Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 242
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 18 242) supports exploratory and developmental research focused on mobile health (mHealth) solutions designed for low and middle income countries (LMICs). The central goal is to fund early stage, innovative projects that either develop new mHealth technologies or adapt existing tools so they fit the realities of LMIC settings, and then evaluate the health related outcomes that result when those tools are implemented in real world conditions. While the projects are exploratory in nature, NIH signals strong interest in work that is rigorous, multidisciplinary, and capable of producing generalizable knowledge that can inform the broader field of mHealth in resource constrained environments.
This announcement emphasizes practical fit and measurable impact. Applicants are expected to think beyond simply creating an app or digital tool and instead address whether the technology is usable, feasible, scalable, and appropriate for the local context, including infrastructure constraints (such as intermittent connectivity, limited smartphone access, or power reliability), health system workflows, workforce realities, language and literacy levels, and cultural considerations. The "technology and outcomes" framing also highlights that the program is not only about engineering or software development; it is equally about demonstrating what changes in health behaviors, service delivery, quality of care, access, adherence, or other meaningful health indicators occur when the technology is deployed. The clinical trial optional designation means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required.
The opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly aimed at early stage, high potential ideas that need initial evidence to prove feasibility or generate pilot data. The listing indicates an award ceiling of $125,000, reflecting a modest budget suited to prototyping, adaptation work, pilot implementation, and early outcomes assessment rather than large definitive trials. NIH is looking for well designed, multidisciplinary teams, which typically means bringing together expertise such as public health, clinical care, behavioral science, implementation science, human centered design, data science, informatics, and local LMIC partners who can guide relevance and execution.
A wide range of organizations can apply. Eligible applicants include public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non 501(c)(3) entities), for profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, among others. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants 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), and non U.S. entities (foreign organizations). That explicit inclusion underscores NIH's openness to diverse institutional applicants and international organizations, which can be especially important for LMIC centered research that benefits from strong in country leadership and partnerships.
Administratively, the program is categorized as discretionary and uses a grant funding instrument. It is tied to multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.393, 93.395, 93.399, 93.865, 93.989), indicating participation or relevance across multiple NIH institutes or program areas that can intersect with mHealth. The source data lists an original closing date of 2018 08 31 and a creation date of 2017 11 30, which situates it as a time bound solicitation from that period. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NIH support for early, innovative mHealth work that is tailored to LMIC conditions and that generates credible evidence about health outcomes and implementation impact, with an emphasis on producing insights that others in the field can apply beyond a single pilot site.Apply for PAR 18 242
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (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): 93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.393, 93.395, 93.399, 93.865, 93.989.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-08-31. (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 $125,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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)
What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The FOA number is PAR 18 242.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The purpose is to support exploratory and developmental research on mobile health (mHealth) solutions designed for low and middle income countries (LMICs). The emphasis is on early stage, innovative projects that develop new mHealth technologies or adapt existing ones to fit LMIC realities, and then evaluate health related outcomes when implemented in real world conditions.
What kind of research does NIH want to fund under this announcement?
NIH is looking for early stage, high potential projects that are innovative, rigorous, multidisciplinary, and capable of producing generalizable knowledge about mHealth in resource constrained environments. Projects may involve creating new tools or adapting existing tools, followed by evaluation of outcomes after real world deployment.
Is this opportunity only about building an app or a digital tool?
No. The announcement explicitly emphasizes that applicants should go beyond simply creating an app or digital tool. Projects are expected to address practical fit (usability, feasibility, scalability, and appropriateness for the local context) and measure the health or service delivery outcomes that result from using the technology.
What does "technology and outcomes" mean in the context of this FOA?
It means the program is not only about engineering or software development. It also requires demonstrating what changes occur in meaningful indicators when the technology is deployed, such as health behaviors, service delivery, quality of care, access, adherence, or other health related outcomes.
What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean for applicants?
"Clinical Trial Optional" means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required to apply under this FOA.
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism.
What is the R21 mechanism typically used for?
The R21 mechanism is commonly aimed at early stage, high potential ideas that need initial evidence to prove feasibility or generate pilot data. In this context, it aligns with prototyping, adaptation work, pilot implementation, and early outcomes assessment rather than large definitive trials.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The listing indicates an award ceiling of $125,000.
What kinds of activities are most consistent with the budget level described?
Based on the modest award ceiling, the opportunity is best suited to prototyping, adapting technologies for LMIC settings, pilot implementation, and early outcomes assessment, rather than large scale or definitive trials.
What LMIC realities or constraints should proposed mHealth solutions account for?
The FOA highlights that technologies should fit real LMIC conditions, including infrastructure constraints (such as intermittent connectivity, limited smartphone access, or unreliable power), health system workflows, workforce realities, language and literacy levels, and cultural considerations.
What does NIH mean by "practical fit" for LMIC contexts?
"Practical fit" refers to whether the technology is usable, feasible, scalable, and appropriate for the local context, including constraints related to infrastructure, health system operations, and population needs.
What outcomes or impacts does NIH expect applicants to evaluate?
The announcement points to outcomes such as changes in health behaviors, service delivery, quality of care, access to services, adherence, or other meaningful health indicators that can be measured when the mHealth tool is implemented in real world conditions.
Does NIH emphasize real world implementation, or only controlled research settings?
The announcement emphasizes evaluating outcomes when tools are implemented in real world conditions, and it stresses feasibility and appropriateness within on-the-ground LMIC settings.
Is NIH looking for work that can inform the broader mHealth field?
Yes. NIH expresses interest in projects capable of producing generalizable knowledge and credible evidence that can inform the broader field of mHealth in resource constrained environments beyond a single pilot site.
What kind of team does NIH expect for projects under this FOA?
NIH signals interest in well designed, multidisciplinary teams. The announcement describes relevant expertise areas such as public health, clinical care, behavioral science, implementation science, human centered design, data science, informatics, and local LMIC partners who can guide relevance and execution.
Are local LMIC partners important for this opportunity?
Yes. The FOA indicates the value of local LMIC partners to guide relevance, context appropriateness, and execution, which is especially important when adapting or implementing technologies in LMIC settings.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, among others.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) as eligible applicants.
Does the FOA explicitly encourage applications from specific institution types?
It explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants including 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), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
What funding instrument and program category are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity uses a grant funding instrument and is categorized as discretionary.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is tied to multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.393, 93.395, 93.399, 93.865, and 93.989.
What do the multiple CFDA numbers suggest about this opportunity?
They indicate participation or relevance across multiple NIH institutes or program areas that can intersect with mHealth, reflecting that mHealth research can span multiple health domains.
What are the key dates mentioned for this solicitation?
The source data lists a creation date of 2017 11 30 and an original closing date of 2018 08 31.
How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
It is NIH support for early, innovative mHealth work tailored to LMIC conditions, with an emphasis on real world implementation and generating credible evidence on health outcomes and implementation impact, while producing insights that others can apply beyond a single setting.
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| Surgical Disparities Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 288 Funding Number: PAR 18 288 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Developing the Therapeutic Potential of the Endocannabinoid System for Pain Treatment (R01, Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 465 Funding Number: PA 18 465 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (STTR) (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 515 Funding Number: PAR 18 515 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Biology and Biophysics of Neural Stimulation (R01 - Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for RFA NS 18 018 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects TargetedBCPP (R34 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 014 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (SBIR)(R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 501 Funding Number: PAR 18 501 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development for Disorders of the Nervous System (U44) - Clinical Trial Optional Apply for PAR 18 541 Funding Number: PAR 18 541 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 18 021 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 021 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (U44 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 18 022 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 022 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 18 023 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development of Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3) - Clinical Trial Optional Apply for PAR 18 546 Funding Number: PAR 18 546 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 18 573 Funding Number: PA 18 573 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 18 576 Funding Number: PA 18 576 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early - Stage Research for Large - Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA EY 18 001 Funding Number: RFA EY 18 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Large-Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 020 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Transformative Technologies for Large Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01-Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 019 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 019 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Reducing Stigma to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low and Middle- Income Countries (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 732 Funding Number: PAR 18 732 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Addressing the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in the U.S. (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 745 Funding Number: PAR 18 745 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Addressing the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in the U.S. (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 747 Funding Number: PAR 18 747 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects- TargetedBCP (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 030 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 030 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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