Community Partnerships to Advance Research (CPAR) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 377

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 377

The Community Partnerships to Advance Research (CPAR) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity, funding opportunity number PA 18-377, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant designed to support research projects built on strong, real-world partnerships between researchers and community groups. The central goal is to advance health-related research by using Community Engaged Research (CEnR) approaches, meaning the community is not treated as a passive setting where research happens, but as an active partner that helps shape priorities, methods, implementation, and how results are shared and used. The FOA is aimed at strengthening trust and long-term relationships between academic or research institutions and communities, with the practical intent of producing better-designed interventions and ultimately improving health outcomes.

A key feature of this program is its emphasis on collaboration that is meaningful and sustained rather than symbolic. Projects are expected to rely on CEnR methods that elevate community voice and expertise, especially in populations that may experience health inequities or have historically been underrepresented in research. By requiring or strongly encouraging authentic partnership, CPAR is meant to improve the relevance, feasibility, adoption, and impact of interventions, since communities can provide insight into local context, barriers to participation, cultural considerations, and the most useful ways to deliver services or programs.

The funding mechanism is an R01, which is NIH's standard, larger research project grant mechanism, and it is listed as "Clinical Trial Optional." In practical terms, that means applicants can propose studies that include a clinical trial component if appropriate, but they are not required to do so. This flexibility allows teams to propose a wide range of community-partnered research activities, from developing or refining interventions and testing them in real settings, to evaluating implementation strategies, to studying how community partnership models affect participation, retention, and outcomes.

Eligibility is broad and reflects the program's community partnership focus. In addition to typical applicants like public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and other research organizations, eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types that align with community-centered work, including faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and a range of minority-serving and Indigenous-serving institutions 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 (AANAPISISs). It also notes eligibility for certain non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and eligible federal agencies, which signals NIH's openness to collaborations that may involve cross-border expertise or federal partners when relevant.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity falls under the Education and Health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.361. The original closing date listed in the source data is January 7, 2021, and the record shows a creation date of December 18, 2017. The source data does not specify an award ceiling or an expected number of awards, so prospective applicants typically would need to consult the full FOA text and any institute- or center-specific guidance to understand typical budget ranges, project periods, and funding preferences.

Overall, CPAR is best understood as an NIH R01 program that prioritizes the quality of the community partnership and the use of community-engaged methods as the engine for producing stronger science and more useful, lasting health improvements. It is structured for teams that can demonstrate shared decision-making with community partners, a plan for maintaining relationships and reciprocity, and a research strategy that is responsive to community needs while meeting NIH expectations for rigor and impact.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Partnerships to Advance Research (CPAR) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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