Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health
Can you apply?
This grant is for research teams studying health interventions for Native American populations. Principal investigators must hold a doctoral degree and have research experience. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Projects must focus on health intervention research that directly benefits Native American communities. Applicants should confirm their institutional research capacity and tribal consultation or partnership status before applying.
Key dates
- May 7, 2026 Applications open
- Oct 18, 2027 Application deadline in 504 days
- Jul 1, 2028 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2028 Project start
This grant is for research teams studying health interventions for Native American populations. Principal investigators must hold a doctoral degree and have research experience. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Projects must focus on health intervention research that directly benefits Native American communities. Applicants should confirm their institutional research capacity and tribal consultation or partnership status before applying.
Program description
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, along with other National Health Institutes, Centers, and Offices, seeks to advance its mission through the Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (IRINAH), which aims to support:
- Research on the causes of health problems to inform the creation or refinement of interventions
- Studies that develop, adapt, or test interventions for health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, or recovery
- Research on the dissemination and implementation of strategies to overcome barriers to adopting, integrating, scaling up, and sustaining effective interventions.
This initiative seeks interventions and related research that builds on community knowledge, strengths, and resilience to identify and rigorously test solutions to reduce morbidity and mortality in Native populations. Proposed interventions should be sustainable and flexible, so they can be adapted, shared, and expanded to other communities as appropriate. Grant authorities that allow NIDA to forecast this opportunity are as follows: 42 U.S.C 241 and 284
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Researcher (independent)
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for research teams studying health interventions for Native American populations. Principal investigators must hold a doctoral degree and have research experience. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Projects must focus on health intervention research that directly benefits Native American communities. Applicants should confirm their institutional research capacity and tribal consultation or partnership status before applying.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R Application Form)
- Project Narrative (specific aims, background, methods, timeline)
- Biosketches for all key personnel
- Budget and budget justification
- Letters of support from tribal partners or community organizations
- Institutional research capacity documentation
- IRB approval or approval plan for human subjects research
- Data management and sharing plan
Program contact
- 👤 IRINAH Program Staff
- 📧 irinah@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.279 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$128,078,833
-
$126,585,435
-
$79,333,238
-
$78,351,755
-
$74,806,844
-
$71,588,047
-
$61,578,651
-
$50,344,757
-
$41,820,011
-
$39,479,041
Top States by Funding
- NY 4 awards $260.8M
- CT 2 awards $155.8M
- CA 3 awards $90.2M
- KY 1 awards $79.3M
- MA 1 awards $78.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.279). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,245,503,136 | |
| 2025 | $1,343,517,098 | |
| 2026 est. | $20,194,375 |
FAQ
What types of health interventions are in scope?
The program funds intervention research testing new treatments, prevention programs, or health delivery approaches. Implementation science and community-based participatory research are favored.
Can tribal nations apply directly?
Yes. Tribal organizations, tribal colleges, and tribal health programs are eligible applicants with appropriate research infrastructure.
What makes an application competitive?
Strong tribal partnerships, community engagement, feasibility of the intervention, and experienced research team are key. Cultural appropriateness of the intervention matters greatly.
Are preliminary data required?
Yes. Most NIH intervention research grants expect pilot data showing the intervention is promising and feasible.
What's the typical funding range?
Intervention research grants commonly range from $200,000 to $500,000 annually, depending on the mechanism.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish meaningful tribal partnerships before writing. Tribal engagement strengthens competitiveness significantly.
- Use preliminary data from your target community, not generic population research.
- Clearly articulate how the intervention reduces specific health disparities in Native American populations.
- Include a dissemination plan showing how results will reach tribal health programs and practitioners.
- Demonstrate cultural adaptation of the intervention with community input, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak or absent tribal partnership and community engagement. Interventions designed without tribal input or consultation are rarely funded.
Using preliminary data from non-Native populations. NIH expects evidence the intervention works for or is appropriate for the target Native American community.
Underestimating implementation timeline and resource needs. Intervention research in tribal settings requires more community coordination and longer timelines than expected.
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