Short Courses on Innovative Methodologies and Approaches in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA OD 21 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 21 005

The NIH opportunity titled "Short Courses on Innovative Methodologies and Approaches in the Behavioral and Social Sciences" (R25; Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number RFA-OD-21-005, is a research education grant designed to build and modernize the behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) workforce. It sits under the NIH Research Education Program (R25), which funds structured educational activities that strengthen national capacity in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research. In this specific announcement, the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), along with participating NIH Institutes and Centers, is looking for course-based training efforts that teach practical, high-impact methods that researchers can use right away and that are not already widely available through existing training programs.

The heart of the program is "Courses for Skills Development." The intent is to support short courses that help researchers gain cross-cutting methodological and analytic skills that can accelerate progress across many areas of BSSR. The FOA emphasizes innovation and broad usefulness: it is not looking for narrow, niche workshops that only serve a small specialty, but rather training that can benefit a wide range of researchers working across the translational spectrum. Example areas specifically highlighted include innovative data collection methods, new or improved analytic techniques, approaches for analyzing and linking big data, and study designs that are important but underused in practice. The underlying theme is speed and rigor: better methods, better analytics, and better study designs that allow behavioral and social science questions to be answered more efficiently and credibly.

A major review priority is whether the proposed course fills a real gap. Courses are expected to address an important educational need that is not already well covered by commonly available options. In other words, applicants need to show that the field is missing something and that their course meaningfully closes that gap. Another strong priority is reach and sustainability. NIH signals that it does not want a one-time in-person event that disappears when funding ends; it wants training that spreads and lasts. Applicants are expected to propose a plan to expand access during the project period and to keep the course useful after the grant concludes. The FOA explicitly anticipates that course content will be refined and improved over time, and that it will be packaged so it can extend beyond in-person attendance through reusable products such as recorded lectures, videos, slides, and other course materials.

This is an education-focused grant rather than a typical research project grant. It supports training infrastructure and skill-building activities rather than funding a standard hypothesis-driven research study. The "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" designation means the supported activity cannot include conducting an independent clinical trial as part of the proposed project. The work should remain centered on educational programming and dissemination of methods training, not on running clinical trials.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, special districts), independent school districts, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it places clear limits on foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed.

From the administrative details provided, this is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the National Institutes of Health. The award ceiling listed is $200,000. The opportunity was created on March 15, 2021, and the original closing date was June 4, 2021. Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the announcement (93.113, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.313, 93.398, 93.847, 93.865, 93.867), reflecting participation across NIH components and mission areas.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at building practical, high-demand methodological capacity in the behavioral and social sciences by funding short, skills-focused courses that are innovative, broadly applicable, fill a demonstrable training gap, and are designed for long-term impact through scalable and reusable training materials.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Short Courses on Innovative Methodologies and Approaches in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.313, 93.398, 93.847, 93.865, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-06-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

Apply for RFA OD 21 005

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