Pilot Effectiveness Trials of Peer Support Services for Suicide Prevention
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions, universities, and mental health organizations interested in testing peer support interventions for suicide prevention. Applicants must have expertise in peer support models, clinical trial methodology, or implementation science. The research should take place in clinical or community practice settings. Collaborative teams combining peer support expertise with trial design and implementation science knowledge are encouraged.
Investigators from academic medical centers, research hospitals, community mental health providers, and nonprofit research organizations can apply. The R01 activity code suggests support for independent research projects. Prior funding success and institutional research capacity are typically required.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Key dates
- Jun 17, 2025 Applications open
- Oct 28, 2025 Application deadline
- Jul 1, 2026 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for research on the preliminary effectiveness of peer support intervention strategies for reducing suicide risk in clinical and community practice settings. In this pilot phase of effectiveness research, the trial should be designed to (1) evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, acceptability, safety, and potential effectiveness of the approach; (2) to address whether the intervention engages the factors presumed to underlie the intervention effects; and (3) to obtain preliminary data needed as a pre-requisite to a larger-scale effectiveness trial designed to definitively test the effectiveness of the intervention. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the R01 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into developing and testing scalable and sustainable peer support interventions in clinical and community practice settings focused on suicide risk reduction are encouraged to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in peer support models for suicide prevention, intervention development and clinical trials research methodology, and implementation science related to developing and testing suicide prevention strategies will be encouraged, and investigators with expertise in these areas should consider applying for this NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- Community Health Center
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Federal Application Form)
- Project Narrative/Research Strategy
- Biographical Sketches (key personnel)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of Support/Collaboration
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) documentation
- Data Management Plan (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Stephen O'Connor, Ph.D. National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH
- 📧 stephen.oconnor@nih.gov
- 📞 301-480-8366
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.242 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$78,262,050
-
$75,056,208
-
$74,756,329
-
$64,705,159
-
$63,991,707
-
$54,214,022
-
$48,653,752
-
$38,895,082
-
$38,475,557
-
$35,940,675
Top States by Funding
- CA 15 awards $408.1M
- MA 9 awards $230.5M
- NY 6 awards $184.2M
- CT 4 awards $183.5M
- WA 4 awards $174.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.242). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,722,300,004 | |
| 2025 | $1,726,864,191 | |
| 2026 est. | $99,221,272 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Research institutions, universities, and mental health organizations with expertise in peer support, clinical trials, or implementation science. Collaborative teams are strongly encouraged.
When is the deadline?
October 28, 2025. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling acceptance.
What research activities are supported?
Pilot effectiveness trials testing peer support interventions for suicide risk reduction in clinical and community settings. Focus on feasibility, acceptability, safety, and preliminary effectiveness.
How competitive is this funding?
Very competitive. NIH R01 grants typically have 15-20% success rates. Strong preliminary data, experienced teams, and rigorous trial design are essential.
What funding level should I expect?
Award amounts vary; check the full NOFO when released. NIH R01 grants typically range from $100K-$500K annually depending on discipline and scope.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Develop meaningful collaborations now. The NOFO specifically encourages multi-disciplinary teams combining peer support, trial design, and implementation expertise.
- Focus on feasibility and pilot data. This is a pilot phase, not a definitive effectiveness trial; emphasize what you'll learn for larger studies.
- Demonstrate community/clinical partnership. Show how your research integrates peer support into existing practice settings, not just controlled research environments.
- Plan for implementation from the start. Include strategies for sustainability and scalability of the peer support intervention.
- Get your preliminary data ready. Strong pilot results, feasibility studies, or qualitative evidence will strengthen your application significantly.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposing a full-scale effectiveness trial instead of a pilot focused on feasibility and preliminary data. Applying without collaborative expertise in both peer support and clinical trial methodology. Overlooking the importance of addressing implementation science and sustainability from the research design phase.
Similar grants
- OPEN Pilot Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials for Mental Health Interventions (R01 Clinical Trial Required) — National Institutes of Health
- CLOSED Research on System Support and Tools for Provider Training and Quality Monitoring for Suicide Preventive Care — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Full-Scale Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials for Mental Health Interventions (R01 – Clinical Trial Required) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Accelerating Solutions to Improve Access and Quality of Empirically-Supported Practices for Youth Mental Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Innovative Pilot Mental Health Services Research Not Involving Clinical Trials (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health