The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering funding to advance healthcare research for older adults from populations experiencing health disparities. This initiative seeks research that addresses healthcare challenges faced by racial and ethnic minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, rural residents, individuals with disabilities, and sexual and gender minority populations. Funded projects will focus on optimizing healthcare delivery through better screening, diagnostic, and care guidelines, enhancing shared decision-making between patients and providers, and improving care coordination for older adults. Research will be supported through the NIH Research Project Grant (R01), which allows for both clinical trials and other study designs.

The primary objectives of this program are to identify best practices in healthcare for these populations, understand patient-caregiver-provider dynamics, and develop strategies for coordinated, patient-centered care. Projects should ideally integrate multiple healthcare determinants (e.g., clinician, patient, community) and use NIH-defined health disparity frameworks. Research settings include outpatient, inpatient, long-term, home-based, and emergency care facilities, and studies may incorporate primary data collection with caregivers, patients, and healthcare professionals. Proposals that involve partnerships with community organizations, aging agencies, and home-based services are particularly encouraged, with a goal of improving outcomes such as patient autonomy, safety, and resilience.

Eligible applicants include U.S.-based higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and various government agencies. Foreign entities are not eligible, though foreign components of U.S. organizations may participate. Applicants may request funding to meet the specific needs of the project, with a maximum project period of five years. The program anticipates several rounds of funding, with applications reviewed periodically through 2028. The first submission deadline is February 5, 2025, with additional deadlines each June and October through January 2028.

Application requirements include completion of all NIH-mandated registrations (SAM, NCAGE for foreign components, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov) and adherence to NIH policies for electronic submission. Large budget requests (over $500,000 in direct costs annually) require prior NIH consultation six weeks before submission. Researchers are encouraged to use NIH tools for social determinants of health, such as the PhenX toolkit, to ensure comprehensive data collection.

Applications will be reviewed based on scientific and technical merit, including factors such as innovation, rigor, feasibility, and the qualifications of the research team. Additional considerations include the inclusion of protections for human subjects and animals, if applicable, as well as the adequacy of institutional resources. The NIH peer review process includes both a scientific review group and an advisory council review, with scoring based on project impact, significance, approach, and innovation.

Awardees must comply with NIH’s data management and sharing requirements and submit annual Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR). The Notice of Award, issued upon successful review, outlines the terms of the funding agreement. This funding opportunity aims to address critical gaps in healthcare for older adults in underserved populations, ensuring that research findings ultimately improve healthcare practices, reduce disparities, and support aging with dignity and autonomy.