Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 15 011
Apply for PA 15 011
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R03)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.399 Cancer Control.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 10, 2014 and posted on Oct 10, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2018. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Special district governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Independent school districts Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) City or township governments County governments 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 For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal 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 Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The NIH grant opportunity titled "Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R03)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-15-011) is a discretionary research grant designed to spur innovative, early-stage work on a specific and increasingly important problem in public health research: spatial uncertainty. In this context, spatial uncertainty refers to the inaccuracy, imprecision, or instability in geographic information used in health data, such as uncertain addresses, shifting boundaries, geocoding errors, location masking for privacy, or changes in how places are defined over time. The central goal of the FOA is to fund research that (1) identifies where spatial uncertainty comes from in real-world public health datasets, (2) builds that uncertainty directly into statistical and analytic methods rather than ignoring it, and (3) creates new ways to visualize and communicate how spatial uncertainty affects findings, interpretations, and decisions.
The scientific scope is deliberately methodological and tool-oriented, with a strong emphasis on practical public health impact. Projects supported under this FOA are expected to move beyond simply noting that location data can be messy; they should characterize the sources and structure of that messiness, quantify it where possible, and then develop or adapt statistical models that can account for it. A major theme is that spatial uncertainty can change results in meaningful ways, for example by blurring apparent clusters of disease, distorting estimates of environmental exposure, or altering conclusions about neighborhood-level risk factors. The FOA also highlights communication and visualization, signaling interest in tools that help researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders see and understand the consequences of spatial uncertainty, including how uncertainty propagates through analyses and affects maps, risk surfaces, and policy-relevant conclusions.
This opportunity uses the NIH R03 mechanism, which typically supports small, focused research projects. The listed award ceiling is $50,000, making it well-suited for pilot studies, proof-of-concept methods, development of prototype software or visualization approaches, feasibility testing with one or more datasets, or targeted methodological advances that can later be scaled up under larger mechanisms. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The program is administered by the National Institutes of Health, and it aligns with multiple health-related activity areas, including environmental health and cancer-related research (CFDA 93.113, 93.393, and 93.399), reflecting how spatial data quality issues can directly affect environmental exposure assessment, cancer surveillance, and broader population health studies.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. organizations and governments, such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education. It also includes nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), small businesses, and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses). The FOA explicitly extends eligibility to a wide range of mission-driven and underrepresented institution types and community-linked entities, including 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). Faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies are also listed as eligible. Importantly, foreign organizations and foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may apply, and foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, making this a globally accessible opportunity for methodological work that can generalize across settings.
Key dates show that the FOA was posted and created on October 10, 2014, with an original and current closing date of January 7, 2018, and it was archived on February 7, 2018. While it is no longer active, the archived FOA still serves as a useful reference for the type of work NIH has been interested in funding in this area and can help applicants shape similar proposals under newer NIH notices or related program announcements focusing on geospatial methods, exposure modeling, data uncertainty, and reproducible public health analytics.
For applicants or readers looking for the official announcement text and full requirements, NIH provided an additional information link at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-15-011.html. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIH funding opportunity "Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R03)" (PA-15-011)?
This NIH discretionary research grant opportunity supports innovative, early-stage work focused on spatial uncertainty in public health research. It is designed to fund methodological and tool-oriented projects that help researchers understand, model, and communicate uncertainty in geographic information used in health data.
What does "spatial uncertainty" mean in this FOA?
In this context, spatial uncertainty refers to inaccuracy, imprecision, or instability in geographic information within health-related datasets. Examples include uncertain or incomplete addresses, shifting administrative boundaries, geocoding errors, location masking performed for privacy protection, and changes over time in how places or geographic units are defined.
What are the main goals of this FOA?
The FOA emphasizes three core goals: (1) identifying where spatial uncertainty originates in real-world public health datasets, (2) incorporating spatial uncertainty directly into statistical and analytic methods rather than ignoring it, and (3) developing new approaches to visualize and communicate how spatial uncertainty affects findings, interpretations, and decisions.
What kinds of projects are expected to be competitive under this opportunity?
The FOA is deliberately methodological and tool-oriented. Competitive projects are expected to go beyond simply stating that location data can be messy; they should characterize sources and structure of uncertainty, quantify uncertainty where possible, and develop or adapt statistical models that account for uncertainty. Projects that create visualization or communication tools to show how uncertainty propagates through analyses are also a key focus.
Why is spatial uncertainty important for public health research?
The FOA highlights that spatial uncertainty can meaningfully change scientific conclusions. For example, it can blur or create apparent clusters of disease, distort estimates of environmental exposure, and alter conclusions about neighborhood-level risk factors. Because many policy and practice decisions rely on maps and spatial analyses, understanding and communicating uncertainty is important for interpretation and decision-making.
Does the FOA focus on practical impact or purely theoretical methods?
The scope is methodological, but it strongly emphasizes practical public health impact. The intent is to develop methods and tools that can be used with real public health datasets and that clarify how spatial uncertainty affects results and conclusions.
What is the funding mechanism for PA-15-011?
This opportunity uses the NIH R03 mechanism, which typically supports small, focused research projects, such as pilot studies and early-stage, proof-of-concept work.
What is the award amount (ceiling) for this R03 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $50,000, making it suitable for smaller, targeted projects such as feasibility testing, prototype development, or focused methodological advances.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What types of activities does this FOA suggest the funding could support?
Based on the R03 emphasis and the stated scientific goals, the FOA is well-suited for pilot studies, proof-of-concept methodological development, prototype software or visualization approaches, feasibility testing using one or more datasets, or other targeted methodological advances that could later be expanded under larger mechanisms.
What kinds of uncertainty does the FOA specifically mention?
Examples named in the FOA description include uncertain addresses, shifting boundaries, geocoding errors, privacy-driven location masking, and changes over time in definitions of geographic areas.
What does the FOA say about visualization and communication?
Visualization and communication are highlighted as major themes. The FOA signals interest in tools that help researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders see and understand the consequences of spatial uncertainty, including how uncertainty propagates through analyses and affects maps, risk surfaces, and policy-relevant conclusions.
Which NIH organization administers this program?
The program is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What public health areas does this FOA align with?
The FOA aligns with multiple health-related activity areas, including environmental health and cancer-related research. It references CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.393, and 93.399, reflecting how spatial data quality issues can affect environmental exposure assessment, cancer surveillance, and broader population health studies.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic U.S. organizations and governments, including state, county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); small businesses; and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses). The FOA also lists faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies as eligible.
Are minority-serving and underrepresented institution types explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes institution types 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).
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA states that foreign organizations and foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are eligible to apply. It also allows non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations to apply, and foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The FOA is no longer active. It shows an original and current closing date of January 7, 2018, and it was archived on February 7, 2018.
When was the FOA posted and created?
The FOA was posted and created on October 10, 2014.
What is the practical value of an archived FOA like this?
Although it is no longer active, the archived FOA can still serve as a reference for the kinds of spatial uncertainty work NIH has been interested in funding. It may help applicants shape similar proposals under newer NIH notices or related program announcements focused on geospatial methods, exposure modeling, uncertainty, and reproducible public health analytics.
Where can I find the official NIH announcement text for PA-15-011?
NIH provided an official link to the full announcement text and requirements at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-15-011.html
Who should be contacted for access or technical issues with the electronic announcement?
The contact listed for access or technical issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA-15-011.
What is the program title?
The program title is "Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R03)."
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education Environment Health
Next opportunity: Mexico Labor Discrimination Project
Previous opportunity: Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R01)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PA 15 011
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 15 011) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Environmental Influences during Windows of Susceptibility in Breast Cancer Risk (U01) Apply for RFA ES 14 012 Funding Number: RFA ES 14 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| Coordinating Center for the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (U01) Apply for RFA ES 14 011 Funding Number: RFA ES 14 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| NLM Administrative Supplements for Informationist Services in NIH funded Research Projects (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 15 249 Funding Number: PA 15 249 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Superfund Research Program Occupational and Safety Education Programs on Emerging Technologies (R25) Apply for RFA ES 15 014 Funding Number: RFA ES 15 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Direct Phase II SBIR Grants to Support Extended Development, Hardening, and Dissemination of Technologies in Biomedical Computing, Informatics, and Big Data Science (R44) Apply for PAR 15 288 Funding Number: PAR 15 288 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Innovative Basic Research on Adducts in Cancer Risk Identification and Prevention (R01) Apply for PAR 15 308 Funding Number: PAR 15 308 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Translational Studies on Adducts for Cancer Risk Identification and Prevention (U01) Apply for PAR 15 307 Funding Number: PAR 15 307 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Innovative Basic Research on Adducts in Cancer Risk Identification and Prevention (R21) Apply for PAR 15 309 Funding Number: PAR 15 309 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Superfund Basic Research and Training Program (P42) Apply for RFA ES 08 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 08 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $1,800,000 |
| Exploratory Innovations in Biomedical Computational Science and Technology (R21) Apply for PAR 06 411 Funding Number: PAR 06 411 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| The Role of Nuclear Receptors in Tissue and Organismal Aging (R21) Apply for PAS 06 466 Funding Number: PAS 06 466 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy(R21) Apply for PAR 07 018 Funding Number: PAR 07 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Structural Biology of Membrane Proteins (R01) Apply for PA 07 253 Funding Number: PA 07 253 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Networks and Pathways Collaborative Research Projects (R01) Apply for PA 07 266 Funding Number: PA 07 266 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| The Role of Nuclear Receptors in Tissue and Organismal Aging (R01) Apply for PAS 07 267 Funding Number: PAS 07 267 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Global Research Initiative Program, Behavioral/Social Sciences (R01) Apply for PAR 07 328 Funding Number: PAR 07 328 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Innovations in Biomedical Computational Science and Technology (R01) Apply for PAR 07 344 Funding Number: PAR 07 344 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Psychopharmacology of Widely Available Psychoactive Natural Products (R01) Apply for PA 07 374 Funding Number: PA 07 374 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Psychopharmacology Of Widely Available Psychoactive Natural Products (R03) Apply for PA 07 375 Funding Number: PA 07 375 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Predictive Multiscale Models of the Physiome in Health and Disease (R01) Apply for PAR 08 023 Funding Number: PAR 08 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PA 15 011", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.