An official website of the United States government
July 2024
Director's Spotlight
Delivering effective policies and programs that benefit all Americans means using every tool at our disposal. Specifically, integrating social and behavioral sciences is critical for federal policies and programs to achieve their intended outcomes. In January 2021, the White House issued a memo to champion evidence-based policy decisions guided by the best available science and data.
To that end, I have been co-chairing the rechartered Subcommittee on Social and Behavioral Sciences of the Committee on Science, National Science and Technology Council, along with Dr. Kaye Husbands Fealing (Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences) and Dr. Steve Newell (Assistant Director for Innovation and Equity at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy). Dr. William Klein (Associate Director of the National Cancer Institute [NCI] Behavioral Research Program) serves as the Executive Secretary.
The Committee authored the Blueprint for the Use of Social and Behavioral Science to Advance Evidence-Based Policymaking , which the White House released in May 2024. The Blueprint is a resource to assist federal decision-makers in leveraging social and behavioral sciences to improve policy and program design and delivery.
Upcoming Events
NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee (BSSR-CC) Open Meeting
August 2, 2024, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. ET
2024 NIH OBSSR Director’s Webinar Series with Emily Wang, M.D., M.A.S.
September 17, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET
News
Biden Administration Announces $27.5 Million in Funding Opportunities to Enhance Women’s Behavioral Health
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has pledged $27.5 million worth of funding opportunities to research programs aimed at improving women’s behavioral health across the United States. This significant investment underscores the Biden administration’s commitment to addressing the unique mental health and substance use treatment needs of women.
The funding opportunities will expand access to women’s behavioral health services and enhance the capacity of providers to identify and address mental health conditions, substance use, and gender-based violence.
NIH Common Fund Is Soliciting Ideas for NIH-wide Challenges and Opportunities
NIH wants to hear your ideas about NIH-wide challenges and opportunities in biomedical and behavioral research that may be of interest to the Common Fund. The Common Fund would like community input on the following:
- A critical challenge or exciting emerging opportunity in biomedical/behavioral research
- Resources, tools, and knowledge that are needed to address the important challenge or opportunity
- Scientific advancements or other factors that make addressing the important challenge or opportunity particularly timely
Responses must be received by 11:59:59 p.m. ET on August 10, 2024.
New Funding to Resource-Limited Organizations for Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Research
Building Partnerships and Broadening Perspectives to Advance ELSI Research (BBAER) is a new program developed by the National Human Genome Research Institute’s (NHGRI) ELSI Research Program . The program is considered a “limited competition,” whereby eligible applicants must be domestic organizations (located in the United States and its territories) that received less than $30 million per year in total NIH funding for the past three fiscal years. These organizations are underrepresented among those funded by NHGRI for ELSI research. Eligible applicants may propose partnerships with other organizations that may receive more than $30 million per year in NIH funding.
NHGRI will host a pre-application webinar on August 28, 2024, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET ( registration is required ). NHGRI staff will provide an overview of the BBAER Program’s purpose and goals, key application requirements, and eligibility information as described in RFA-HG-24-026.
Reissuance of Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) “Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health” (R01, R21, R03)
NCI intends to reissue the notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (DIRH). These include PAR-22-105 (R01 Clinical Trial Optional), PAR-22-106 (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), and PAR-22-109 (R21 Clinical Trial Optional), which expire on May 8, 2025.
The reissued NOFOs will be published on November 6, 2024, to ensure compliance with the new Simplified Review Framework (see NOT-OD-24-010 ) for applications submitted on or after January 25, 2025. The DIRH Program will continue without interruption, with grant applications accepted on the standard application due dates starting February 5, 2025.
Additionally, the reissued NOFOs will be accompanied by a notice of early expiration, setting a new expiration date of January 8, 2025. The new date ensures all applications are submitted to the reissued NOFOs and in compliance with the Simplified Review Framework policies.
Recently Published Funding Opportunities
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Improving Adherence to Treatment and Prevention Regimens and Maintenance of Health Behaviors to Promote Health
First Available Due Date: July 15, 2024
Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Organizational Research Education Award to Promote Diversity (UE5 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Next Application Due Date (New): September 26, 2024
HEAL Initiative: HEAL KIDS (Knowledge, Innovation and Discovery Studies): Chronic Pain Program (UC2 Clinical Trial Optional)
Earliest Submission Date: October 8, 2024
Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required (BESH)
Next Application Due Date (New): October 12, 2024
Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)
Next Application Due Date (New): October 12, 2024
Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Next Application Due Date (New): October 12, 2024