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Early-Stage Dissemination and Implementation Research in Communication Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

National Institutes of Health · Opportunity RFA-DC-26-001

Who can apply

• State governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Special district governments
• Independent school districts
• Public and State institutions of higher education
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
• Public housing authorities
• Native American tribal organizations (other)
• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3), other than higher education
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3)
• Private institutions of higher education
• For-profit organizations other than small businesses
• Small businesses
• Others

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/International CollaborationsNon-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are eligible to apply.Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply.Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations. This new requirement was effective, May 1, 2025.Applications involving foreign subawards/subcontracts submitted in response to this NOFO will be deemed noncompliant and will not be considered for funding. This policy applies to all monetary international collaborations resulting in foreign subawards/subcontracts, however, it does not preclude unfunded international collaborations or foreign components, funding for foreign consultants, or procurement of unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors.

About this opportunity

The National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) intends to re-issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO, prior funding opportunity RFA-DC-24-008 to solicit applications for research on early-stage dissemination and implementation (D&I) in the NIDCD mission areas of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Much research is devoted to developing evidence-based innovations (EBIs) that improve a person"s health and quality of life. To impact people"s lives, EBIs need to be adopted in clinical practice and everyday life. Unfortunately, wide-scale adoption of EBIs is lengthy and rare. Dissemination and implementation (D&I) science is the field of research that seeks to close the gap between research and practice. Dissemination research is defined as the scientific study of the targeted distribution of information and materials about EBI to a specific audience (e.g., practitioners, patients, policymakers). The intent is to understand how best to communicate and integrate knowledge associated with a given EBI. Implementation Science refers to a broader array of active and planned efforts to integrate evidence into practice. Implementation research focuses on understanding why clinical and community settings are not adopting and sustaining a particular EBI. In turn, implementation research uses this understanding of barriers and facilitators to develop and evaluate different strategies (or collections of strategies) to increase adoption and integration of an EBI into practice. Many fields have applied D&I research theories, approaches, and outcome measures to improve adoption and sustainment of EBIs. This funding opportunity aims to support early-stage D&I research in NIDCD mission areas of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Resulting findings should set a sufficient foundation for a high-quality, D&I focused R01 in NIDCD mission areas. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the R21 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into D&I research in NIDCD mission areas are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in D&I and NIDCD mission areas will be encouraged and these investigators should also begin considering applying for this application.

Portfolio context — this listing covers more than this opportunity

This opportunity is funded under Assistance Listing 93.173 (“Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders”), a broad federal program that made about 263 new awards per year over the last five fiscal years (median award $430k). Those figures describe that whole portfolio — not this specific solicitation, so we don't show them as if they were this opportunity's track record.

Applicant counts per solicitation are not published by any federal agency — no one can honestly sell you that number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.

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