The Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity, issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports exploratory and developmental studies that identify, develop, and test strategies to enhance the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based health interventions. The opportunity is designed to address gaps in the adoption, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of these interventions across diverse health service and public health settings. The funding mechanism is the R21 grant, which targets early-stage, conceptual studies rather than full-scale projects, and allows applicants to propose clinical trials or non-trial-based research.

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to strengthen implementation science and ensure that evidence-based practices are effectively communicated and embedded into real-world settings. It supports studies that promote equitable dissemination, explore de-implementation of ineffective or harmful practices, and advance measurement and methodological tools in the field. Special emphasis is placed on projects that engage stakeholders across community, clinical, and policy environments, and that target populations underrepresented in health research or disproportionately affected by health disparities.

Funding is available through multiple NIH Institutes and Centers, including the National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Aging, and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, among others. These organizations have specific programmatic interests aligned with their missions. For example, the NCI supports projects across the cancer care continuum, and NIMHD focuses on health disparities in minority populations. Projects must align with the mission of at least one of the participating Institutes or Centers. Key research topics include strategy testing, economic evaluation, de-implementation studies, stakeholder engagement, and methodological innovations.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as higher education institutions, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, local and state governments, tribal entities, and foreign organizations. Applicants must register with various federal systems, including SAM.gov and eRA Commons, before submission. Applications must be submitted electronically through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or an institutional S2S system. Submission instructions and formatting must follow the Application Guide precisely.

The application review process evaluates proposals based on three core factors: the importance of the research (significance and innovation), rigor and feasibility (approach), and the expertise and environment of the investigators. Reviewers also assess human subjects protections, data sharing plans, and budget justifications. Letters of intent are due 30 days prior to the application deadlines, which follow the NIH standard cycle dates.

Key dates include an opening date of January 16, 2025, and recurring application deadlines every four months through January 2028. Applicants should prepare early to ensure compliance with all application requirements. The total maximum funding per project is $275,000 in direct costs over a two-year period, with no more than $200,000 in a single year. This funding opportunity supports applications with or without clinical trials and emphasizes research that speeds the translation of science into effective, equitable health practice.