Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 11 239
Apply for PA 11 239
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R21)" 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 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.399 Cancer Control 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research 93.856 Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 17, 2011 and posted on Jun 17, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2014. (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 $275,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: 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 State governments Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments Special district governments Independent school districts Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities City or township governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- 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 Foreign (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R21) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA-11-239) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to push forward early-stage, innovative research on a specific and often overlooked problem in public health and biomedical research: spatial uncertainty. In this context, spatial uncertainty refers to inaccuracy, imprecision, or instability in geographic information tied to data such as where people live, where exposures occur, where services are located, or where health events are recorded. The core idea behind the FOA is that geographic information is frequently treated as if it were exact, even though it can be wrong, rounded, displaced, inconsistently recorded, or otherwise unstable, and those imperfections can distort statistical results, risk estimates, cluster detection, mapping outputs, and policy decisions.
The FOA’s main research emphasis is threefold. First, it supports projects that identify and characterize the sources of spatial uncertainty in public health data. That can include problems like geocoding error, address quality issues, positional inaccuracies in environmental monitoring locations, uncertainty in boundaries (for example, shifting census tract definitions or ambiguous neighborhood borders), temporal instability in location-based measures, and misclassification when assigning individuals or events to geographic units. Second, it encourages applicants to explicitly incorporate that uncertainty into statistical and computational methods rather than ignoring it, which typically means developing or adapting models that treat location as probabilistic, propagate geospatial error through inference, and quantify how sensitive results are to plausible location perturbations. Third, it calls for new visualization and communication tools that make spatial uncertainty understandable to analysts, decision-makers, and other stakeholders, including ways to show uncertainty on maps, compare alternative plausible spatial representations, and communicate downstream consequences for interpretation and action.
The grant uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly aimed at exploratory and developmental work where the goal is to test novel ideas, generate proof-of-concept results, or develop new methods and tools that can later scale into larger research programs. The listed award ceiling is $275,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category spans multiple areas relevant to health and social outcomes, including education, environment, health, income security, and social services, reflecting how spatial methods and uncertainty affect a wide range of population-based research questions.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including counties, cities or townships, special district governments, and independent school districts), nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. The FOA also explicitly allows participation by tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal entities), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a variety of mission-specific institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. Foreign organizations and non-U.S. entities are allowed, and foreign components of U.S. organizations are permitted, along with U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations. Faith-based and community-based organizations are also included among eligible applicants, and eligible agencies of the federal government may apply as well.
From an administrative standpoint, this FOA was posted and created on June 17, 2011. The original closing date and the current closing date shown in the provided listing are September 7, 2014, and the archive date is October 8, 2014, indicating the opportunity is no longer open for new submissions under that announcement. The program is associated with multiple CFDA numbers that span environmental health, substance use research, cancer research and control, cardiovascular research, infectious disease and microbiology, and child health and human development, which signals NIH’s expectation that spatial uncertainty methods are broadly applicable across many domains rather than being confined to a single disease area.
In practical terms, a competitive project under this FOA would typically focus on developing new ways to measure or model location error in health-related datasets, demonstrate how failing to account for it can bias conclusions, propose methods that correct or at least quantify that bias, and then provide clear outputs for users, such as software prototypes, reproducible workflows, mapping approaches, or visual analytics that communicate uncertainty honestly. The emphasis is not just on better maps, but on better inference and better decision-making by treating geographic information as an imperfect measurement that should be modeled, tested, and communicated rather than assumed to be exact.
The sponsoring agency is NIH, and the full announcement was available through the NIH grants guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-239.html. For access or linking issues, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name and number of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R21). The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is PA-11-239.
Which agency sponsors this grant opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of funding instrument is this?
This opportunity uses a grant as the funding instrument.
What NIH activity mechanism does this program use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for exploratory and developmental research, including early-stage, innovative work, proof-of-concept studies, and development of new methods or tools that could later scale into larger research programs.
What problem area is the FOA trying to address?
The FOA targets an often overlooked issue in public health and biomedical research: spatial uncertainty. It is intended to advance research that deals directly with inaccuracies, imprecision, or instability in geographic information used in health and population-based studies.
What does "spatial uncertainty" mean in this context?
In this FOA, spatial uncertainty refers to situations where geographic data are not exact or stable, such as when locations are wrong, rounded, displaced, inconsistently recorded, or otherwise uncertain. Examples include uncertainty in where people live, where exposures occur, where services are located, or where health events are recorded.
Why does spatial uncertainty matter for research and decision-making?
The FOA highlights that geographic information is often treated as if it were exact, even when it is not. Those imperfections can distort outputs and conclusions, including statistical results, risk estimates, cluster detection, mapping outputs, and ultimately policy decisions.
What are the main research emphases of this FOA?
The FOA emphasizes three core areas:
- Identifying and characterizing sources of spatial uncertainty in public health data
- Incorporating spatial uncertainty into statistical and computational methods rather than ignoring it
- Developing visualization and communication tools that help analysts and stakeholders understand and interpret spatial uncertainty
What kinds of sources of spatial uncertainty does the FOA mention?
Examples described in the FOA include:
- Geocoding error
- Address quality issues
- Positional inaccuracies in environmental monitoring locations
- Uncertainty in boundaries (for example, shifting census tract definitions or ambiguous neighborhood borders)
- Temporal instability in location-based measures
- Misclassification when assigning individuals or events to geographic units
What does it mean to "incorporate uncertainty into methods" under this FOA?
The FOA encourages applicants to treat location as an imperfect measurement and explicitly model it. This may involve developing or adapting methods that:
- Treat location as probabilistic rather than exact
- Propagate geospatial error through statistical inference
- Quantify sensitivity of results to plausible location perturbations
What kinds of visualization or communication approaches does the FOA encourage?
The FOA calls for tools that make spatial uncertainty understandable to analysts, decision-makers, and other stakeholders. It specifically mentions approaches such as:
- Ways to show uncertainty on maps
- Methods to compare alternative plausible spatial representations
- Techniques to communicate downstream consequences of uncertainty for interpretation and action
Is this FOA only about making better maps?
No. The FOA explicitly emphasizes that the goal is not just improved mapping. The larger focus is on better inference and better decision-making by treating geographic information as uncertain, modeling it appropriately, testing sensitivity, and communicating uncertainty transparently.
What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $275,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The listing states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What topic areas or activity categories does this opportunity span?
The activity category is described as spanning multiple areas relevant to health and social outcomes, including education, environment, health, income security, and social services. This reflects how spatial methods and spatial uncertainty can affect a wide range of population-based research questions.
Are the methods expected to apply only to one disease area?
No. The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning areas such as environmental health, substance use research, cancer research and control, cardiovascular research, infectious disease and microbiology, and child health and human development. This indicates NIH’s expectation that spatial uncertainty methods are broadly applicable across domains.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- State and local governments (including counties, cities or townships, special district governments, and independent school districts)
- Nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal entities)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Mission-specific institutions such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, TCCUs, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Foreign organizations and other non-U.S. entities
- U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
- Eligible agencies of the federal government
Are foreign organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The FOA states that foreign organizations and non-U.S. entities are allowed.
Are foreign components of U.S. organizations permitted?
Yes. The FOA indicates that foreign components of U.S. organizations are permitted.
Does the FOA mention eligibility for tribal governments and tribal organizations?
Yes. The FOA explicitly allows participation by tribal governments (including federally recognized tribal governments) and other tribal organizations.
Does the FOA include eligibility for special categories of institutions (like HBCUs and HSIs)?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes multiple mission-specific institution categories, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
When was this FOA created and posted?
The listing states the FOA was created and posted on June 17, 2011.
What were the closing date and archive date shown in the listing?
The listing shows an original closing date and current closing date of September 7, 2014, and an archive date of October 8, 2014.
Is this opportunity currently open for new submissions under that announcement?
No. Based on the listed closing date and archive date, the opportunity is no longer open for new submissions under that specific announcement.
What kinds of project outputs seem consistent with the FOA's goals?
Based on the description, a competitive project would typically aim to develop and demonstrate practical outputs such as software prototypes, reproducible workflows, mapping approaches, or visual analytics that help users quantify, model, and communicate spatial uncertainty rather than treating geography as exact.
What does the FOA suggest a "competitive project" would do in practical terms?
The FOA description indicates that strong projects would typically:
- Develop new ways to measure or model location error in health-related datasets
- Show how ignoring spatial uncertainty can bias conclusions
- Propose methods to correct, adjust for, or quantify the bias or uncertainty
- Provide clear, usable outputs that support honest interpretation and better decisions
Where can the full NIH announcement be found?
The full announcement was available through the NIH Grants Guide at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-239.html
Who is the listed contact for access or linking issues?
The contact listed for access or linking issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 11 239) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Spatial Uncertainty Data, Modeling, and Communication (R03) Apply for PA 11 240 Funding Number: PA 11 240 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ethical Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) of Genomic Research Regular Research Program (R01) Apply for PA 11 250 Funding Number: PA 11 250 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Womens Health (K12) Apply for RFA OD 11 002 Funding Number: RFA OD 11 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Systems Science and Health in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R21) Apply for PAR 11 315 Funding Number: PAR 11 315 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Systems Science and Health in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01) Apply for PAR 11 314 Funding Number: PAR 11 314 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Tools to Enhance Studies of Glial Cell Development, Aging, Disease and Repair (R21) Apply for RFA HD 12 211 Funding Number: RFA HD 12 211 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Development of Tools to Study the Synaptome (R21) Apply for RFA MH 12 140 Funding Number: RFA MH 12 140 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Grand Challenge Discovering Novel Drugs for Disorders of the Nervous System (U01) Apply for RFA NS 13 003 Funding Number: RFA NS 13 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Administrative Supplements for Health Impacts of Household Air Pollution on Womens Health and Child Survival (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 12 202 Funding Number: PA 12 202 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) R21 Apply for PA 12 284 Funding Number: PA 12 284 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| NIH Summer Research Experience Programs (R25) Apply for PAR 13 104 Funding Number: PAR 13 104 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy (R03) Apply for PAR 13 131 Funding Number: PAR 13 131 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy (R21) Apply for PAR 13 132 Funding Number: PAR 13 132 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Bioengineering Research Grants (BRG) (R01) Apply for PAR 13 137 Funding Number: PAR 13 137 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development of Highly Innovative Tools and Technology for Analysis of Single Cells (SBIR) (R43/R44) Apply for PA 13 140 Funding Number: PA 13 140 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Chronic Inflammation and Age related Disease (R01) Apply for PAR 13 233 Funding Number: PAR 13 233 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03) Apply for PA 13 304 Funding Number: PA 13 304 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21) Apply for PA 13 303 Funding Number: PA 13 303 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities (R21) Apply for PA 13 288 Funding Number: PA 13 288 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Modeling Social Behavior (R01) Apply for PAR 13 374 Funding Number: PAR 13 374 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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