Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information

Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.

Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)

Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO)

Funding Opportunity Title
Systems-Level Risk Detection and Interventions to Reduce Suicide, Ideation, and Behaviors in Black Children and Adolescents (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)
Activity Code

R34 Planning Grant

Announcement Type
New
Related Notices

None

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number
RFA-MH-21-186
Companion Funding Opportunity
RFA-MH-21-185 , R01 Research Project
Assistance Listing Number(s)
93.242
Funding Opportunity Purpose

This initiative supports pilot work for subsequent research to test the effectiveness of combined interventions to both detect and intervene to reduce risk of suicide and suicide ideation and behavior (SIB), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) specifically among Black children and adolescents. Applications should focus on developmental work that would enhance the probability of success in subsequent larger scale R01 projects. Research generating new information about factors causing/reducing disparities is strongly encouraged, along with due consideration for the variation in developmental needs across children and youth. Applications proposing definitive tests of an intervention/implementation strategy should respond to the companion R01 announcement RFA-MH-21-185.

Opportunities for detection and prevention in youth may occur at various points of contact across an array of mental health specialty and non-specialty settings. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites development of interventions and strategies that are designed to be delivered in typical service settings using commonly available personnel and resources, to enhance the future implementation of interventions that are proven effective, enhance their future uptake in diverse settings, and thereby reduce risk of suicide and self-harm. Given the importance of cultural, social, and contextual factors, the intervention under development should account for individual-, family-, community-, provider-, and organizational-level factors necessary to optimize effectiveness, feasibility, and rapid uptake, implementation, and sustained delivery, thereby accelerating the benefit to the population. The intervention should also improve connections to preventive and treatment interventions with proven effectiveness in reducing suicide and suicidal ideation and behaviors, with the goal of making these interventions more available, accessible, and more effectively delivered to Black youth, in a sustained and coordinated way. This FOA encourages pilot research focused on the development of systems-level interventions and is not intended to support development or testing of new screening tools, assessment instruments, or pilot studies for the development of individual-level preventive or therapeutic interventions.

This FOA is published in parallel to a companion R01 FOA (RFA-MH-21-185) which supports large scale tests of effectiveness and/or implementation of the type of studies described here. This FOA is focused on services interventions for use in settings that primarily serve Black youth; support for studies focused more generally on underserved youth is provided via RFA-MH-21-187 (R01) and RFA-MH-21-188 (R34).

Key Dates

Posted Date
April 16, 2021
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)
May 29, 2001
Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

30 days prior to the application due date

Application Due Dates Review and Award Cycles
New Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) AIDS Scientific Merit Review Advisory Council Review Earliest Start Date
June 29, 2021 Not Applicable Not Applicable October 2021 January 2022 April 2022

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of non-AIDS applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on the listed date(s).

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

No late applications will be accepted for this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Expiration Date
June 30, 2021
Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide,except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ).

Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions.

Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

Background/Rationale

Consistent with the goals of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, NIMH seeks to support research on strategies to reduce the suicide rate in the U.S. by 20% by the year 2025. The recently documented increase in SIB among Black children and adolescents underscores a critical need for early risk detection and effective prevention strategies focused specifically on these youth. As of 2018, suicide became the second leading cause of death in Black children aged 10-14, and the third leading cause of death in Black adolescents aged 15-19. Data from 2001 to 2015 suggest that Black youth under 13 were twice as likely to die by suicide as their White peers, with the suicide death rate among Black youth increasing faster than in any other racial/ethnic group. In response to these findings, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) convened an Emergency Taskforce that in December 2019 released a report, Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America, summarizing significant research findings and recommending research, practice, and policy approaches for addressing the crisis. In June 2020, NIMH, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and the NIH Office of Disease Prevention released a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) in Research on Risk and Prevention of Black Youth Suicide (NOT-MH-20-055) outlining priorities for research support. To complement that effort, this announcement solicits pilot work in preparation for larger scale studies to improve risk detection and test the effectiveness of systems-level interventions and services to reduce SIB and/or NSSI for Black youth and Black LGBTQ+SGL (Same Gender Loving) youth, with attention to developmental, cultural and linguistic issues that may contribute to improving outcomes.

Purpose

This initiative supports pilot work for subsequent research to test the effectiveness of combined interventions to both detect and intervene to reduce risk of suicide and suicide ideation and behavior (SIB), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) specifically among Black children and adolescents. Applications should focus on developmental work that would enhance the probability of success in subsequent larger scale R01 projects. Research generating new information about factors causing/reducing disparities is strongly encouraged, as is due consideration for the variation in developmental needs of children and youth. Applications proposing definitive tests of an intervention/implementation strategy should respond to the companion R01 announcement RFA-MH-21-185.

Intervention development should explore or incorporate individual-, family-, community-, provider-, and organizational-level factors where there is evidence that these may optimize effectiveness and rapid uptake, implementation, and sustained delivery. Connections to care should target treatment and services with proven effectiveness in reducing SIB and/or NSSI, with attention to factors that impact availability, accessibility, and fidelity of delivery to Black youth in a sustained and coordinated way. This announcement is not intended to support the development of new screening tools, assessment instruments, or individual-level preventive or therapeutic interventions.

Research Scope and Objectives

Developmental work supported under this FOA might include refining details of the intervention approach; examining the feasibility of novel approaches and technologies; examining the feasibility of data collection including administration of instruments, obtaining administrative or other types of data, etc.; enhancing the protocol for the comparison group and randomization procedures (if appropriate); examining the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants into the study condition(s); and developing and testing supportive materials such as training curricula. Therefore, collection of preliminary data regarding feasibility, acceptability, and engagement of intervention targets is appropriate. However, given the intended pilot nature of the R34 activity code, conducting fully powered tests of outcomes or attempting to obtain an estimate of an effect size may not be feasible. Applications proposing definitive tests of a systems-level intervention should respond to the companion R01 announcement: RFA-MH-21-185.

Pilot studies submitted to this FOA should be structured to inform future studies of whether and how the intervention strategy achieves detection of risk and engagement in care, and measurement of whether the intervention leads to reduction in SIB and/or NSSI in Black children and youth. Relevant pilot work might include preliminary assessment of the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of 1) measuring change in the targeted proximal factors (e.g., consumer-, or provider-behaviors, and/or organizational- or system-level factors); 2) measuring fidelity in delivery of the intervention; 3) measuring improvement in the intended outcomes in the population(s) served; and 4) any other factors that will strengthen the success of a future larger scale study and determine the mechanisms of action of the intervention.

For applications proposing clinical trials, the application/scope of work should be formulated following NIMH requirements for clinical trials and should address the following elements: 1) empirical/conceptual basis for the selection of the proximal targets of the implementation strategy, 2) plans for assessing preliminary changes in those proximal targets, and 3) plans for preliminary examination of whether changes in the targets are associated with more distal changes in clinical and functional outcomes that contribute to reducing disparities.

This FOA is intended to support research that reflects a deployment-focused model of services design and testing that considers the perspective of key stakeholders (e.g., service users, providers, administrators, payers) and the characteristics of the settings (e.g., resources, including workforce capacity; existing clinical workflows) where optimized mental health interventions and services are intended to be implemented. This attention to end-user perspectives and characteristics of intended clinical and/or community practice settings is intended to ensure that the resultant service delivery strategies are feasible and scalable, and to ensure that the research results will have utility for end users.

Opportunities for detection and prevention may occur at various points of youth contact across an array of mental health specialty and non-specialty settings, including, but not limited to: behavioral or primary health care settings, educational or vocational settings, family or social services, law enforcement and juvenile justice settings, religious or faith-based community settings, and residential or institutional settings. This FOA invites pilot work to develop intervention strategies that are designed to be delivered in typical settings using commonly available personnel and resources, to enhance the implementation of interventions that prove effective, enhance their future uptake in diverse settings, and thereby reduce risk of SIB an/or NSSI in this population.

Collaboration with multiple stakeholders (e.g., case managers, social workers, parole or probation officers, school personnel, peer-counselors, vulnerable youth and their family members, community program managers, policy leaders, etc.) can contribute to shaping interventions that can be feasibly delivered and have likelihood of rapid scale-up.

A variety of methodologically rigorous approaches may be indicated for the future study testing the impact of the intervention/implementation strategy being developed, and pilot work should be designed in support of the anticipated future study design. Approaches may include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental designs with non-randomized comparison groups, time series designs, and other designs of equivalent rigor and relevance. Pilot studies should be designed to inform and test the feasibility of the research design for a subsequent, adequately powered test of the intervention strategy (e.g., determining whether randomization is feasible), taking into account practical constraints, ethical issues, and the trade-off between maximizing internal and external validity.

It is anticipated that pilot work funded by this FOA will lead to larger studies that substantially contribute to the development of new, generalizable knowledge regarding strategies to reduce or eliminate SIB and/or NSSI in Black children and youths. Given this goal, applicants should propose pilot work that clarifies optimal and feasible approaches to measuring intervention mechanism of action and outcomes. Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose intervention strategies that identify factors that facilitate sustainability (e.g., utilization of existing personnel or realignment of responsibilities to facilitate implementation, effective financing strategies, response to staff turn-over, technological factors, etc.), scalability, and generalizability to other settings or geographic regions.

Examples of relevant research topics include but are not limited to:

  • Pilot studies to develop interventions aimed at patient-, family-, provider- and/or systems-level factors to address practical, systemic, and cultural barriers to/facilitators of risk detection, referral, and treatment, with attention to developmental factors in the targeted age group;
  • Pilot work to develop or adapt technology-based approaches targeting Black youth and/or Black LGBTQ+SGL youth for future tests of effectiveness in improving screening, detection and engagement in effective interventions to reduce SIB risk and improve outcomes;
  • Studies of the feasibility, usability and implement ability of approaches designed to circumvent barriers created by racial or economic disparities in access to evidence-based suicide prevention interventions;
  • Pilot studies to identify factors relevant to usability and integration of suicide prevention strategies into the workflow of typically available personnel in youth-serving settings - e.g., schools, pediatric health care settings, community or faith-based programs, social - or foster care services, police or juvenile justice settings, etc.;
  • Preliminary examination of provider-, organizational-, or systems- level factors to establish intervention targets and measures of target engagement (e.g., changes in staff behavior, flow of information, referral or follow-up patterns, etc.) to be used in future intervention testing.

NOTE For Clinical Trial Applications: Consistent with the NIMH experimental therapeutics approach, this FOA is intended to support studies that not only test systems-level intervention or strategy’s effects on the outcomes of interest, but also to inform understanding regarding the mechanisms of action. In the case of services interventions, targets/mechanisms might involve mutable consumer- or provider-behaviors, or organizational-/system-level factors that are intervened upon in order to improve access, continuity, quality, equity, and/or value of services. Studies adapting existing preventive, therapeutic, or services interventions to specifically target Black and Black LGTBQ+SGL children and youth should provide a justification for the unique targets to be tested. The application must include specification of intervention or strategy targets/mechanisms and assessment of intervention/strategy-induced changes in the presumed targets/mechanisms that are hypothesized to account for the intervention or strategy outcomes (see: Support for Clinical Trials at NIMH). In this manner, the results of the trial will advance knowledge regarding therapeutic change mechanisms and be informative regardless of trial outcomes (e.g., in the event of negative results, information about whether the service tool was successful at engaging its targets can facilitate interpretation).

Potential applicants are also strongly encouraged to consult with NIH staff as early as possible when developing plans for an application (see Scientific/Research Contacts, Section VII). This early contact will provide an opportunity to clarify NIH policies and guidelines and help to identify whether the proposed project is consistent with NIMH program priorities and the goals of this FOA.

Examples of studies that are not responsive to this FOA and will not be reviewed include applications in which:

  • There is insufficient evidence that the targeted setting(s) has/have the existing capital and human resources to deliver the intervention strategy.
  • There is insufficient evidence that the targeted setting(s) serve Black youth and/or Black LGBTQ+SGL youth.
  • The study tests strategies for identifying and connecting youth without ensuring that the interventions and services are appropriate and effective for SIB and/or NSSI.
  • The study focuses on developing new screening/assessment instruments, or individual-level preventive/therapeutic interventions, rather than evaluating services interventions for improving identification and referral/engagement.

Scale and Scope of Studies Covered Under this Announcement

This FOA supports pilot effectiveness research: to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, acceptability, safety and preliminary indications of effectiveness; to examine whether the intervention engages the target/mechanism that is presumed to underlie the intervention effects; and to obtain preliminary data needed as a pre-requisite to a larger-scale effectiveness trial designed to definitely test the effectiveness of interventions to reduce suicide in Black youth. A companion R01 FOA (RFA-MH-21-185) supports large scale tests of effectiveness and/or implementation of the type of studies described here.

It is expected that the interventions developed under this FOA will be relevant to settings that predominantly serve Black children and adolescents, or where the proportion of Black youth served who can be feasibly enrolled in the study will permit examination of the effectiveness for Black youth, specifically. Studies that are not focused specifically on Black youth but are focused on other youth experiencing disparities in mental health services and SIB and NSSI outcomes are supported through separate announcements, including RFA-MH-21-187 and RFA-MH-21-188.

Investigators are strongly encouraged to visit the NIMH Clinical Trial web page and consult with Scientific/Research Staff regarding grant activities that are appropriately matched to the stage of intervention research and study scope.

Applications with data collection plans that involve multiple respondent groups (e.g., clients/patients, therapists/providers, supervisors, administrators) should address provisions for human subject protections and consenting procedures for all participant groups, including special provisions for the participation of minors.

The NIMH has published updated policies and guidance for investigators regarding human research protection and clinical research data and safety monitoring (NOT-MH-15-025). The application's Protection of Human Subjects section and data and safety monitoring plans should reflect the policies and guidance in this notice. Plans for the protection of research subjects and data and safety monitoring will be reviewed by the NIMH for consistency with NIMH and NIH policies and federal regulations.

For additional questions, applicants are encouraged to contact the Scientific Program Staff listed in Section VII. Additional information regarding this FOA will be provided at the Technical Assistance Teleconference described below.

Technical Assistance Teleconference

A Technical Assistance teleconference will be held for potential applicants on May 3, 2021 from 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET. Please use the following link to access the webinar: https://nih.zoomgov.com/j/1615416783.

NIMH staff will be available to answer questions related to this FOA.

The NIMH has published updated policies and guidance for investigators regarding human research protection and clinical research data and safety monitoring (NOT-MH-19-027). The application’s PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information, including the Data and Safety Monitoring Plan, should reflect the policies and guidance in this notice. Plans for the protection of research participants and data and safety monitoring will be reviewed by the NIMH for consistency with NIMH and NIH policies and federal regulations.

Design, Analysis, and Sample Size for Studies to Evaluate Group-Based Interventions: Investigators who wish to evaluate the effect of an intervention on a health-related biomedical or behavioral outcome may propose a study in which (1) groups or clusters are assigned to study arms and individual observations are analyzed to evaluate the effect of the intervention, or (2) participants are assigned individually to study arms but receive at least some of their intervention in a real or virtual group or through a shared facilitator. Such studies may propose a parallel group- or cluster-randomized trial, an individually randomized group-treatment trial, a stepped-wedge design, or a quasi-experimental version of one of these designs. In these studies, special methods may be warranted for analysis and sample size estimation. Applicants should show that their methods are appropriate given their plans for assignment of participants and delivery of interventions. Additional information is available at https://researchmethodsresources.nih.gov/.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information

Funding Instrument

Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed
New

The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this FOA.

Clinical Trial?

Optional: Accepting applications that either propose or do not propose clinical trial(s).

Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The National Institute of Mental Health and partner components intend to commit an estimated $2.5M in FY 2022 to fund up to 4 awards in response to this FOA and the companion R01, RFA-MH-21-187.

Award Budget

Direct costs are limited to $450,000 over the R34 project period, with no more than $225,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year.

Award Project Period

The total project period for an application submitted in response to this FOA may not exceed 3 years.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this FOA.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions

  • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
  • Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

  • Hispanic-serving Institutions
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
  • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
  • Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

For-Profit Organizations

  • Small Businesses
  • For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Local Governments

  • State Governments
  • County Governments
  • City or Township Governments
  • Special District Governments
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)

Federal Governments

  • Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
  • U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

  • Independent School Districts
  • Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
  • Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
  • Regional Organizations
Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

  • Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
  • System for Award Management (SAM) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
  • eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number to register in eRA Commons. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration, but all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
  • Grants.gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time. This means that the NIH will not accept:

  • A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.
  • A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.
  • An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101)

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this FOA. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Letter of Intent

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

  • Descriptive title of proposed activity
  • Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
  • Names of other key personnel
  • Participating institution(s)
  • Number and title of this funding opportunity

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Email: nimhpeerreview@mail.nih.gov

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this FOA.

SF424(R&R) Cover

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Other Project Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

R&R or Modular Budget

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

R&R Subaward Budget

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Research Plan

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Research Strategy: Applicants should include the following sections as part of the Research Strategy. Applications should not duplicate information provided in the attachment described in the PHS Human Subjects Clinical Trial Information form, but may reference it to provide context as needed.

Significance:

  • Describe how the project addresses an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field and the rigor of the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project. Describe how scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice will be improved if the aims of the project are achieved. Discuss how the successful completion of the aims may change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field.
  • Address the potential impact of research, vis- -vis the target population, the interventions or services that will be optimized, and the potential reach/impact in the target clinical/community practice settings.
  • Describe how the pilot work will inform subsequent studies testing the effectiveness of intervention strategies.

Investigators:

  • Outline the study team expertise related to mental health service use issues by Black youth and/or Black LGBTQ+SGL youth.

Approach:

  • Where appropriate, describe how the developmental work includes: refining details of the intervention approach; examining the feasibility approaches, data collection, recruitment and retention of study participants, and development and testing of support materials such as training curricula.
  • If indicated, describe how the pilot work will preliminarily assess the feasibility, usability and acceptability of: 1) measuring change in the targeted proximal factors ; 2) measuring fidelity in intervention delivery; 3) measuring improvement in intended outcomes; and 4) any other factors that will strengthen the success of a future larger scale study.
  • Describe how the pilot work will support and strengthen the methodology anticipated in the future study (e.g., determining schedule for data collection, whether randomization is feasible, etc.)
  • Describe the steps of intervention development, the process for determining the intervention's initial degree of "fit" and the iterative process to refine the intervention. Describe plans to address relevant developmental, cultural, and linguistic issues.
  • Provide a clear justification for the experimental design chosen, a rationale for the choice of methods proposed and describe how the results will inform the next stages of research.
  • Describe plans to involve collaborations and/or input from community practice partners/providers, consumers, and relevant policymakers to ensure the results will have utility.
  • Consistent with NIMH's experimental therapeutics approach (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/messages/2017/an-experimental-therapeutic-approach-to-psychosocial-interventions), detail plans to explicitly address whether the intervention engages the mechanism(s) presumed to underlie the intervention effects (the mechanism that accounts for changes in clinical/ functional outcomes, changes in patient or provider behavior, etc.). Include the following: (1) a conceptual framework that clearly identifies the target(s)/mechanism(s) and the empirical evidence linking the target(s)/mechanism(s) to the patient-, provider- or system-level behaviors/processes that the intervention seeks to improve; (2) plans for assessing engagement of the target(s)/mechanism(s) using valid measures that are as direct and objective as is feasible in the effectiveness context, including the specific measures, the assessment schedule, and the justification for the assessment strategy (e.g., evidence regarding the validity and feasibility of the proposed measures in the effectiveness context); and (3) an analytic strategy that will be used to examine whether the intervention engages the target(s) and and conduct a preliminary examination of whether intervention-induced changes in the target(s) are associated with clinical benefit, as appropriate in the pilot trial. In the case of multi-component interventions, the application should specify the conceptual basis, assessment plan, and analytic strategy, as detailed above, for the target(s)/mechanism(s) corresponding to each intervention component, as appropriate in the effectiveness context.
  • For studies proposing adaptations of existing interventions, provide the empirical justification for the proposed adaptation.
  • Provide a rationale for the selection of suicide-related constructs and corresponding assessment instruments, and, if relevant, the time periods assessed, and the schedule for assessments. Describe provisions for clinical management when suicidal behavior is reported.
  • For studies that involve the assessment of patient-level outcomes, describe plans for the assessment of suicidal behavior and related outcomes using strategies that can facilitate integration and sharing of data (e.g., see NOT-MH-15-009 and https://www.phenxtoolkit.org/for constructs and corresponding assessment strategies), as appropriate, or provide a rationale for excluding such measures if they are not included. Accordingly, the application should provide the rationale for the selection of suicide-related constructs and corresponding assessment instruments (e.g., measures of ideation, attempts), the time periods assessed (e.g., lifetime history, current), and the assessment schedule for administration (e.g., baseline, during intervention, post-intervention, follow up), taking into account the nature of the target population, participant burden, etc. The application should also address provisions for clinical management when suicidal behavior is reported.

NOTE: Given the focus of this funding announcement, applicants should consider safe and ethical approaches in their study design. NIMH has published guidance on the conduct of research with participants at elevated risk for suicide with regard to safety and study design.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The following modifications also apply:

All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan

To advance the goal of advancing research through widespread data sharing among researchers, investigators funded under this FOA are expected to share those data via the National Data Archive (NDA; see NOT-MH-19-033). Established by the NIH, NDA is a secure informatics platform for scientific collaboration and data-sharing that enables the effective communication of detailed research data, tools, and supporting documentation. NDA links data across research projects through its Global Unique Identifier (GUID) and Data Dictionary technology. Investigators funded under this FOA are expected to use these technologies to submit data to NDA.

To accomplish this objective, it will be important to formulate a) an enrollment strategy that will obtain the information necessary to generate a GUID for each participant, and b) a budget strategy that will cover the costs of data submission. The NDA web site provides two tools to help investigators develop appropriate strategies: 1) the NDA Data Submission Cost Model which offers a customizable Excel worksheet that includes tasks and hours for the Program Director/Principal Investigator and Data Manager to budget for data sharing; and 2) plain language text to be considered in your informed consent available from the NDA's Data Contribution page. Investigators are expected to certify the quality of all data generated by grants funded under this FOA prior to submission to NDA and review their data for accuracy after submission. Submission of descriptive/raw data is expected semi-annually (every January 15 and July 15); submission of all other data is expected at the time of publication, or prior to the end of the grant, whichever occurs first (see NDA Sharing Regimen for more information); Investigators are expected to share results, positive and negative, specific to the cohorts and outcome measures studied. The NDA Data Sharing Plan is available for review on the NDA website. NDA staff will work with investigators to help them submit data types not yet defined in the NDA Data Dictionary.

Appendix:
Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:

If you answered Yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved? on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.

Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Delayed Onset Study

Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start).All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

PHS Assignment Request Form

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

See Part 1. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

4. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Policy on Late Application Submission.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

6. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

Important reminders:

All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH. See Section III of this FOA for information on registration requirements.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy. Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy.

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials:

A proposed Clinical Trial application may include study design, methods, and intervention that are not by themselves innovative but address important questions or unmet needs. Additionally, the results of the clinical trial may indicate that further clinical development of the intervention is unwarranted or lead to new avenues of scientific investigation.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? Is the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project rigorous? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

Does the application address the potential benefit of the research, vis- -vis the target population, the interventions or services that will be optimized, and the potential reach in the target clinical/community practice settings?

Will the proposed pilot work contribute to future studies testing models, theories, and conceptual frameworks of the intervention process that account for the available resources of the targeted care settings and the potential for cross-system collaborations? How likely is it that the proposed research will generate data that will lead to a firm conclusion about the feasibility of a regular research project grant or full scale clinical trial?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

Are the scientific rationale and need for a clinical trial to test the proposed hypothesis or intervention well supported by preliminary data, clinical and/or preclinical studies, or information in the literature or knowledge of biological mechanisms? For trials focusing on clinical or public health endpoints, is this clinical trial necessary for testing the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention that could lead to a change in clinical practice, community behaviors or health care policy? For trials focusing on mechanistic, behavioral, physiological, biochemical, or other biomedical endpoints, is this trial needed to advance scientific understanding?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or those in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

Does the study team include expertise in mental health service use issues related to Black youth and/or Black LGBTQ+SGL youth?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

With regard to the proposed leadership for the project, do the PD/PI(s) and key personnel have the expertise, experience, and ability to organize, manage and implement the proposed clinical trial and meet milestones and timelines? Do they have appropriate expertise in study coordination, data management and statistics? For a multicenter trial, is the organizational structure appropriate and does the application identify a core of potential center investigators and staffing for a coordinating center?

Innovation

Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

Does the design/research plan include innovative elements, as appropriate, that enhance its sensitivity, potential for information or potential to advance scientific knowledge or clinical practice?

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Have the investigators included plans to address weaknesses in the rigor of prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project? Have the investigators presented strategies to ensure a robust and unbiased approach, as appropriate for the work proposed? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? Have the investigators presented adequate plans to address relevant biological variables, such as sex, for studies in vertebrate animals or human subjects?

If the project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, are the plans to address 1) the protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion or exclusion of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults), justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Does the application adequately propose pilot work to develop systems-level interventions and strategies that improve systematic risk identification, coordinated referral to, and engagement and retention in quality care to prevent suicide, specifically among Black children and adolescents? Does the approach include attention to developmental, cultural, and linguistic issues that may contribute to improving outcomes?

Where appropriate, does the developmental work include: refining details of the intervention approach; examining the feasibility of approach, data collection, and recruitment and retention of participants; and developing and testing support materials such as training curricula?

If indicated, does the pilot work preliminarily assess the feasibility, usability and acceptability of: 1) measuring change in the targeted proximal factors; 2) measuring delivery fidelity; 3) measuring improvement in the intended outcomes; and 4) any other factors that strengthen the success of a future larger scale study?

Does the application include plans to involve collaborations and/or input from community practice partners/providers, consumers, and relevant policy makers in a manner that informs the research and helps to ensure the results will have utility?

Is the experimental design well-justified given this phase of research? Assess the rationale for the methods proposed and how the results will inform the next stages of research.

Is there an adequate description of the steps for intervention development/refinement? Is there a process for determining the intervention's initial degree of "fit" and an iterative process to refine the intervention for the target population and setting?

Does the study design preliminarily assess whether the intervention engages the mechanism(s) presumed to underlie the intervention effects, as appropriate to a pilot study? Are the plans for assessing target engagement/mechanism well-justified? Will data analysis preliminarily explore whether intervention-induced changes in the target(s) are associated with the intended outcomes?

Evaluate the rationale for the selection of suicide-related constructs and corresponding assessment instruments, the time periods assessed, and the schedule for assessments. Does the application address provisions for clinical management when suicidal behavior is reported?

For studies proposing adaptations of existing interventions for broader use, is the justification for the proposed adaptation based on relevant empirical data?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

Does the application adequately address the following, if applicable

Study Design

Is the study design justified and appropriate to address primary and secondary outcome variable(s)/endpoints that will be clear, informative and relevant to the hypothesis being tested? Is the scientific rationale/premise of the study based on previously well-designed preclinical and/or clinical research? Given the methods used to assign participants and deliver interventions, is the study design adequately powered to answer the research question(s), test the proposed hypothesis/hypotheses, and provide interpretable results? Is the trial appropriately designed to conduct the research efficiently? Are the study populations (size, gender, age, demographic group), proposed intervention arms/dose, and duration of the trial, appropriate and well justified?

Are potential ethical issues adequately addressed? Is the process for obtaining informed consent or assent appropriate? Is the eligible population available? Are the plans for recruitment outreach, enrollment, retention, handling dropouts, missed visits, and losses to follow-up appropriate to ensure robust data collection? Are the planned recruitment timelines feasible and is the plan to monitor accrual adequate? Has the need for randomization (or not), masking (if appropriate), controls, and inclusion/exclusion criteria been addressed? Are differences addressed, if applicable, in the intervention effect due to sex/gender and race/ethnicity?

Are the plans to standardize, assure quality of, and monitor adherence to, the trial protocol and data collection or distribution guidelines appropriate? Is there a plan to obtain required study agent(s)? Does the application propose to use existing available resources, as applicable?

Data Management and Statistical Analysis

Are planned analyses and statistical approach appropriate for the proposed study design and methods used to assign participants and deliver interventions? Are the procedures for data management and quality control of data adequate at clinical site(s) or at center laboratories, as applicable? Have the methods for standardization of procedures for data management to assess the effect of the intervention and quality control been addressed? Is there a plan to complete data analysis within the proposed period of the award?

Environment

Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

If proposed, are the administrative, data coordinating, enrollment and laboratory/testing centers, appropriate for the trial proposed?

Does the application adequately address the capability and ability to conduct the trial at the proposed site(s) or centers? Are the plans to add or drop enrollment centers, as needed, appropriate?

If international site(s) is/are proposed, does the application adequately address the complexity of executing the clinical trial?

If multi-sites/centers, is there evidence of the ability of the individual site or center to: (1) enroll the proposed numbers; (2) adhere to the protocol; (3) collect and transmit data in an accurate and timely fashion; and, (4) operate within the proposed organizational structure?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Study Timeline

Specific to applications involving clinical trials
Is the study timeline described in detail, taking into account start-up activities, the anticipated rate of enrollment, and planned follow-up assessment? Is the projected timeline feasible and well justified? Does the project incorporate efficiencies and utilize existing resources (e.g., CTSAs, practice-based research networks, electronic medical records, administrative database, or patient registries) to increase the efficiency of participant enrollment and data collection, as appropriate?

Are potential challenges and corresponding solutions discussed (e.g., strategies that can be implemented in the event of enrollment shortfalls)?

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan

When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults) to determine if it is justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following criteria: (1) description of proposed procedures involving animals, including species, strains, ages, sex, and total number to be used; (2) justifications for the use of animals versus alternative models and for the appropriateness of the species proposed; (3) interventions to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury; and (4) justification for euthanasia method if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Reviewers will assess the use of chimpanzees as they would any other application proposing the use of vertebrate animals. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

Not Applicable

Renewals

Not Applicable

Revisions

Not Applicable

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable.

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: (1) Data Sharing Plan; (2) Sharing Model Organisms; and (3) Genomic Data Sharing Plan (GDS).

Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources:

For projects involving key biological and/or chemical resources, reviewers will comment on the brief plans proposed for identifying and ensuring the validity of those resources.

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by NIMH in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.

Applications may undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.

Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this FOA.

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
  • Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
  • Availability of funds.
  • Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the recipient's business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website. This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this website.

The NIMH has published policies and guidance for investigators regarding human research protection, data and safety monitoring, Independent Safety Monitors and Data and Safety Monitoring Boards, reportable events, and participant recruitment monitoring (NOT-MH-19-027). The application’s PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information should reflect the manner in which these policies will be implemented for each study record. These plans will be reviewed by the NIMH for consistency with NIMH and NIH policies and federal regulations. The NIMH will expect clinical trials to be conducted in accordance with these policies including, but not limited to: timely registration to ClinicalTrials.gov, submission of review determinations from the clinical trial’s data and safety monitoring entity (at least annually), timely submission of reportable events as prescribed, and establishment of recruitment milestones and progress reporting.

Individual awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by, the NIH and are subject to the IC-specific terms and conditions identified in the NoA.

ClinicalTrials.gov: If an award provides for one or more clinical trials. By law (Title VIII, Section 801 of Public Law 110-85), the "responsible party" must register and submit results information for certain applicable clinical trials on the ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System Information Website (https://register.clinicaltrials.gov). NIH expects registration and results reporting of all trials whether required under the law or not. For more information, see https://grants.nih.gov/policy/clinical-trials/reporting/index.htm

Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Recipient institutions must ensure that all protocols are reviewed by their IRB or IEC. To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the awardee must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols.

Data and Safety Monitoring Requirements: The NIH policy for data and safety monitoring requires oversight and monitoring of all NIH-conducted or -supported human biomedical and behavioral intervention studies (clinical trials) to ensure the safety of participants and the validity and integrity of the data. Further information concerning these requirements is found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/hs/data_safety.htm and in the application instructions (SF424 (R&R) and PHS 398).

Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption Requirements: Consistent with federal regulations, clinical research projects involving the use of investigational therapeutics, vaccines, or other medical interventions (including licensed products and devices for a purpose other than that for which they were licensed) in humans under a research protocol must be performed under a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational new drug (IND) or investigational device exemption (IDE).

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Recipients, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS must administer their programs in compliance with federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age and, in some circumstances, religion, conscience, and sex. This includes ensuring programs are accessible to persons with limited English proficiency. The HHS Office for Civil Rights provides guidance on complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/provider-obligations/index.html and http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/understanding/section1557/index.html.

HHS recognizes that research projects are often limited in scope for many reasons that are nondiscriminatory, such as the principal investigator’s scientific interest, funding limitations, recruitment requirements, and other considerations. Thus, criteria in research protocols that target or exclude certain populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate with respect to the health or safety of the subjects, the scientific study design, or the purpose of the research. For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to NIH grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this FOA.

Please contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights for more information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil rights laws at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/index.html or call 1-800-368-1019 or TDD 1-800-537-7697.

In accordance with the statutory provisions contained in Section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417), NIH awards will be subject to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) requirements. FAPIIS requires Federal award making officials to review and consider information about an applicant in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS) prior to making an award. An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a Federal agency previously entered and is currently in FAPIIS. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgement about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 45 CFR Part 75.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants. This provision will apply to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements except fellowships.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not Applicable

3. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A final RPPR, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award, as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

In accordance with the regulatory requirements provided at 45 CFR 75.113 and Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75, recipients that have currently active Federal grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies with a cumulative total value greater than $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of a Federal award, must report and maintain the currency of information reported in the System for Award Management (SAM) about civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings in connection with the award or performance of a Federal award that reached final disposition within the most recent five-year period. The recipient must also make semiannual disclosures regarding such proceedings. Proceedings information will be made publicly available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS). This is a statutory requirement under section 872 of Public Law 110-417, as amended (41 U.S.C. 2313). As required by section 3010 of Public Law 111-212, all information posted in the designated integrity and performance system on or after April 15, 2011, except past performance reviews required for Federal procurement contracts, will be publicly available. Full reporting requirements and procedures are found in Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75 Award Term and Conditions for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues)

Finding Help Online: http://grants.nih.gov/support/ (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

General Grants Information (Questions regarding application instructions, application processes, and NIH grant resources)
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-945-7573

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Stephen O'Connor, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-480-8366
Email: stephen.o'connor2@nih.gov

Jennifer Humensky, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-480-1265
Email: jennifer.humensky@nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Nick Gaiano, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-827-3420
Email: nick.gaiano@nih.gov

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Tamara Kees
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-8811
Email:tamara.kees@nih.gov

Elizabeth Neilson, PhD, MPH, MSN
Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)
Telephone: 301-827-5578
Email: elizabeth.neilson@nih.gov

Christopher Barnhart, PhD
Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO)
Telephone: 301-594-8983
Email: christopher.barnhart@nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 75.


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