High-Priority Behavioral and Social Research Networks in Alzheimers Disease and Alzheimers Disease-Related Dementias (R24 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA AG 22 012

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 22 012

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced this discretionary grant opportunity, RFA-AG-22-012, titled "High-Priority Behavioral and Social Research Networks in Alzheimers Disease and Alzheimers Disease-Related Dementias (R24 Clinical Trial Optional)." It uses the R24 research infrastructure mechanism and sits within the health funding category (CFDA 93.866). The basic intent is to build or strengthen collaborative networks and the supporting infrastructure needed to accelerate behavioral and social research focused on Alzheimers disease and Alzheimers disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD). A key theme is not simply funding isolated projects, but creating coordinated, network-based capacity that makes future studies easier to launch, more comparable across sites, and more useful for the broader research community.

This FOA emphasizes four major goals. First, it aims to develop new research and research infrastructure through networks devoted to behavioral and social science questions in AD/ADRD, which can include shared resources, coordinated methods, and cross-institution collaboration. Second, it explicitly seeks to attract new researchers into behavioral and social AD/ADRD research, meaning the networks are expected to lower barriers for entry, expand participation, and help cultivate investigators who may not traditionally work in dementia research. Third, it calls for a strong and intentional focus on health disparities, pushing applicants to build networks that can better study, understand, and ultimately reduce inequities in AD/ADRD risk, diagnosis, caregiving burden, access to services, and outcomes across different populations. Fourth, it targets persistent field-wide needs around harmonization and biomarker collection in large population panel studies, reflecting recommendations from the 2019 Behavioral and Social Research (BSR) National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) review. In practical terms, this means NIH is encouraging networks to help align measures across studies (so results can be compared or combined) and to improve how biomarker data are collected or integrated within large, longitudinal, population-based panels that are especially valuable for tracking aging and dementia-related change over time.

The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," which generally signals that applicants may propose work that includes a clinical trial, but they are not required to do so. This is consistent with an infrastructure-building R24 approach where the core deliverable is often a functioning network, common protocols, shared measures, recruitment and engagement systems, and data and specimen strategies that can support multiple future research projects, some of which may involve trials.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education as a category distinction); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible groups 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it places clear limits on foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined by NIH policy, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant organization can include certain justified foreign collaborations or activities if they fit NIH rules.

Key administrative details provided include an original closing date of 2021-06-23 and a stated award ceiling of $250,000. The listing also notes that expected awards are not specified in the provided source data. Overall, this FOA is best understood as NIH investing in the connective tissue of the behavioral and social science AD/ADRD research ecosystem: building networks that expand the workforce, center health disparities, improve cross-study comparability, and strengthen biomarker and harmonization capabilities in large population-based research platforms, in line with the priorities outlined by the 2019 BSR NACA review.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "High-Priority Behavioral and Social Research Networks in Alzheimers Disease and Alzheimers Disease-Related Dementias (R24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-06-23. (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 AG 22 012

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