Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Health Disparities in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), is forecasting the release of a funding opportunity titled "Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Health Disparities in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)." This funding opportunity is intended to be a re-issuance of the previously offered RFA-NR-24-005. It will be issued under the discretionary category and is supported by the assistance listing number 93.361, which pertains to nursing research. The primary objective of this grant is to support research that develops, adapts, and/or evaluates interventions addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural populations. The focus is on identifying strategies that can either mitigate the negative effects of adverse SDOH or enhance positive SDOH. Applicants are encouraged to design interventions that target organizational, community, or population levels. Projects can also include individual or interpersonal interventions as part of broader, multi-level approaches. Eligible activities include pragmatic and implementation studies, including hybrid effectiveness/implementation designs, as well as research evaluating the impact of events or policies on rural health outcomes—examples include hospital closures, changes in local infrastructure, or educational consolidations. These interventions may be newly developed or adapted from existing evidence-based strategies tailored for rural communities. A broad range of entities is eligible to apply, including state and county governments, Native American tribal governments and organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), small and other for-profit businesses, and public housing authorities. Applications should demonstrate meaningful collaborations and detailed project plans aligned with the goals of this funding initiative. The forecast indicates that the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is expected to be officially posted by June 13, 2025, with applications due by August 12, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be made by April 1, 2026, which also serves as the projected project start date. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement associated with this grant. Interested applicants may contact Karen A. Kehl, PhD, RN, at the National Institute of Nursing Research for further information via email at karen.kehl@nih.gov or phone at 301-594-8010.