Improving oral health and reducing disparities in adolescents (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 059

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 059

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Improving oral health and reducing disparities in adolescents (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" under Funding Opportunity Number PAR 20-059 (CFDA 93.121). The grant uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed to support exploratory and developmental research projects that test new ideas, generate early evidence, and build a foundation for future, larger studies. A key restriction is that clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, meaning applicants should propose research that advances knowledge and innovation without conducting an NIH-defined clinical trial.

The central goal of the announcement is to improve oral health outcomes for adolescents in the United States and to reduce persistent oral health disparities and inequities affecting this age group. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, adolescents are explicitly defined as individuals aged 10 through 19. Projects should be oriented toward understanding and addressing why inequities exist, developing or refining approaches that could reduce those gaps, and producing insights that can ultimately lead to better oral health for teens across diverse communities. The emphasis on disparities signals interest in work that considers social, structural, geographic, cultural, and access-related factors that contribute to uneven burdens of oral disease and uneven access to preventive and treatment services.

A wide range of applicants are eligible, reflecting NIH interest in research that can be led by universities as well as organizations embedded in communities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; and independent school districts. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education. Various tribal entities can apply, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity is also open to public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and additional categories captured under "Others." The announcement also highlights as eligible: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI); 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; Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized; and U.S. territories or possessions. This broad eligibility is meant to encourage research that is both scientifically strong and grounded in the settings where adolescents live, learn, and receive care.

There are important limits related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities 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. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S.-based applicant may include certain foreign activities or collaborations when they are scientifically justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though foreign institutions cannot serve as the primary applicant.

This opportunity was created on November 18, 2019, and the original closing date listed is January 7, 2023. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided source data, so applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for R21 awards to understand allowable project periods and budget limits, along with any institute-specific expectations tied to this announcement. Overall, the program is aimed at sparking early-stage, high-potential research that can lead to practical strategies and stronger evidence for improving adolescent oral health and closing inequity gaps across the United States, without conducting clinical trials within the scope of this specific R21 announcement.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving oral health and reducing disparities in adolescents (R21 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): 93.121.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-11-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-01-07. (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 20 059

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