Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 18 854

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 854

The Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) opportunity (PAR-18-854) is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant designed to fund rapid, real-world evaluations of newly introduced policies or programs that could meaningfully affect obesity-related behaviors and outcomes. The central goal is to generate strong empirical evidence about whether a specific policy or program changes things like dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and/or body weight, with an emphasis on prevention or reduction of obesity. What makes this FOA different from typical research announcements is that it is built for situations where the window to study an intervention is unusually brief, such as when a policy is rolling out quickly, when implementation timing is fixed, or when baseline and early follow-up data must be collected immediately to produce a credible evaluation.

A defining feature of this announcement is its accelerated review and award timeline. NIH intends for selected applications to move from submission to award in roughly four months, recognizing that delays can make certain evaluations impossible or scientifically weaker. In exchange for this fast track, applicants must clearly justify why the opportunity is time-sensitive and why the research must begin with minimal delay. The application is expected to show that the setting, policy/program change, and evaluation plan create an uncommon and scientifically compelling opportunity that would not be available under normal grant review timelines. Because the aim is to capture fleeting opportunities, resubmissions are not allowed under this FOA, meaning proposals need to be complete and competitive the first time they are submitted.

The award mechanism is an R01 research project grant, but clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement. In practical terms, the work should focus on policy or program evaluation rather than testing a clinical intervention through a trial framework. Projects are generally expected to evaluate naturally occurring or externally implemented changes (for example, a jurisdiction adopting a nutrition-related policy, a school district changing food standards, a community implementing a built-environment program, or an employer rolling out a wellness benefit) and to use rigorous evaluation methods appropriate for policy research. While the FOA text highlights obesity-related behaviors and weight outcomes, it is fundamentally about understanding the impact of policy or program actions in real settings, often using quasi-experimental or observational approaches that can credibly estimate effects when randomization is not part of the design.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants 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; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, foreign involvement is restricted. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed. This means the applicant organization and the funded work must be structured to remain within the FOA’s domestic eligibility boundaries.

Administrative details in the listing indicate the agency is NIH, the funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category spans areas tied to health and related social sectors such as education, food and nutrition, health, income security, and social services. CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity include 93.393, 93.399, 93.847, and 93.865. The source data shows an original closing date of 2021-08-11 and a creation date of 2018-07-12. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided text, so applicants would typically rely on the full FOA and NIH institute guidance to understand likely budget expectations and fit.

Overall, this FOA is aimed at researchers and organizations positioned to move quickly and evaluate policy or program changes as they happen, producing timely, decision-relevant evidence about obesity prevention and control. The proposal needs to be built around the urgency and uniqueness of the evaluation opportunity, with a clear argument that the research cannot wait and that the methods will credibly measure how the policy or program influences obesity-related behaviors and/or weight outcomes in the population of interest.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01 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): 93.393, 93.399, 93.847, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-07-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-08-11. (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 18 854

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