Health Promotion Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Males (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 162

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 162

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity titled "Health Promotion Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Males (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-18-162; CFDA 93.361) supports short, exploratory research projects aimed at improving the health of racial and ethnic minority men and reducing persistent health disparities. It uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly designed to spark early-stage, high-potential studies that can generate preliminary evidence, refine methods, or test promising concepts that could later be scaled up through larger research awards. The "clinical trial optional" language means applicants may propose either studies that include a clinical trial component or studies that do not, as long as the work fits the goals of the announcement.

The initiative has two main priorities. First, it aims to deepen scientific understanding of the wide range of factors that shape health-promoting behaviors among racial and ethnic minority males across the life cycle. The opportunity explicitly points to influences operating at multiple levels, including sociodemographic conditions (such as income, education, employment, and access to insurance), community factors (such as neighborhood resources, social support, built environment, and local health services), societal forces (such as structural racism, discrimination, policy barriers, and broader cultural norms), and personal factors (such as stress, coping strategies, beliefs about health and masculinity, and prior experiences with the healthcare system). Projects aligned with this goal might examine why certain prevention behaviors are harder to adopt or sustain, identify barriers and facilitators to engagement in care, or clarify how context and lived experience shape decision-making about health.

Second, the initiative encourages the creation and testing of culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions that promote health and reduce disparities among racially and ethnically diverse males age 18 and older. In practice, this emphasis signals that NIH is looking for interventions designed with the target communities in mind, including attention to language, cultural values, trust, communication styles, and practical realities that affect participation and follow-through. These interventions can focus on health promotion broadly and may include approaches to strengthen preventive behaviors, improve health literacy, increase screening and early detection, support chronic disease self-management, reduce behavioral risk factors, or improve engagement with clinical and community services. Applicants are expected to make a clear case that the proposed intervention fits the population, addresses identified drivers of disparities, and is feasible to deliver in real-world settings.

Funding is provided as a discretionary grant, with an award ceiling listed as $200,000. The original closing date in the source information is January 7, 2020, and the opportunity record was created on November 7, 2017. (Applicants considering a similar submission today would typically need to verify whether the announcement remains active or has been reissued or replaced, since NIH opportunities are often updated over time.)

The eligibility pool is broad and intentionally inclusive, reflecting the program's interest in supporting work that is closely connected to affected communities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other applicant types. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) entities may also apply, signaling an openness to partnerships and settings that can credibly reach and serve minority male populations.

Overall, this R21 opportunity is designed to move the field forward in two complementary ways: by sharpening understanding of the multilevel drivers that influence health behaviors among minority men, and by accelerating the development and early testing of interventions that are culturally grounded, linguistically appropriate, and explicitly aimed at reducing health inequities for men ages 18 and above.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Health Promotion Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Males (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): 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-07. (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.

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