Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 22 165
The National Cancer Institute (NCI), through NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement PAR-22-165, is offering R21 grant support for early-stage, exploratory research that tackles cancer communication challenges in todays rapidly changing information environment. The focus is on communication science as it relates to cancer prevention and control, meaning projects should connect communication processes and exposures to real behavioral targets and health outcomes, such as screening uptake, vaccination, risk reduction behaviors, treatment decision-making, survivorship behaviors, and related cancer outcomes. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," so applicants may propose studies that include clinical trial elements if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required.
The opportunity is organized around three main research domains. First, NCI is looking for work on new cancer communication surveillance approaches, especially research that tests the usefulness and practical application of modern methods for tracking and understanding cancer-related communication in the current media ecosystem. This can include studying how people encounter, interpret, and share cancer information across digital platforms, social networks, and mixed media environments, and how those information patterns can be measured reliably and efficiently for public health and research purposes. Second, the FOA encourages the development and testing of rapid pilot communication interventions. These are smaller, quicker studies that use innovative methods and study designs to prototype, refine, and get early evidence on communication strategies meant to improve cancer-related behaviors or outcomes. Third, NCI highlights the need for multilevel cancer communication models that explicitly consider two-way, bidirectional influence across levels, such as how individual beliefs and behaviors interact with family dynamics, clinical teams, community contexts, organizations, media systems, and policy environments, and how influences travel in both directions rather than only top-down.
Across all three domains, applications are expected to use one or more innovative communication research methodologies. In practice, that means applicants should go beyond conventional survey-only approaches when appropriate and consider methods that better match the new information ecosystem, such as designs that capture dynamic information flows, real-time exposure, network effects, platform-specific communication, or rapidly shifting narratives. The overarching expectation is that projects will advance how cancer communication is measured, modeled, or intervened upon, with clear relevance to prevention and control.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
At the same time, the FOA places firm limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed. In other words, the applicant organization and the work proposed under the grant need to remain within the allowable domestic scope.
This is a discretionary grant program under NIH, listed under CFDA 93.399, with an original closing date shown as 2025-09-07. The announcement does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided text, so applicants would need to consult the full FOA and NIH guidance for budget structure typical of the R21 mechanism. Overall, the opportunity is designed for creative, high-impact pilot and methods-driven studies that help NCI and the broader field understand and improve cancer communication in a media landscape shaped by digital platforms, rapid information spread, and complex multilevel influences.Apply for PAR 22 165
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Approaches to Studying Cancer Communication in the New Information Ecosystem (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.399.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-06-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-07. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NCI / NIH PAR-22-165 (R21)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is an NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) PAR-22-165 that offers R21 grant support for early-stage, exploratory research focused on cancer communication challenges in a rapidly changing information environment.
2) What type of grant mechanism is being offered?
The FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for early-stage, exploratory, and developmental research. Based on the provided information, specific budget details (award ceiling) and the expected number of awards are not included and would need to be confirmed in the full FOA and NIH R21 guidance.
3) What is the primary scientific focus of PAR-22-165?
The focus is on communication science as it relates to cancer prevention and control. Projects are expected to connect communication processes and exposures to behavioral targets and health outcomes related to cancer prevention and control.
4) What kinds of outcomes or behavioral targets should a project address?
Examples named in the opportunity include screening uptake, vaccination, risk reduction behaviors, treatment decision-making, survivorship behaviors, and related cancer outcomes.
5) Is a clinical trial required?
No. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning clinical trial elements may be included if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required.
6) What are the three main research domains highlighted by NCI in this FOA?
The FOA is organized around three domains:
- New cancer communication surveillance approaches
- Rapid pilot communication interventions
- Multilevel cancer communication models with bidirectional influence across levels
7) What does NCI mean by "new cancer communication surveillance approaches" in this FOA?
It refers to research that tests the usefulness and practical application of modern methods for tracking and understanding cancer-related communication in today's media ecosystem. This can include studying how people encounter, interpret, and share cancer information across digital platforms, social networks, and mixed media environments, and how to measure these patterns reliably and efficiently for public health and research purposes.
8) What are "rapid pilot communication interventions" in the context of this FOA?
These are smaller, quicker studies that use innovative methods and study designs to prototype, refine, and gather early evidence on communication strategies intended to improve cancer-related behaviors or outcomes.
9) What are "multilevel cancer communication models" and what does "bidirectional influence" mean here?
Multilevel models are expected to explicitly consider two-way influence across levels, such as interactions between individual beliefs and behaviors and factors like family dynamics, clinical teams, community contexts, organizations, media systems, and policy environments. "Bidirectional" means influences can move both ways (not only top-down).
10) What methodological expectations does the FOA set across all three domains?
Applications are expected to use one or more innovative communication research methodologies. The FOA emphasizes going beyond conventional survey-only approaches when appropriate, and using methods that better fit the modern information ecosystem (for example, capturing dynamic information flows, real-time exposure, network effects, platform-specific communication, or rapidly shifting narratives).
11) Does the FOA restrict applicants to any single research method (like surveys)?
No. The FOA explicitly signals that applicants should consider methodologies beyond survey-only approaches when appropriate, particularly approaches that can measure and model communication in a modern, fast-changing media environment.
12) What is the overarching goal of projects funded under this FOA?
The overarching expectation is that projects will advance how cancer communication is measured, modeled, or improved through interventions, with clear relevance to cancer prevention and control.
13) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad for domestic U.S. organizations and governments. Eligible applicants listed in the provided information include:
- State, county, city, or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Tribal organizations that are not federally recognized
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
14) Are any additional institution types explicitly noted as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly notes additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
15) Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
16) Can a U.S. organization apply if the project includes a non-domestic component?
Based on the provided information, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed. In practical terms, the applicant organization and the work proposed under the grant need to remain within the allowable domestic scope.
17) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.399.
18) What is the closing date listed in the provided information?
The original closing date shown in the provided information is 2025-09-07.
19) Does the provided information include an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The provided text does not include an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. Applicants would need to consult the full FOA and NIH guidance for typical R21 budget structure and any FOA-specific limits.
20) What kinds of projects does NCI appear to be encouraging overall?
The opportunity is designed for creative, high-impact pilot and methods-driven studies that help NCI and the broader field understand and improve cancer communication in a media landscape shaped by digital platforms, rapid information spread, and complex multilevel influences.
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