Atom | Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

Funder: National Institutes of Health

Funding Amounts: Up to $275,000 direct costs over 2 years; no more than $200,000 in any single year; maximum project period is 2 years.

Summary: Supports research to identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the dissemination, implementation, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based health interventions, including de-implementation of ineffective or harmful practices.

Key Information: Clinical trials are optional; foreign and domestic applicants are eligible; all applications must align with the mission of a participating NIH Institute/Center.

Description

This opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports studies that advance the science of dissemination and implementation (D&I) in health. The focus is on identifying, developing, and/or testing strategies to overcome barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, practices, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies. The program also encourages research on de-implementation—reducing or stopping the use of ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful practices.

Projects may address equitable dissemination and implementation among underrepresented or underserved communities, and may also develop or refine D&I research methods and measures. The R21 mechanism is intended for exploratory or developmental projects, including pilot studies, methodological innovations, and early-stage research.

Applications must be within the mission of at least one of the participating NIH Institutes or Centers. Both clinical trial and non-clinical trial applications are accepted.

Due Dates

Standard NIH due dates apply.
- Next upcoming deadlines:
  - June 16, 2025 (New applications)
  - July 16, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
  - September 7, 2025 (AIDS-related applications)
  - October 16, 2025 (New applications)
  - November 16, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
  - January 7, 2026 (AIDS-related applications)
- These cycles repeat through January 2028.
Letter of Intent: 30 days prior to application due date.
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.

Funding Amount

Direct Costs: Up to $275,000 over a two-year project period.
- No more than $200,000 in direct costs may be requested in any single year.
Project Period: Maximum of 2 years.
Number of Awards: Contingent on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications.
No cost sharing required.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:
- Higher education institutions (public, private, domestic, and foreign)
- Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal governments and organizations (federally recognized and other)
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories and possessions
- Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and components of U.S. organizations
- Eligible agencies of the federal government
Individuals: Any with the skills, knowledge, and resources to carry out the proposed research.
Multiple applications: Allowed if each is scientifically distinct.
Foreign organizations: Eligible to apply.

Application Process

Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or an institutional system-to-system solution.
Required Registrations: SAM, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, and (for foreign organizations) NCAGE code.
Application Forms: Use the SF424 (R&R) package and follow the NIH How to Apply - Application Guide.
Research Plan: Must address the significance, innovation, and approach, with clear justification for the D&I strategy and alignment with the mission of a participating NIH Institute/Center.
Data Management and Sharing Plan: Required for all applications generating scientific data.
Clinical Trials: Optional; applicants must follow NIH clinical trial policies if proposing a trial.
Review Criteria: Scientific merit, innovation, feasibility, investigator expertise, and relevance to NIH priorities.

Additional Information

Scope: Projects may include pilot testing of implementation strategies, economic evaluations, development of D&I measures, studies of de-implementation, and methodological innovations.
Non-responsive applications: Proposals testing new therapies, diagnostics, or efficacy trials are not responsive.
Participating NIH Institutes/Centers: Multiple, including NCI, NIMH, NIA, NIDCR, NINR, NIMHD, NIAID, and others. Applicants are encouraged to contact program staff for alignment.
Companion Opportunities: R01 (PAR-25-144) and R03 (PAR-25-233) mechanisms are also available for related research.

External Links

Contact Information

Type	Name/Title	Institute/Center	Email	Phone
Scientific/Research	Gila Neta, PhD	NCI	Gila.Neta@nih.gov	240-276-6785
Scientific/Research	Lori Ducharme	NIDA	lori.ducharme@nih.gov	301-827-6331
Scientific/Research	Rebecca Mandt, PhD	NIAID	rebecca.mandt@nih.gov	301-435-7695
Scientific/Research	Elizabeth L. Neilson, PhD	ODP	Elizabeth.Neilson@nih.gov	301-827-5578
Scientific/Research	Holly Lynn Storkel	NIDCD	holly.storkel@nih.gov	301-451-6842
Scientific/Research	Faye H Chen, PhD	NIAMS	chenf1@mail.nih.gov	301-594-5055
Scientific/Research	Mary Acri, PhD	NIMH	mary.acri@nih.gov	301-910-8230
Scientific/Research	Alanna Kulchak Rahm, PhD	NHGRI	alanna.kulchakrahm@nih.gov
Scientific/Research	Karen A. Kehl, PhD, RN	NINR	karen.kehl@nih.gov	301-594-8010
Scientific/Research	Brian Meier, PhD	NIDCR	brian.meier@nih.gov	301-480-0616
Scientific/Research	Jennifer N. Baumgartner, PhD	NCCIH	jennifer.baumgartner@nih.gov	301-402-4084
Scientific/Research	Crystal Barksdale, PhD, MPH	NIMHD	crystal.barksdale@nih.gov	301-402-1366
Scientific/Research	Sheila Caldwell, PhD	THRO	caldwells@mail.nih.gov	301-480-3527
Grants Info	NIH Grants Information	NIH	grantsinfo@nih.gov	301-480-7075
Grants.gov Support	Grants.gov Customer Support		support@grants.gov	800-518-4726

For additional contacts (including financial/grants management), see the full NIH FOA contact list.