Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 21 009
The grant opportunity titled Innovative Approaches for Improving Environmental Health Literacy (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number RFA-ES-21-009, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) program that supports Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects focused on environmental health literacy. The main purpose is to help small businesses, working in formal collaboration with environmental science researchers, create and refine practical, innovative products or approaches that improve how different audiences understand environmental exposures and their health impacts, and how that understanding can translate into informed decisions and actions. The emphasis is on developing novel tools, activities, or educational materials that are designed to be usable in real-world settings, rather than purely academic research outputs.
This FOA uses the STTR mechanism, meaning the applicant must be an eligible U.S. small business concern and must partner with a research institution in a structured way consistent with STTR rules. The funding supports Phase I (R41), Phase II (R42), and Fast-track (a combined Phase I and Phase II) applications. Phase I generally centers on establishing feasibility and demonstrating proof of concept for the proposed innovation, while Phase II typically supports more advanced development, refinement, scaling, and steps toward deployment or commercialization. The Fast-track option is meant for applicants with a strong enough plan and preliminary basis to move quickly from feasibility through further development without a long gap between phases. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed under this announcement, which signals that projects should not be designed as clinical intervention studies; instead, they should focus on creating and testing educational or communication innovations and related non-clinical evaluation strategies.
The content focus is environmental health literacy, which broadly includes helping people find, understand, evaluate, and use information about environmental factors that affect health. The FOA is intentionally broad about who the end users can be. Target groups may include community members and community-based audiences, health care professionals and public health practitioners who need to communicate environmental risks and protective strategies, educators who teach environmental health concepts, and students across age ranges. In practice, that opens the door to innovations such as digital platforms, interactive learning modules, decision-support or risk communication tools, curricula and classroom resources, professional training materials, games or simulations, culturally tailored communication products, or other approaches that improve understanding and support informed choices related to environmental exposures.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses as the applicant organization, consistent with the STTR program requirements. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. However, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed in some situations, which typically means a project led by a U.S. small business may include certain justified foreign elements if permitted by NIH policy and properly described. The activity category is listed under Environment and Health, and the CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 93.113, reflecting its placement within NIH environmental health-related assistance.
Key administrative details from the source information include that the opportunity is a discretionary grant program administered by NIH, with an original closing date of November 10, 2021, and a creation date of August 12, 2021. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided data, which usually means applicants should rely on the full FOA and NIH/STTR standard guidance for budget structuring, phase-appropriate scope, and typical award sizes. Overall, the program is geared toward translational, product-oriented innovation: building environmental health literacy through tools and materials that are novel, evidence-informed, and designed for real uptake and use by the intended audiences, while leveraging the combined strengths of a small business and environmental health researchers under the STTR partnership model.Apply for RFA ES 21 009
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Approaches for Improving Environmental Health Literacy (R41/R42 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.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-08-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-11-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity called?
The opportunity is titled Innovative Approaches for Improving Environmental Health Literacy (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is RFA-ES-21-009.
Which agency runs this grant program?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program.
What is the main purpose of this opportunity?
The purpose is to support Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects where an eligible U.S. small business works in formal collaboration with environmental science researchers to create and refine practical, innovative products or approaches that improve environmental health literacy. The focus is on helping audiences better understand environmental exposures and related health impacts, and supporting informed decisions and actions in real-world settings.
What does "environmental health literacy" mean in this context?
Environmental health literacy broadly includes helping people find, understand, evaluate, and use information about environmental factors that affect health.
What types of projects are a good fit?
Projects are expected to be translational and product-oriented, emphasizing tools, activities, or educational materials designed for practical use (not just academic outputs). Examples mentioned or implied by the description include:
- Digital platforms and interactive learning modules
- Decision-support tools or risk communication tools
- Curricula and classroom resources
- Professional training materials for practitioners
- Games or simulations
- Culturally tailored communication products
- Other innovative approaches that improve understanding and support informed choices about environmental exposures
Who are the intended end users or target audiences?
The FOA is intentionally broad. Target groups may include:
- Community members and community-based audiences
- Health care professionals
- Public health practitioners who communicate environmental risks and protective strategies
- Educators who teach environmental health concepts
- Students across age ranges
What grant mechanism is used?
This opportunity uses the STTR mechanism.
What does the STTR requirement mean for applicants?
The applicant must be an eligible U.S. small business concern and must partner with a research institution in a structured way that follows STTR rules. The program is designed to leverage the combined strengths of a small business and environmental health researchers.
Which phases of STTR funding are supported?
The FOA supports:
- Phase I (R41)
- Phase II (R42)
- Fast-track (combined Phase I and Phase II)
What is Phase I (R41) intended to support?
Phase I generally centers on establishing feasibility and demonstrating proof of concept for the proposed innovation.
What is Phase II (R42) intended to support?
Phase II typically supports more advanced development, including refinement, scaling, and steps toward deployment or commercialization.
What is the Fast-track option?
Fast-track is a combined Phase I and Phase II application option intended for applicants with a plan and preliminary basis strong enough to move from feasibility into further development without a long gap between phases.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The FOA explicitly states Clinical Trial Not Allowed. Projects should not be designed as clinical intervention studies; instead, they should focus on creating and testing educational or communication innovations and related non-clinical evaluation strategies.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to a small business as the applicant organization, consistent with STTR program requirements.
Can foreign institutions apply?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Are any foreign components allowed at all?
The information provided notes that foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) may be allowed in some situations. This generally means a U.S.-led project could include justified foreign elements if permitted by NIH policy and properly described.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed under Environment and Health.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 93.113.
When was this opportunity created?
The creation date listed is August 12, 2021.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed is November 10, 2021.
Is the award ceiling listed?
No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided information.
Is the expected number of awards listed?
No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided information.
How should applicants think about budget and scope if award size is not specified here?
Based on the provided description, applicants would typically rely on the full FOA and NIH/STTR standard guidance for budget structuring, phase-appropriate scope, and typical award sizes, since this summary does not include a ceiling or award count.
What makes this program different from purely academic research funding?
The emphasis is on real-world usability and uptake. The FOA supports the creation and refinement of innovative products or approaches that audiences can actually use, rather than producing only academic research outputs.
What kind of collaboration is expected?
The small business is expected to work in formal collaboration with environmental science researchers through an STTR-structured partnership with a research institution.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Innovative Approaches for Improving Environmental Health Literacy (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 21 008 Funding Number: RFA ES 21 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Maintaining and Enriching Environmental Epidemiology Cohorts to Support Scientific and Workforce Diversity (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 22 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Accelerating the Pace of Child Health Research Using Existing Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (R21-Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 22 138 Funding Number: PAR 22 138 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Accelerating the Pace of Child Health Research Using Existing Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (R01-Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 22 137 Funding Number: PAR 22 137 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 004 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research to Action: Assessing and Addressing Community Exposures to Environmental Contaminants (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 22 210 Funding Number: PAR 22 210 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Centers for Oceans and Human Health 4: Impacts of Climate Change on Oceans and Great Lakes (COHH4) (P01 Clinal Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 22 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $950,000 |
| Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 008 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 009 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Utilizing Telomere Status to Reveal Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Susceptibility and Resiliency in Response to Environmental Exposures (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 007 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 22 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Accelerating Data and Metadata Standards in the Environmental Health Sciences (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Maintaining and Enriching Environmental Epidemiology Cohorts to Support Scientific and Workforce Diversity (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strategies for Responsibly Reporting Back Environmental Health and Non-Genomic Research Results (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 23 006 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CCRP Initiative: Chemical Threat Agent Exposure Resource and Coordination Core (ExRC) (U2C Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 009 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Undergraduate Research Education Program (UP) to Enhance Diversity in the Environmental Health Sciences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 012 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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