Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 25 143

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 143

Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR 25-143) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity that supports early-stage, exploratory projects focused on improving how proven health interventions actually get used in real-world settings. The core aim is to fund studies that identify, develop, and/or test practical strategies to overcome common barriers that prevent evidence-based interventions, programs, tools, clinical treatments, guidelines, and policies from being adopted, adapted appropriately to local contexts, integrated into routine practice, scaled up to reach more people, and sustained over time. In other words, the FOA is less about discovering a brand-new intervention and more about closing the gap between what research shows works and what health systems, communities, and organizations can realistically implement and maintain.

A strong emphasis is placed on equity. The FOA explicitly encourages projects that improve equitable dissemination and implementation of evidence-based approaches in underrepresented and historically underserved communities. That can include research on tailoring implementation strategies to address structural barriers (such as access, trust, language, geography, workforce limitations, or resource constraints), partnering with community organizations, and designing implementation plans that reduce disparities rather than unintentionally widening them. The intent is to produce knowledge that helps interventions reach the people and places that have often been left out of the benefits of medical and public health advances.

Another major theme is de-implementation: understanding when and how to stop, reduce, or replace practices that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. Many health systems struggle not only with adopting what works, but also with letting go of outdated or wasteful routines. This FOA welcomes studies that examine the conditions that allow low-value practices to persist, and that test strategies for safely and effectively reducing their use while maintaining quality, safety, and patient-centered care.

The announcement also invites research that advances dissemination and implementation (D and I) science itself, including improved methods and measures. That can mean developing better ways to assess implementation outcomes (for example, acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, reach, adoption, sustainability, cost, or equity impacts), refining study designs for real-world implementation questions, and improving measurement tools that capture what happens as interventions move across settings. The overall goal is to strengthen the field so that future implementation studies are more rigorous, comparable, and useful to decision-makers.

This is an R21 mechanism, meaning it is typically intended for exploratory or developmental projects that generate early evidence, pilot-test implementation strategies, or establish proof of concept. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," indicating applicants may propose a study that includes a clinical trial component if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required. Applications must fit within the mission area of one of the participating NIH Institutes or Centers associated with the announcement, so the scientific topic and health domain should clearly align with an NIH mission and portfolio.

Eligibility is broad and includes many public and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The FOA also highlights other eligible applicant types 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 agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This wide eligibility is consistent with the real-world nature of D and I research, which often requires partnerships across health systems, public agencies, community organizations, and academic groups.

From the posted opportunity data, the sponsoring agency is NIH, the funding instrument type is a grant, and the opportunity is categorized as discretionary. The activity category spans education, environment, health, and income security and social services, reflecting how implementation challenges often sit at the intersection of healthcare delivery and broader community and social systems. The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (including 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.310, 93.361, 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, 93.855, 93.865, 93.866, 93.989), which signals participation by multiple NIH components and a wide range of possible topic areas. The opportunity lists an original closing date of 2028-01-07, and it was created on 2024-10-31. An award ceiling and expected awards are not specified in the provided listing, so applicants would typically refer to the full FOA text and NIH policy guidance for budget and award expectation details.

Overall, this FOA is aimed at teams that want to tackle the practical, on-the-ground questions that determine whether evidence-based health solutions actually make a difference at scale: what implementation strategies work, for whom, in which settings, under what constraints, and how systems can both adopt effective practices and retire ineffective ones, while keeping equity front and center.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.310, 93.361, 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, 93.855, 93.865, 93.866, 93.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-01-07.
• 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 25 143

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: