Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01) Clinical Trials Optional | PAR 18 352

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 352

The Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01) Clinical Trials Optional funding opportunity (NIH FOA number PAR-18-352) is a discretionary grant program designed to strengthen the scientific tools used across behavioral and social science research. The central aim is not to fund a particular health or education topic area, but to push forward the methods researchers rely on to study people, behavior, and social systems. Applications are expected to focus on developing, improving, or rigorously testing innovations in research design, measurement, data collection, and data analysis. In practice, that can include creating new instruments or refining existing ones, improving how variables are operationalized, increasing measurement reliability and validity across populations and settings, introducing more efficient or less biased sampling or data capture strategies, or proposing analytic approaches that better handle issues like missing data, causal inference challenges, multilevel structure, longitudinal change, rare events, or measurement error.

This is an R01 mechanism, meaning it is intended for substantial, hypothesis-driven or well-justified research projects with enough scope to produce broadly useful methodological advances. The “Clinical Trials Optional” designation signals that applicants may propose a clinical trial if it is appropriate for the methodological work being done, but a clinical trial is not required. This allows projects that are purely methodological (for example, simulation studies, secondary analyses, validation studies, or development of new statistical techniques) as well as projects that embed method development inside an intervention or experimental framework when that is the best way to evaluate performance and real-world utility.

Eligibility is intentionally broad to encourage participation from many sectors that conduct or support behavioral and social science research. Standard eligible applicants include state, county, and 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 other than federally recognized governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education when applicable); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations that meet NIH eligibility rules. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal government agencies; U.S. territories or possessions; regional organizations; Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized; and non-U.S. (foreign) entities. The wide eligibility language is consistent with NIH’s goal of fostering methodological advances that can be adopted across disciplines and in diverse communities and research environments.

The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the activity is categorized under education and health, reflecting the cross-cutting relevance of improved behavioral and social science methods to public health, healthcare delivery, prevention, and education outcomes. The FOA lists multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.213, 93.273, 93.313, 93.399, 93.853, 93.866, 93.867, 93.939), indicating that multiple NIH institutes and centers may participate or that awards may align with several NIH program areas. The source information provided notes an original closing date of 2019-09-07 and a creation date of 2017-11-21; applicants would typically confirm current submission dates, budgets, and active status via NIH/Grants.gov records if pursuing a similar or reissued opportunity.

Overall, this opportunity supports work that improves how behavioral and social science is done: better study designs, stronger measurement, more accurate and inclusive data collection, and more credible and powerful analytic strategies. The expected end product is methodology that other researchers can use, adapt, or build on, leading to more rigorous, reproducible, and meaningful findings across behavioral and social science research domains.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01) Clinical Trials Optional" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.273, 93.313, 93.399, 93.853, 93.866, 93.867, 93.939.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-09-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 18 352

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