This initiative seeks to solicit applications for research projects that address the link between social disconnection including both objective social isolation as well as perceived social isolation (otherwise known as loneliness) and suicide in late-life. Emphasis is placed on research that identifies neurobiological and environmental mechanisms associated with social isolation and loneliness that increase risk for suicidal thoughts and behavior in late-life, that uses an experimental therapeutics approach to identify targets and develop and test interventions to prevent late-life suicide, and that develops new and modifies existing service delivery models to enhance social connection in late-life to prevent suicide.

PAR-25-066: Social disconnection and Suicide Risk in Late Life (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

Posted Date: November 18, 2024 Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): January 16, 2025 Expiration Date: September 08, 2026

Participating Organization(s): National Institutes of Health (NIH) Components of Participating Organizations: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Funding Opportunity Title: Social disconnection and Suicide Risk in Late Life (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Activity Code: R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Announcement Type: Reissue of PAR-23-239 Companion Funding Opportunity: PAR-25-067, R01 Research Project Assistance Listing Number(s): 93.242

Part 1. Overview Information

Related Notices:

• March 31, 2025: This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission.
• April 4, 2024: Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025. See Notice NOT-OD-24-084.
• August 31, 2022: Implementation Changes for Genomic Data Sharing Plans Included with Applications Due on or after January 25, 2023. See Notice NOT-OD-22-198.
• August 5, 2022: Implementation Details for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. See Notice NOT-OD-22-189.

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to encourage research that addresses the link between social disconnection in late-life and late-life suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Of specific interest is research that identifies mechanisms by which social disconnection confers risk for, and social integration protects against, suicidal thoughts and behaviors in late life. Mechanisms to be considered exist at multiple levels of analysis, including but not limited to neurobiological, behavioral, and environmental.

This NOFO solicits R21 applications, while the companion announcement PAR-25-067 solicits R01 applications. High risk/high payoff projects that lack preliminary data may be most appropriate for this R21 mechanism, while applications with preliminary data should apply to the R01 mechanism.

Key Dates:

| | Application Due Dates