Short Courses in Social Determinants of Health for Research Education in Nursing Research (R25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA NR 24 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NR 24 002

The funding opportunity "Short Courses in Social Determinants of Health for Research Education in Nursing Research (R25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Education Program (R25) grant sponsored through the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Its central purpose is to strengthen the research workforce by supporting well-designed educational activities that build practical research skills in areas aligned with NIH and NINR mission priorities. In this case, the emphasis is on expanding the capacity of nurse scientists, and researchers in closely aligned fields, to conduct rigorous research focused on the social determinants of health (SDOH), consistent with the NINR Strategic Plan. The program is positioned as a workforce development and skills-building effort rather than a mechanism for running clinical trials, and the announcement explicitly states that independent clinical trials are not allowed under this FOA.

The FOA is structured around two main activity types. First, it supports "courses for skills development," meaning short, targeted educational experiences intended to teach concrete, usable research skills. Second, it supports developing and implementing an organized program that prepares nurse scientists and related researchers to study SDOH. In practice, this points to curricula, short courses, workshops, institutes, or other structured training formats that help participants learn modern approaches to SDOH research, strengthen methodological competence, and improve the ability to design, analyze, and communicate research that addresses social and structural drivers of health outcomes. The overall intent is to complement existing academic and research training pathways by adding focused educational content that is immediately relevant to current biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs, particularly where SDOH intersects with nursing science.

A wide range of applicant organizations are eligible. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts. The eligibility list also includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant types that are often central to community-engaged education and research capacity building, such as faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations, as well as institutions that serve groups historically underrepresented in biomedical research, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, along with Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs). U.S. territories or possessions are also included among eligible applicants, which signals NIH interest in geographic breadth and in addressing SDOH across diverse communities and settings.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions related to non-U.S. applicants. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, the FOA allows "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning that while the applicant organization must be domestic, the project may include certain international elements if they meet NIH definitions and requirements. This distinction is common in NIH funding and typically allows specific collaborations, expertise, or activities abroad when justified, while keeping the award and primary responsibility anchored in an eligible U.S.-based applicant organization.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the education and health category, with Assistance Listing/CFDA number 93.361. The funding opportunity number is RFA-NR-24-002, and the original closing date listed is July 1, 2024. The opportunity information also lists an award ceiling of $250,000, indicating the maximum budget level expected per award under the terms of the FOA. While the record shows an "ExpectedAwards" field without a specific value, the presence of a defined ceiling provides a clear signal that applications should be scoped to fit a capped budget and should prioritize high-impact educational design, delivery, and evaluation within that limit.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as support for short-course style research education that meaningfully upgrades the field's ability to conduct SDOH-focused nursing research. Competitive projects will typically be those that offer a coherent educational plan, provide strong justification for the skills being taught, show how the course or program fills a gap in current training, and demonstrate a credible approach to evaluating whether participants actually gain the intended competencies. The emphasis on preparing nurse scientists and aligned researchers suggests that the content should be directly applicable to real-world research practice in SDOH, including the conceptual framing of SDOH questions, appropriate study designs and analytic strategies, and the translation of findings into knowledge that can inform practice and policy, all while remaining within the FOA restriction that independent clinical trials are not part of the supported activity.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Short Courses in Social Determinants of Health for Research Education in Nursing Research (R25 Independent 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): 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-01. (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 $250,000.00 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 RFA NR 24 002

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