Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 114
The National Institutes of Health, through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), offered this discretionary grant opportunity titled "Phased Innovation Award for Mechanistic Studies to Optimize Mind and Body Interventions in NCCIH High Priority Research Topics (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-18-114; CFDA 93.213). The central purpose of the program is to support research that explains how complementary or integrative mind and body interventions produce their clinical effects, with the practical goal of using that mechanistic understanding to refine, optimize, and better target these interventions for specific health conditions and disorders. In other words, the opportunity is aimed less at simply testing whether an intervention works and more at uncovering the biological, psychological, behavioral, and/or physiological pathways that drive outcomes, so that interventions can be improved and deployed more effectively.
The award mechanism is a phased R61/R33 design, which typically supports a staged research plan that begins with an initial, milestone-driven phase (R61) and can transition to a second phase (R33) if predefined goals are met. This structure is meant to encourage innovative but rigorous mechanistic work, where early feasibility or proof-of-mechanism steps are tightly linked to a later, more definitive phase. A key feature of this specific announcement is that a clinical trial is required, meaning applicants are expected to incorporate a clinical trial component as part of the mechanistic research strategy rather than proposing only preclinical, observational, or theory-only work. The underlying emphasis is on mechanistic studies within NCCIH high-priority research topics, reflecting NCCIHs interest in advancing interventions like mindfulness-based approaches, meditation, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, biofeedback, breathing practices, and other mind-body strategies when they are studied in ways that can clarify causal pathways and inform optimization.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of domestic organizations: state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other applicant types. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis signals an intent to encourage participation from diverse institutions and community-linked entities that may be well positioned to study mind-body interventions in real-world populations.
The opportunity places clear limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. Practically, that means the applicant organization must be U.S.-based, but the project can include certain international elements or collaborations when justified and structured in line with NIH policy.
Administratively, the funding instrument is a grant within the health activity category. The source data lists an original closing date of 2019-06-28 and a creation date of 2017-11-02. Award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided summary. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a mechanism-focused, milestone-based clinical trial funding pathway designed to push the field beyond efficacy questions and toward actionable understanding of how mind-body interventions work, for whom they work, and how they can be systematically improved.Apply for PAR 18 114
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Phased Innovation Award for Mechanistic Studies to Optimize Mind and Body Interventions in NCCIH High Priority Research Topics (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-06-28. (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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH/NCCIH grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled: "Phased Innovation Award for Mechanistic Studies to Optimize Mind and Body Interventions in NCCIH High Priority Research Topics (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-18-114.
Which NIH center is offering this grant?
This opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
What is the CFDA number associated with this funding opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.213.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The central purpose is to support research that explains how complementary or integrative mind and body interventions produce their clinical effects, with the practical goal of using that mechanistic understanding to refine, optimize, and better target these interventions for specific health conditions and disorders.
Is this grant primarily about testing whether an intervention works?
No. The emphasis is less on simply testing whether an intervention works and more on uncovering the biological, psychological, behavioral, and/or physiological pathways that drive outcomes, so that interventions can be improved and used more effectively.
What does "mechanistic studies" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this context, mechanistic studies are research efforts aimed at identifying and clarifying the causal pathways through which mind and body interventions lead to clinical outcomes. The intent is to generate actionable knowledge that supports intervention optimization (for example, refining delivery, dosing, targeting to populations/conditions, or selecting outcomes linked to specific mechanisms).
What types of interventions are considered "mind and body interventions" here?
The summary indicates NCCIH interest in interventions such as mindfulness-based approaches, meditation, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, biofeedback, breathing practices, and other mind-body strategies, particularly when studied in ways that clarify mechanisms and inform optimization.
What is the award mechanism used for this opportunity?
The award uses a phased R61/R33 design.
What does the R61/R33 phased design mean?
It typically supports a staged plan that begins with an initial, milestone-driven phase (R61) and can transition to a second phase (R33) if predefined goals are met. The structure is intended to encourage innovative but rigorous mechanistic work by tightly linking early proof-of-mechanism or feasibility steps to a later, more definitive phase.
Does this funding opportunity require milestones?
Yes. The R61 phase is described as milestone-driven, and transition to the R33 phase depends on whether predefined goals are met.
Is a clinical trial required under this announcement?
Yes. This is explicitly a "Clinical Trial Required" opportunity, meaning applicants are expected to include a clinical trial component as part of the mechanistic research strategy.
Can an application be purely preclinical, observational, or theory-only?
Based on the summary provided, the expectation is that applicants incorporate a clinical trial component rather than proposing only preclinical, observational, or theory-only work.
What kinds of research topics are prioritized?
The emphasis is on mechanistic studies within NCCIH high-priority research topics, focused on advancing understanding of how mind and body interventions work and how they can be optimized.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic (U.S.) organizations, including:
- State, county, city, or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Tribal organizations that are not federally recognized
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as noted in the summary)
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
- Other applicant types
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights faith-based or community-based organizations among additional eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically encouraged or identified as eligible?
Yes. The summary explicitly highlights eligibility for institutions such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are U.S. territories or possessions included as eligible applicants?
Yes. The summary explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions among the highlighted eligible applicants.
Can federal agencies apply?
Yes. The summary lists eligible federal agencies among the additional eligible applicants.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply as the primary applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization.
Is any foreign involvement allowed in projects funded by this opportunity?
Yes. While the primary applicant must be U.S.-based, the summary states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible and that foreign components are allowed (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement). This indicates international elements or collaborations may be included when appropriately justified and structured under NIH policy.
What is the funding instrument and activity category?
The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is health.
What are the key dates provided for this opportunity?
The source data lists a creation date of 2017-11-02 and an original closing date of 2019-06-28.
Is the award ceiling specified?
No. The provided summary indicates the award ceiling is not specified.
Is the expected number of awards specified?
No. The provided summary indicates the expected number of awards is not specified.
How should applicants think about "optimization" in this program?
Based on the summary, optimization refers to using mechanistic insights to refine and improve interventions, including better targeting to specific health conditions and disorders and improving how interventions are deployed, rather than only evaluating efficacy in a general sense.
What makes this opportunity distinct from typical clinical trial funding?
What stands out in the provided description is the combination of: (1) a required clinical trial, (2) a strong emphasis on mechanistic explanations of clinical effects, and (3) a phased, milestone-based R61/R33 structure intended to move from early mechanistic feasibility/proof steps to a more definitive stage if milestones are achieved.
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