NHLBI Program Project Applications (P01 Clinical Trials Optional) | PAR 21 088

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 088

The NHLBI Program Project Applications opportunity (P01 Clinical Trials Optional), Funding Opportunity Number PAR-21-088, is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant mechanism designed to support large, coordinated research programs that align with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute mission. It funds research on fundamental biology and disease processes involving the heart, blood and lymphatic vessels, lungs, and blood, with explicit inclusion of areas such as transfusion medicine, blood resources, and sleep disorders. The scope also extends to mission-relevant work in implementation science, health disparities, and translational research, as long as the overall program remains tightly connected to NHLBI priorities.

A central feature of this grant is that applicants must propose a minimum of three interrelated research projects that collectively address a single complex biomedical theme or overarching research question. The emphasis is not on assembling several independent studies under one umbrella, but on building an integrated program where the projects are scientifically connected, mutually reinforcing, and stronger together than they would be as separate applications. To support this kind of collaboration, the application may include shared core units when justified. These cores are intended to create efficiencies by sharing specialized resources, personnel, space, instrumentation, data capabilities, or other infrastructure that would be duplicative or less cost-effective if each project operated entirely on its own.

NHLBI frames the P01 mechanism as a way to accelerate discovery and progress by encouraging genuine collaboration and thematic integration. The institute’s rationale is that coordinated teams working on complementary aims can advance knowledge more effectively than a collection of unrelated projects that happen to be funded at the same time. In that same spirit, NHLBI signals particular interest in program projects that pursue new scientific directions, including topics, approaches, or investigator groups that may not have traditionally been supported by the institute. The announcement also highlights the program project setting as a training ground for leadership, giving emerging scientific leaders exposure to the responsibilities and structure of managing a multi-project research program. Relatedly, applicants are given an explicit opportunity to include at least one project led by an Early Stage Investigator (ESI), reinforcing the goal of cultivating new leadership and broadening participation.

Clinical trials are optional under this announcement, meaning applicants can propose clinical trial work if it is appropriate for the integrated program, but they are not required to do so. Regardless of whether clinical trials are included, every project in the program must remain clearly interrelated and must contribute to the shared central theme within NHLBI’s scientific mandate.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. 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; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions when categorized separately); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components are allowed as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means discrete project elements performed outside the U.S. can be included when they are well-justified and add unique scientific value.

Administrative details provided in the source data include the agency (National Institutes of Health), the activity focus (health), and CFDA program numbers listed as 93.233 and 93.837 through 93.840. The record shows an original closing date of 2023-09-25 and a creation date of 2020-12-02. The award ceiling and expected award count are not specified in the provided summary, indicating applicants would need to refer to the full FOA and NIH budget policy guidance for limits and expectations.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NHLBI Program Project Applications (P01 Clinical Trials Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-12-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-09-25. (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.

Apply for PAR 21 088

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