The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), is reissuing the funding opportunity PAR-23-111 under the title "NIMHD Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21 - Clinical Trial Optional)." This program supports short-term, exploratory, or developmental research projects aimed at advancing the fields of minority health and health disparities. It particularly targets innovative studies that can break new ground or build on previous findings to improve health outcomes among populations facing health disparities in the United States.

The purpose of the program is to encourage projects that explore new research directions, methods, or interventions with the potential to reduce health disparities or improve minority health. Applications should not propose long-term studies or incremental expansions of well-established areas. Projects must focus on NIH-defined health disparity populations such as African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, and underserved rural populations.

Funding is available for projects lasting up to two years, with a total direct cost budget not exceeding $275,000 and no more than $200,000 allowed in any single year. Three types of projects are eligible: secondary analysis of existing data, development of new research measures or methodologies, and development and pilot testing of new or adapted interventions. Projects must utilize multidisciplinary and multi-level approaches and align with one or more of NIMHD’s research interest areas: Clinical and Health Services Research, Community Health and Population Sciences, and Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences.

Eligible applicants include higher education institutions (both public and private), nonprofits, for-profit organizations, small businesses, state and local governments, tribal governments, public housing authorities, independent school districts, and certain faith- and community-based organizations. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, though foreign components within a U.S.-based organization may be involved if they support U.S.-based disparity populations. Applicants must register with several federal systems including SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov.

Applications must be submitted using NIH’s standard SF424 (R&R) application package through NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solutions. Conformance with all formatting and submission guidelines is required. There are multiple due dates each year, falling on standard NIH deadlines, with the opportunity to resubmit if initial applications are not funded.

Reviewers will evaluate applications based on significance, innovation, investigator qualifications, the proposed approach, and the research environment. Emphasis is placed on whether the research will contribute to reducing disparities and improving minority health. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award and must comply with all relevant NIH and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations, including policies on data sharing, human subjects protections, and federal nondiscrimination laws.