The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), is accepting applications for the “NINR Areas of Emphasis for Research to Optimize Health and Advance Health for All” under the R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant program. This funding opportunity seeks research proposals that are exploratory or developmental in nature and aligned with the NINR’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. The goal is to support studies that apply nursing's holistic approach to understanding and addressing the nation’s most persistent health challenges through rigorous and innovative methodologies that inform practice and policy.

The purpose of this funding initiative is to encourage research projects that embrace nursing’s contextualized, person-centered perspective and explore solutions across individual, community, and policy settings. The research should embody the guiding principles laid out by NINR: addressing urgent and long-term health issues, generating solutions across care systems, and applying innovative, impactful methods. The Strategic Plan promotes multilevel, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged approaches to healthcare research through five lenses: health disparities, social determinants of health, population and community health, prevention and health promotion, and systems and models of care.

Funding under this opportunity is structured to support exploratory and developmental research efforts. Applicants may propose projects with direct costs of up to $275,000 over two years, with no more than $200,000 allowed in any single year. Projects should not exceed a two-year duration. While applications proposing clinical trials are permitted, they are not required. However, research focusing on pharmacology, toxicology, animal models, or biological mechanisms at the molecular level will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations including small businesses, local governments, and tribal organizations. International institutions are not eligible to apply, but foreign components may be part of U.S.-based projects. Individuals with the requisite skills and resources are encouraged to apply, including early-stage investigators. There are no restrictions on the number of applications an organization may submit, provided each is scientifically distinct.

Applications must follow the instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. There are no requirements for letters of intent. Submissions must be made electronically via ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solutions. All applications must address a Data Management and Sharing Plan. Review criteria include significance, innovation, investigator expertise, approach, and environment. Applications will be assessed on scientific merit through the NIH peer review process.

The application process follows standard NIH deadlines, with the next due date being June 16, 2024. Applications will continue to be accepted through May 8, 2025. Review and award cycles follow NIH’s typical review calendar, and awards will be contingent on the availability of appropriations and the merit of submitted proposals. All submissions are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.