Patient Activation for Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 19 382

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 382

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Patient Activation for Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 19 382) is a discretionary grant program designed to support research on how patient activation affects the ability of individuals to manage chronic health conditions. In practical terms, it is looking for projects that examine the role of a patients knowledge, skills, confidence, and willingness to take an active role in their care, and how that activation translates into real-world self-management behaviors and outcomes for chronic diseases. The focus is on generating research evidence that clarifies why patient activation matters, how it can be strengthened, and how changes in activation influence health behaviors and results over time.

This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly intended for exploratory or early-stage research that can open up new directions, test innovative concepts, or produce preliminary evidence to justify larger future studies. The announcement is listed as "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose a study that includes a clinical trial, but they are not required to do so. That flexibility allows for a wide range of study designs, such as observational studies, measurement and methods work, pilot interventions, or small-scale trials, as long as the proposed work directly addresses the central theme: the influence of patient activation on self-management of chronic conditions.

The program falls under the broader activity categories of education and health and is associated with CFDA number 93.361. The award ceiling is listed as 200,000, which signals a relatively modest budget compared to larger NIH mechanisms and reinforces the expectation that projects are scoped for exploratory aims, proof-of-concept work, or tightly focused research questions rather than large multi-site definitive trials. The opportunity was created on 2019-09-17, and the original closing date is provided as 2023-05-07, which is important for determining whether the specific competition is still active or whether applicants would need to look for a reissued or updated announcement.

A notable feature of this announcement is its broad eligibility. Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, including state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities. It also welcomes applications from public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and various nonprofit organizations, whether they have 501(c)(3) status or not (as long as they meet NIH eligibility rules). For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, as are small businesses, along with other eligible entities. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized are also included in the general eligibility list.

In addition, the announcement explicitly highlights several categories of "other eligible applicants" to encourage participation from institutions and organizations that may serve specific communities or have particular missions. These include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; regional organizations; eligible agencies of the federal government; U.S. territories or possessions; and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are other than federally recognized. This emphasis suggests an interest in diverse settings and populations, and it aligns well with research that addresses disparities, culturally tailored approaches to activation and self-management, or community-engaged strategies that can strengthen patients ability to manage chronic illness.

The rules regarding foreign involvement are specific. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) and non-domestic (non-U.S.) foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply as applicant organizations. However, the announcement allows foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In NIH terms, that generally means a U.S. applicant organization may include certain foreign elements in the project if they are scientifically justified and meet NIH policy requirements, even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

Overall, this grant opportunity is aimed at advancing understanding of the pathway between patient activation and chronic disease self-management, supporting innovative and early-stage studies that can clarify mechanisms, test approaches, and generate evidence to inform future interventions and policies. It is structured to be accessible to many types of U.S. organizations, including academic institutions, community organizations, tribal entities, and governmental bodies, with a budget and scope consistent with the R21 exploratory research format.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Patient Activation for Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-09-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 19 382

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