research in Cancer Control (R03)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.361 Nursing Research 93.399 Cancer Control.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 6, 2008 and posted on Oct 6, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 20, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having 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 Small businesses.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Hispanic serving Institutions Regional Organizations U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Small Grants for Behavioral Research in Cancer Control (R03) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 09-003) was a discretionary NIH grant program led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Its main aim was to bring more researchers into the behavioral side of cancer control by giving targeted, smaller-scale support to either (1) new investigators who are just entering cancer-related behavioral research or (2) established investigators who want to shift their focus toward behavioral research in cancer control. A central idea behind the program was workforce development: building a broad, national pipeline of scientists who can design, test, and ultimately help implement public health interventions that reduce cancer risk, improve screening and early detection, support treatment adherence, and enhance survivorship and quality of life through behaviorally informed approaches.
A notable feature of this FOA was that preliminary data were not required. That detail matters because it lowers the barrier for early-stage concepts, pilot studies, and exploratory projects that can generate the evidence needed for larger, more definitive grants later on. In practical terms, the R03 mechanism is often used to support tightly scoped research efforts such as feasibility studies, small pilots, development or refinement of measures and methods, early testing of intervention components, secondary analyses, or initial implementation/translation work that demonstrates whether an approach is workable in real-world cancer control settings.
The FOA emphasized two overarching goals. First, it was meant to help new investigators establish a foothold in behavioral cancer control and move toward long-term career development as independent researchers. Second, it aimed to speed up the transfer of behavioral science knowledge into cancer control practice, meaning the research was expected to have a clear line of sight to real-world use. This could include studying how evidence-based behavioral interventions are adopted, adapted, delivered, or sustained in clinical or community settings, and identifying practical barriers and facilitators that influence whether effective strategies actually reach patients and populations.
In terms of funding structure, awards were made through the NIH Small Grant (R03) mechanism, and the FOA did not set a single fixed award size or a guaranteed number of awards. Instead, NIH indicated that budget levels and project duration could vary depending on what applicants proposed, and that the total dollars and number of funded projects would depend on the quality, requested costs, and timeframes of the applications received. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants were not required to provide non-federal funds to receive an award.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of organizations capable of conducting research. Eligible applicants listed included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities outside of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The FOA also called out additional eligible groups such as eligible federal agencies, Hispanic-serving institutions, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. The program was categorized under Education and Health, with CFDA numbers 93.361 (Nursing Research) and 93.399 (Cancer Control), reflecting the joint NCI and NINR sponsorship and the focus on cancer control outcomes through behavioral and nursing-relevant research perspectives.
Key timeline details: the opportunity was posted and created on October 6, 2008, with an original and final closing date of December 20, 2011. The archive date was January 20, 2012, indicating the announcement is no longer active as a current funding opportunity. The full announcement was hosted through the NIH Grants Guide (linked in the source), and NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) provided webmaster contact information for access or technical linking issues.
Overall, PAR 09-003 was positioned as an entry point and pivot point for investigators who wanted to contribute to cancer control through behavioral science, with an emphasis on practical, intervention-relevant research that could be translated into routine cancer prevention and control practice, and with application expectations shaped to be welcoming to newer investigators by not requiring preliminary data.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Small Grants for Behavioral Research in Cancer Control (R03) opportunity?
It is a discretionary NIH grant program called Small Grants for Behavioral Research in Cancer Control (R03), issued under Funding Opportunity Number (FON) PAR 09-003. The program was led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to support behavioral research that advances cancer control.
Is PAR 09-003 currently open for applications?
No. The announcement is archived and is no longer an active funding opportunity. It was created and posted on October 6, 2008, had a final closing date of December 20, 2011, and an archive date of January 20, 2012.
What was the main purpose of this FOA?
The main purpose was workforce development in behavioral cancer control: bringing more researchers into the behavioral side of cancer control and building a broad, national pipeline of scientists who can design, test, and help implement public health interventions that improve cancer-related outcomes.
Who was this program intended to support?
The FOA specifically aimed to support (1) new investigators entering cancer-related behavioral research and (2) established investigators who wanted to shift or pivot their research focus toward behavioral research in cancer control.
What kind of research topics did the FOA emphasize?
The emphasis was on behaviorally informed approaches that can reduce cancer risk, improve screening and early detection, support treatment adherence, and enhance survivorship and quality of life. The FOA also highlighted research with a clear path toward real-world cancer control practice.
What does "behavioral research in cancer control" mean in the context of this grant?
In this FOA, behavioral research is framed as work that helps understand, develop, test, or translate interventions and strategies that influence behaviors and real-world practices relevant to cancer prevention, detection, treatment adherence, survivorship, and quality of life.
What were the two overarching goals of the program?
First, to help new investigators establish themselves in behavioral cancer control and progress toward independent research careers. Second, to accelerate the transfer of behavioral science knowledge into cancer control practice, meaning projects were expected to have a clear line of sight to use in clinical or community settings.
Were preliminary data required to apply?
No. A notable feature of PAR 09-003 was that preliminary data were not required, lowering the barrier for early-stage concepts, exploratory studies, and pilot work designed to generate evidence for future larger grants.
Why does the "no preliminary data required" feature matter?
It makes the opportunity more accessible to newer investigators and to early-stage or exploratory projects. It also supports studies intended to establish feasibility, refine approaches, or produce early evidence that can underpin subsequent, larger-scale research applications.
What grant mechanism was used for funding under this FOA?
Awards were made using the NIH Small Grant (R03) mechanism, which is commonly used for tightly scoped projects such as feasibility studies, pilot studies, methods development, secondary analyses, or early implementation/translation work.
What types of projects are typically suited to the R03 mechanism as described here?
The FOA described R03-appropriate efforts such as feasibility studies, small pilot studies, development or refinement of measures and methods, early testing of intervention components, secondary analyses, and initial implementation or translation research that shows whether an approach is workable in real-world cancer control settings.
Did the FOA expect research to be practical and implementable?
Yes. A core theme was translation into practice. The FOA emphasized research that could inform how evidence-based behavioral interventions are adopted, adapted, delivered, or sustained in clinical or community settings, including identifying barriers and facilitators to real-world uptake.
Did the FOA specify a fixed award amount or a guaranteed number of awards?
No. The FOA did not set a single fixed award size or guarantee a specific number of awards. NIH indicated that budgets and project durations could vary based on what applicants proposed, and that total funding and award counts would depend on application quality, requested costs, and proposed timeframes.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement. Applicants were not required to provide non-federal funds in order to receive an award.
Which NIH institutes led this opportunity?
The program was led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), reflecting a joint focus on behavioral science, nursing-relevant research perspectives, and cancer control outcomes.
What CFDA numbers were associated with this opportunity?
The FOA referenced CFDA 93.361 (Nursing Research) and CFDA 93.399 (Cancer Control), aligning with the NINR and NCI roles and the program's cancer control focus.
What program categories were associated with the opportunity?
The opportunity was categorized under Education and Health.
What types of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities outside higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.
Were any additional applicant types specifically called out as eligible?
Yes. The FOA also called out eligibility for groups such as eligible federal agencies, Hispanic-serving institutions, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Where was the full announcement published?
The full announcement was hosted through the NIH Grants Guide. The NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) provided webmaster contact information for access or technical linking issues.
What were the key dates for this FOA?
The opportunity was created and posted on October 6, 2008. The original and final closing date was December 20, 2011. The archive date was January 20, 2012.
What was the underlying idea behind the program's workforce development focus?
The FOA was designed to expand the pool of behavioral cancer control researchers nationwide by helping investigators enter or pivot into this area and produce early, targeted evidence that can be used to develop, test, and ultimately implement interventions in public health and care settings.
What kinds of settings did the FOA envision for translation of behavioral interventions?
The FOA explicitly referenced translation into clinical and community settings, including studying practical issues that affect adoption, adaptation, delivery, and long-term sustainability of evidence-based behavioral interventions.
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| Understanding the Effects of Emerging Cellular, Molecular, and Genomic Technologies on Cancer Health Care Delivery(R01) Apply for PA 09 004 Funding Number: PA 09 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Health Services Research on the Prevention and Treatment of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (R21) Apply for PA 08 264 Funding Number: PA 08 264 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Health Services Research on the Prevention and Treatment of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (R03) Apply for PA 08 265 Funding Number: PA 08 265 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exploratory Studies in Cancer Detection, Diagnosis, and Prognosis (R21) Apply for PA 08 267 Funding Number: PA 08 267 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Interactions between Physical Activity and Drug Abuse (R01) Apply for RFA DA 09 013 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Interactions between Physical Activity and Drug Abuse (R03) Apply for RFA DA 09 014 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Basic and Preclinical Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) (R01) Apply for PA 09 010 Funding Number: PA 09 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| The Mouse Gene Development Initiative (R01) Apply for RFA DA 09 015 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 015 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Medical Management of Older Patients with HIV/AIDS (R01) Apply for PA 09 017 Funding Number: PA 09 017 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| International Research Collaboration on Drug Abuse and Addiction Research (R01) Apply for PA 09 020 Funding Number: PA 09 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| International Research Collaboration on Drug Abuse and Addiction Research (R21) Apply for PA 09 021 Funding Number: PA 09 021 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| International Research Collaboration on Drug Abuse and Addiction Research (R03) Apply for PA 09 022 Funding Number: PA 09 022 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Central Nervous System Intersections of Drug Addiction, Chronic Pain and Analgesia (R21) Apply for RFA DA 09 018 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Secondary Data Analyses for Substance Abuse Research (R21/R33) Apply for RFA DA 09 020 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R01) Apply for RFA DA 09 008 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Brain Imaging Studies of Negative Reinforcement in Humans (R21) Apply for RFA DA 09 009 Funding Number: RFA DA 09 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Instrument Development for Biomedical Applications (R21) Apply for RFA RR 09 001 Funding Number: RFA RR 09 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents and Tumor Progression (R01) Apply for PA 09 023 Funding Number: PA 09 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents and Tumor Progression (R21) Apply for PA 09 024 Funding Number: PA 09 024 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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