Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 23 004
The National Institutes of Health is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Time-Sensitive Research Opportunities in Environmental Health Sciences (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-ES-23-004). The purpose of this FOA is to fund novel, fast-moving environmental health research projects that can only be carried out when an unexpected event or a policy change creates a narrow and temporary chance to collect critical data. The emphasis is on situations where researchers need to gather human biological samples (such as blood, urine, or other biospecimens) or measure environmental exposures (such as air, water, soil, or household contamination) quickly, before the opportunity disappears or conditions change.
What makes this program distinct is that it is designed for research that cannot wait for the typical NIH review and award timeline. The expectation is that the project will require rapid review and rapid funding so the research team can move immediately to capture perishable information tied to a specific incident or change. The underlying motivation is to improve understanding of health consequences and exposure patterns linked to natural disasters (for example, hurricanes, floods, wildfires), human-made disasters (for example, industrial chemical releases, infrastructure failures), emerging environmental public health threats, and significant policy changes that affect environmental exposures or protections. The scope is explicitly broad enough to include research in the United States and internationally, recognizing that time-sensitive environmental events and policy shifts can occur anywhere and still yield valuable insights for environmental health science.
The award mechanism is the NIH R21, which generally supports early-stage, exploratory, or developmental research. Consistent with the title, clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, meaning applicants should propose observational, exposure assessment, biomonitoring, or other non-interventional human research designs rather than studies that assign participants to interventions or test clinical outcomes through trial structures. The activity categories associated with the announcement include education, environment, and health, and the referenced CFDA numbers are 93.113 and 93.143.
Eligibility is intentionally expansive to enable rapid mobilization by many types of capable organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility aligns with the real-world need to respond quickly to unfolding events, where local institutions, community organizations, government entities, and international partners may be best positioned to access affected populations and environments.
Key administrative details provided in the source include the sponsoring agency (NIH), the original closing date of July 7, 2023, and a creation date of January 20, 2023. While the provided text does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the core takeaway is that this FOA is meant to enable rapid, opportunistic environmental health research that captures fleeting exposure and biospecimen data tied to disasters, emerging threats, or policy shifts, producing evidence that would be difficult or impossible to obtain after the window closes.Apply for RFA ES 23 004
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Time-Sensitive Research Opportunities in Environmental Health Sciences (R21 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): 93.113, 93.143.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-01-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Time-Sensitive Research Opportunities in Environmental Health Sciences (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-ES-23-004.
Which agency is sponsoring this grant opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The purpose is to support novel, fast-moving environmental health research that must be conducted during a narrow, temporary window created by an unexpected event or a policy change. The emphasis is on collecting critical, perishable data before conditions change or the opportunity disappears.
What makes this FOA different from a typical NIH research opportunity?
This FOA is designed for situations where the research cannot wait for the standard NIH review and award timeline. It anticipates the need for rapid review and rapid funding so a research team can mobilize quickly to capture time-sensitive information.
What kinds of situations does NIH consider "time-sensitive" under this FOA?
The FOA targets events or changes that create a brief opportunity to collect data, including natural disasters (such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires), human-made disasters (such as industrial chemical releases or infrastructure failures), emerging environmental public health threats, and major policy changes that alter environmental exposures or protections.
What types of research activities are especially emphasized?
The FOA emphasizes research that requires rapid collection of human biological samples (for example, blood, urine, or other biospecimens) or rapid measurement of environmental exposures (for example, air, water, soil, or household contamination) while the conditions are still present and measurable.
Does this FOA support studies involving human participants?
Yes, it can support non-interventional human research approaches tied to exposure assessment and biospecimen collection, as long as the proposed work does not meet the definition of a clinical trial under this announcement.
Are clinical trials allowed?
No. As stated in the title, "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." Applicants should avoid proposing studies that assign participants to interventions or use clinical trial structures.
If clinical trials are not allowed, what kinds of human research designs fit this FOA?
Based on the description provided, appropriate approaches include observational studies, exposure assessment, biomonitoring, and other non-interventional designs focused on measuring exposures and related health-relevant data without assigning interventions.
What award mechanism is being used?
The FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which generally supports early-stage, exploratory, or developmental research.
What is the overall scientific focus area?
The focus is environmental health sciences, specifically studies that improve understanding of exposure patterns and health consequences linked to disasters, emerging threats, or policy changes that affect environmental exposures.
Is the scope limited to the United States?
No. The scope is described as broad enough to include both U.S. and international research, recognizing that time-sensitive environmental events and policy shifts can occur anywhere and still contribute important environmental health science insights.
What types of applicants are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is intentionally broad. Eligible applicants include many government entities, educational institutions, tribal governments and organizations, housing authorities, nonprofits, for-profits (other than small businesses), and small businesses, as well as additional categories specifically called out in the FOA description.
Are state and local governments eligible?
Yes. The eligible applicant list includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments.
Are public and private colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. The eligible applicant list includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
Are independent school districts eligible?
Yes. Independent school districts are listed as eligible applicants.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized are also included as eligible applicants.
Are nonprofits eligible, and do they need 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status are included, with the clarification provided that the nonprofit category referenced is "other than institutions of higher education."
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are listed as eligible, and small businesses are also listed separately as eligible.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are specifically called out as additional eligible applicant types.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included in the additional eligible applicant types.
Are non-U.S. organizations eligible?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are explicitly listed as eligible.
Does the FOA include special categories of eligible institutions?
Yes. The FOA description calls out multiple categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
What are the CFDA numbers referenced for this opportunity?
The referenced CFDA numbers are 93.113 and 93.143.
What activity categories are associated with this FOA?
The activity categories listed are education, environment, and health.
What is the key type of data this FOA aims to capture?
The FOA is centered on collecting data that is perishable due to timing, especially biospecimens from people and measurements of environmental contamination or exposures that may change quickly after an event or policy shift.
What kinds of environmental media or settings might be measured?
Examples provided include air, water, soil, and household contamination, reflecting a wide range of possible exposure settings following an incident or change.
Does the provided information include an award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The provided text does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date provided is July 7, 2023.
What is the creation date listed for this opportunity?
The creation date provided is January 20, 2023.
What is the central takeaway for potential applicants?
This FOA is meant to enable rapid, opportunistic environmental health research that can only be done during a short window, producing evidence that would be difficult or impossible to collect after the window closes.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA ES 23 004) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| NIH Medical Scientist Partnership Program (FM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 109 Funding Number: PAR 23 109 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CCRP Initiative: NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Translational Exploratory/Developmental Research Projects (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 139 Funding Number: PAR 23 139 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Limited Competition: Superfund Hazardous Substance Research and Training Program (P42 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 23 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| STrengthening Research Opportunities for NIH Grants (STRONG): Structured Institutional Needs Assessment and Action Plan Development for Resource Limited Institutions (RLIs) (UC2 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 144 Funding Number: PAR 23 144 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Tobacco Regulatory Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA OD 23 017 Funding Number: RFA OD 23 017 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR) High Throughput Sequencing and Genotyping Resource Access (X01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 184 Funding Number: PAR 23 184 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Time-Sensitive Research Opportunities in Environmental Health Sciences (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 011 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Biospecimen Access (X01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 229 Funding Number: PAR 23 229 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Senior Fellowship (Parent F33) Apply for PA 23 263 Funding Number: PA 23 263 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 237 Funding Number: PAR 23 237 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Early-stage Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 23 236 Funding Number: PAR 23 236 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R21 Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for PAR 23 299 Funding Number: PAR 23 299 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 23 285 Funding Number: PAR 23 285 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Center for Exposome Research Coordination to Accelerate Precision Environmental Health (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NR 24 004 Funding Number: RFA NR 24 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Emergency Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Awards (Emergency Supplement - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 24 201 Funding Number: PA 24 201 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 24 188 Funding Number: PA 24 188 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 24 187 Funding Number: PA 24 187 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) Apply for PA 24 189 Funding Number: PA 24 189 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Summer Research Education Experience Program (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 24 204 Funding Number: PAR 24 204 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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