PAR-25-378
Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)
Summary
PAR-25-378: Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R34 Planning Grant)
Research Focus
This funding opportunity supports planning and feasibility studies to prepare for future clinical trials testing interventions in Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations. Research may address health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, recovery, or services research across any health domain (substance use and addiction, chronic disease, cancer, mental illness, sexually transmitted infections, and others). Preparatory work should fill critical information gaps about study populations, recruitment challenges, intervention feasibility and acceptability, outcome measures, and operational risks. The program emphasizes that Native populations experience unique sociopolitical, historical, and environmental stressors (including historical trauma, poverty, and limited healthcare access) alongside community strengths and resiliencies that should inform intervention design. Planning studies must involve active engagement with tribal partners and communities to develop or adapt culturally appropriate, scientifically rigorous interventions and clinical trial protocols. Pilot testing of intervention feasibility, acceptability, recruitment and retention strategies, and trial design elements are in scope.
At a Glance
-
Who can apply: Institutions with capacity to conduct research with federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, state-recognized tribes, Urban Indians, or Native Hawaiian communities; must demonstrate meaningful tribal partnership and engagement.
-
Funding & project length: Not stated (consult NIH ASSIST or contact Scientific Officer for IC-specific amounts and typical R34 duration).
-
Award mechanism: R34 Planning Grant (clinical trial optional); companion R01 mechanism available under PAR-25-379.
-
Key dates: Open September 21, 2025; due January 7, 2026 and January 7, 2027; earliest start July 2026 and July 2027.
-
Best fit for: Researchers in public health, behavioral health, nursing, dentistry, environmental health, aging, child health, or complementary medicine seeking to develop and pilot-test culturally adapted interventions for Native populations before full-scale efficacy or effectiveness trials.
Key Facts
Deadline
Thu, January 7, 2027
Posted
Wed, January 22, 2025
Award / Year (direct costs)
$250,000
Max Total
$500,000
Max Duration
3 years
Keywords
Research Areas
Gotchas (3)
Native American population definition is complex and includes multiple categories (federally recognized tribes, state-recognized tribes, Urban Indians, Native Hawaiians, and descendants up to second g
90%
Source Text
“For the purposes of this NOFO, Native Americans are defined as people who are members of Indigenous Tribes and communities, irrespective of where they live or reside, that have been recognized as having a special political and trust relationship with the United States, including those Tribes, bands or groups terminated since 1940 and those recognized now or in the future by the State in which they reside. This includes members or up to second generation descendants of federally recognized Americ”
Active and meaningful engagement of tribal communities and tribal leadership is described as essential and required for successful intervention development. This is a core requirement, not optional.
90%
Source Text
“Active and meaningful engagement of tribal communities and tribal leadership is essential to successful intervention development, adaptation, testing, implementation, and dissemination and to accelerate the translation of findings generated by the proposed research into practice.”
The NOFO states that 'Not all NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) participate in all three NOFOs' and directs applicants to speak with Scientific Contacts to determine which NOFO is appropriate. This cre
85%
Source Text
“Not all NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) participate in all three NOFOs. Please speak with the Scientific Contact for the IC listed in Section VII below for the IC you wish to target to discuss which NOFO might be the best fit for your proposed project.”