Stimulating Innovations in Behavioral Intervention Research for Cancer Prevention and Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 018

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 018

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Stimulating Innovations in Behavioral Intervention Research for Cancer Prevention and Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PAR 18-018; CFDA: 93.399) supports early-stage, high-impact projects that aim to improve cancer-related health behaviors, with a strong emphasis on relevance to diverse racial and ethnic populations. The FOA is built around the idea that meaningful progress in cancer prevention and control depends not only on medical advances, but also on better ways to influence and sustain healthy behaviors across different communities, settings, and stages of the cancer continuum. Because this is an R21 mechanism, it is geared toward exploratory or developmental research that tests innovative ideas, generates preliminary evidence, and opens up new directions that could later be expanded through larger grants.

The program is specifically trying to stimulate innovation in four main areas. First, it encourages researchers to test new theories and conceptual frameworks that can better explain and predict cancer-related behaviors, especially in ways that account for cultural context, structural conditions, and real-world constraints. Second, it prioritizes the development and evaluation of novel intervention strategies, meaning applicants are expected to go beyond standard education-only approaches and propose creative methods that could meaningfully shift behavior. Third, it promotes multi-level and multi-behavior approaches, recognizing that cancer risk and outcomes are shaped by interconnected factors ranging from individual motivation and family dynamics to neighborhood environments, health systems, policies, and social determinants; similarly, it acknowledges that behaviors like diet, physical activity, sleep, alcohol use, and smoking often cluster together and may need coordinated intervention strategies. Fourth, it calls for innovative research designs, methodologies, and technologies, such as adaptive intervention designs, pragmatic or hybrid designs, rapid-cycle testing, innovative measurement approaches, or technology-enabled intervention delivery (for example, mobile tools, sensors, or other digital platforms), as long as the choices are well matched to the scientific question and target population.

The health behaviors of interest are clearly defined and centered on modifiable risk factors and adherence behaviors tied to cancer prevention and control. These include diet, obesity, physical activity and sedentary behavior, smoking, sleep and circadian dysfunction, alcohol use, and adherence to cancer-related medical regimens. Importantly, the FOA allows research to address any point along the cancer continuum, which can include prevention and risk reduction, screening and early detection behaviors, treatment adherence and supportive care behaviors, survivorship and long-term health maintenance, and potentially behaviors relevant to recurrence prevention or quality of life. It also allows projects across any phase of the translational spectrum, meaning studies may be more foundational and mechanistic or closer to real-world implementation, as long as the work is focused on behavioral intervention innovation and cancer relevance.

This announcement is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," which means applicants can propose studies that do or do not meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial, depending on what is scientifically appropriate for the project. In practice, that flexibility supports a wide range of potential projects, from formative work that refines intervention components and measures, to small-scale tests of intervention strategies, to pilot randomized studies, to innovative quasi-experimental or adaptive designs, provided the proposal aligns with R21 expectations for feasibility and innovation rather than large, definitive efficacy trials.

On eligibility, the FOA is broadly open to many organization types, reflecting an intent to encourage participation from diverse institutions and community partners. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other organizations. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories that underscore its interest in community and minority-serving organizations, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, eligible federal agencies, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth supports collaborations that may be necessary to design culturally responsive interventions, recruit diverse participants, and test interventions in the settings where people actually live, work, worship, learn, and receive care.

In terms of award parameters, the opportunity is a discretionary grant under the NIH R21 framework, with an award ceiling listed as $200,000. The original closing date shown in the source information is 2019-05-07, and the record creation date is 2017-11-15. While those dates suggest this specific listing may be historical, the summary of intent and scope is still useful for understanding what NIH sought to fund under this FOA: bold, theory-informed, methodologically creative behavioral intervention research aimed at improving cancer-related behaviors, designed with attention to multi-level influences and the needs of diverse racial and ethnic populations.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Stimulating Innovations in Behavioral Intervention Research for Cancer Prevention and Control (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): 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

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