NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 153

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 153

The NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Education Program grant mechanism (R25) designed to support science education and research education activities that align with NIH mission areas. The central purpose of this opportunity is workforce-focused: it funds educational efforts that complement and strengthen the training pipeline needed to meet the United States' biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. This particular funding announcement is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning applicants cannot propose projects that include clinical trials as defined by NIH policy; the work must stay on the education and research education side rather than testing clinical interventions in humans.

In practice, SEPA supports projects that improve science literacy, broaden participation in biomedical research, and build stronger pathways into research careers by creating or enhancing educational programs. While the specific program priorities and allowable activities are detailed in the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the framing emphasizes initiatives that expand educational access and quality, often through partnerships among schools, higher education institutions, community organizations, and research-intensive environments. NIH also points applicants to examples of active and past SEPA projects as a way to understand typical project models and expectations; these can be reviewed through NIGMS and the broader SEPA community sites (https://www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/crcb/sepa/Pages/default.aspx and http://nihsepa.org).

A notable feature of this opportunity is the strong encouragement for applicants to communicate early with the SEPA Scientific/Research Contact. That pre-submission conversation is meant to help an organization assess whether its concept fits SEPA program objectives and, importantly, the priorities of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), which is the NIH institute commonly associated with SEPA. This kind of consultation can help applicants avoid misalignment (for example, proposing activities outside the education scope or including elements NIH would consider a clinical trial).

Eligibility is broad and spans many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants listed for this opportunity 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 (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as permitted under the FOA. The opportunity also highlights categories of organizations that are specifically welcome as "other eligible applicants," including 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), and faith-based or community-based organizations. It also includes certain tribal and regional entities and U.S. territories or possessions, reflecting an emphasis on reaching diverse communities and strengthening education pathways across different regions and populations.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions related to foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, and foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. In other words, applicants must be U.S.-based and must structure the project so that it does not rely on foreign components as part of the proposed work.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary grant under the health funding activity category, with CFDA number 93.859, and it is offered by the National Institutes of Health. The funding opportunity number is PAR-20-153, and the record shows a creation date of March 30, 2020. The listed award ceiling is $250,000 (as presented in the source data). The source data also includes an original closing date of July 13, 2022, which indicates that applicants should verify the current status, deadlines, and any reissued or updated versions of the FOA on NIH or Grants.gov, since NIH opportunities are often renewed, amended, or replaced over time.

Overall, SEPA (R25) is best understood as NIH support for education-centered projects that strengthen the pipeline into biomedical and related research fields, frequently through partnerships and scalable educational programming, with a strong emphasis on alignment with NIGMS/SEPA priorities, broad organizational eligibility within the U.S., and strict prohibitions on clinical trials and foreign components.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-03-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-07-13. (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 $250,000.00 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.

Apply for PAR 20 153

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