Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 17 226
Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R21) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity designed to support early-stage, exploratory, or developmental research that can move geriatric palliative care forward. The central aim is to fund projects that create or refine new tools, methods, and models specifically tailored to the needs of older adults who may be living with serious illness, multiple chronic conditions, functional impairment, frailty, or complex care needs. Because it uses the NIH R21 mechanism, the opportunity is geared toward studies that test promising ideas, generate preliminary data, or demonstrate feasibility rather than large, definitive trials. The intent is to help researchers develop approaches that can later be scaled, validated, or tested in larger follow-on studies.
A major feature of this announcement is its broad view of where geriatric palliative care happens. It explicitly welcomes studies conducted across many real-world care environments, including hospitals and specific hospital locations such as specialty medical and surgical wards, intensive care units, and emergency departments. It also extends to post-acute care settings, outpatient clinics and physicians offices, patients homes and other residential settings, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospices, and other healthcare or community-based sites. This wide setting scope matters because older adults often move between care environments, and palliative care quality can depend heavily on how well care is coordinated across those transitions.
The FOA encourages flexible research approaches and is open to both new data collection and strong secondary analyses. Applicants can propose prospective studies, but they are also encouraged to analyze existing datasets and records, including health and medical records, claims data, and other data sources that can shed light on palliative care delivery and outcomes in geriatric populations. In practice, that means a project might involve mining electronic health record data to identify gaps in symptom management for older adults, evaluating patterns of healthcare utilization near the end of life, or studying how different care models affect outcomes such as comfort, caregiver burden, care transitions, and goal-concordant care. The announcement also signals that NIH is interested in efficient, resource-smart work by encouraging investigators to leverage existing cohorts, ongoing intervention studies, research networks, data and specimen repositories, and other established infrastructure. This emphasis makes it easier to propose a feasible R21 project while still addressing meaningful questions.
In terms of study design, the announcement allows a range of methods appropriate for developmental work. Observational studies are welcomed, as are quasi-experimental designs that can evaluate changes in care when randomization is not practical. Limited interventional studies are also considered appropriate when feasible under the R21 scope. Taken together, this means applicants are not confined to one methodology; they can match design to setting, data availability, and ethical or logistical constraints typical in serious illness research with older adults. The common thread is that the work should advance palliative care science by producing new approaches or evidence that can improve care for aging populations.
Eligibility is intentionally broad and includes many organization types that might contribute to geriatric palliative care innovation. Standard eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. This broad eligibility reflects the reality that palliative care research and service innovation often emerge from diverse clinical systems and community partnerships, not only from traditional academic centers.
Key administrative details from the source information include the opportunity title and identifier (Funding Opportunity Number PA 17 226), the funding instrument (grant), and NIH as the sponsoring agency. The activity categories listed include education and health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 93.307, 93.361, and 93.866. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. The record shows an original closing date of 2017-12-15 and a creation date of 2017-03-20, which is useful context for timing and for determining whether an updated or reissued version of the FOA is currently active.Apply for PA 17 226
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.307, 93.361, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-03-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-12-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R21)
1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R21).
2) What agency is sponsoring this funding opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
3) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is PA 17 226.
4) What type of funding instrument is this?
The funding instrument is a grant.
5) What NIH activity mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for early-stage, exploratory, or developmental research.
6) What is the main purpose of this R21 opportunity?
The central purpose is to support exploratory or developmental research that advances geriatric palliative care, including projects that create or refine new tools, methods, and models tailored to the needs of older adults with serious illness and complex care needs.
7) What kinds of older adult populations are specifically emphasized?
The opportunity emphasizes older adults who may be living with serious illness, multiple chronic conditions, functional impairment, frailty, or other complex care needs.
8) Is this opportunity intended to support large, definitive clinical trials?
No. Because it is an R21, it is geared toward studies that test promising ideas, generate preliminary data, or demonstrate feasibility, rather than large, definitive trials.
9) What kinds of outcomes or issues might an applicant study under this announcement?
Based on the information provided, examples include studying palliative care delivery and outcomes such as symptom management gaps, healthcare utilization near the end of life, and how care models influence comfort, caregiver burden, care transitions, and goal-concordant care.
10) Where can geriatric palliative care research be conducted for this opportunity?
The announcement takes a broad view of settings and welcomes studies across many real-world environments, including:
- Hospitals (including specialty medical and surgical wards)
- Intensive care units (ICUs)
- Emergency departments (EDs)
- Post-acute care settings
- Outpatient clinics and physicians' offices
- Patients' homes and other residential settings
- Assisted living facilities
- Nursing homes
- Hospices
- Other healthcare or community-based sites
11) Does the opportunity support research that spans multiple care settings?
Yes. The wide setting scope reflects that older adults often move between care environments, and the announcement highlights the importance of care coordination across transitions.
12) Are applicants allowed to use existing data rather than collect new data?
Yes. The announcement is open to new data collection and also encourages strong secondary analyses using existing datasets and records.
13) What kinds of existing data sources are explicitly mentioned as appropriate?
Examples of existing data sources mentioned include health and medical records, claims data, and other datasets that can inform geriatric palliative care delivery and outcomes.
14) Does NIH encourage leveraging existing research infrastructure?
Yes. The opportunity encourages investigators to leverage existing resources such as existing cohorts, ongoing intervention studies, research networks, data and specimen repositories, and other established infrastructure, emphasizing efficient, resource-smart projects.
15) What study designs and methods are considered acceptable under this FOA?
The announcement allows a range of methods suited to developmental work, including observational studies, quasi-experimental designs (when randomization is not practical), and limited interventional studies when feasible within the R21 scope.
16) Does the FOA require one specific research methodology?
No. Applicants can select methods that fit the setting, data availability, and the ethical or logistical constraints common in serious illness research with older adults, as long as the project advances palliative care science.
17) Who is eligible to apply for this grant opportunity?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, such as government entities, educational institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations, as well as other eligible entities specifically highlighted in the announcement.
18) Which government entities are listed as eligible applicants?
Eligible government entities listed include state, county, city or township, and special district governments.
19) Are educational institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible educational entities include independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education. The announcement also highlights multiple categories of minority-serving institutions as eligible.
20) Are nonprofit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligible applicant list includes nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status.
21) Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The announcement includes for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and also separately lists small businesses as eligible.
22) Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligible categories include federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments, and also Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized.
23) Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights faith-based or community-based organizations as eligible applicant categories.
24) Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The announcement includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) among the eligible applicant categories.
25) Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The announcement includes U.S. territories or possessions as eligible.
26) What other notable eligible applicant categories are highlighted?
Additional highlighted categories include 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), eligible federal government agencies, regional organizations, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
27) What is the maximum award amount listed (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
28) What activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The activity categories listed are education and health.
29) What CFDA numbers are associated with this funding opportunity?
The CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 93.307, 93.361, and 93.866.
30) What dates are provided in the record, and why might they matter?
The record shows a creation date of 2017-03-20 and an original closing date of 2017-12-15. These dates provide timing context and can help determine whether the FOA has been updated or reissued and whether it is currently active.
31) What is the implied next step if a team wants to run a larger study later?
The intent described is that R21 projects can help develop approaches that can later be scaled, validated, or tested in larger follow-on studies.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 17 226) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Core Infrastructure and Methodological Research for Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts (U01) Apply for PAR 17 233 Funding Number: PAR 17 233 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $1,250,000 |
| Mechanisms and Consequences of Sleep Disparities in the U.S. (R21) Apply for PAR 17 235 Funding Number: PAR 17 235 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN) (R01) Apply for PAR 17 240 Funding Number: PAR 17 240 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Mechanisms and Consequences of Sleep Disparities in the U.S. (R01) Apply for PAR 17 234 Funding Number: PAR 17 234 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Fostering Research Training and Education Programs for Native American Students at NCI-designated Cancer Centers (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 17 241 Funding Number: PA 17 241 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Avenir Award Program for Research on Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS (DP2) Apply for RFA DA 18 004 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate the Genetic Architecture of Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes (R21) Apply for PA 17 243 Funding Number: PA 17 243 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate the Genetic Architecture of Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes (R01) Apply for PA 17 239 Funding Number: PA 17 239 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Activities to Promote Research Collaborations on Immune-Related Adverse Events (APRC-irAEs) Associated with Cancer Immunotherapy (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 17 248 Funding Number: PA 17 248 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Collaborative Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mammalian Models for Translational Research (Collaborative R01) Apply for PAR 17 244 Funding Number: PAR 17 244 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Extracellular Vesicles and Substance Use Disorders (R21) Apply for PAR 17 242 Funding Number: PAR 17 242 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mammalian Models for Translational Research (R01) Apply for PAR 17 245 Funding Number: PAR 17 245 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Extracellular Vesicles and Substance Use Disorders (R01) Apply for PAR 17 250 Funding Number: PAR 17 250 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Expanding Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in the Context of the SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33) Apply for RFA DA 18 005 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Nasal Delivery of CNS Therapeutics (R43/R44) Apply for RFA DA 18 006 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Nasal Delivery of CNS Therapeutics (R41/R42) Apply for RFA DA 18 007 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Role of Myeloid Cells in Persistence and Eradication of HIV-1 Reservoirs from the Brain (R01) Apply for RFA MH 18 300 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 300 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Role of Myeloid Cells in Persistence and Eradication of HIV-1 Reservoirs from the Brain (R21) Apply for RFA MH 18 301 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 301 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Genomic Community Resources (U24) Apply for PAR 17 273 Funding Number: PAR 17 273 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| In Vitro and Animal Model Studies on HBV/HIV Co-Infection (R01) Apply for PA 17 280 Funding Number: PA 17 280 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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