Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Impact of Technology and Digital Media Exposure Usage on Child and Adolescent Development
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions and investigators studying technology and digital media's impact on children and adolescents. Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, hospitals, and other organizations with research capacity. Projects should focus on how social media, video games, AI, mobile apps, and other digital platforms affect child development, family interactions, and communities. Collaborative teams combining expertise in behavioral science, computer science, neurodevelopment, and social sciences are strongly encouraged.
Key dates
- Jun 25, 2025 Applications open
- Jun 30, 2026 Application deadline in 29 days
- Apr 1, 2027 Award announced
- Apr 1, 2027 Project start
This grant is for research institutions and investigators studying technology and digital media's impact on children and adolescents. Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, hospitals, and other organizations with research capacity. Projects should focus on how social media, video games, AI, mobile apps, and other digital platforms affect child development, family interactions, and communities. Collaborative teams combining expertise in behavioral science, computer science, neurodevelopment, and social sciences are strongly encouraged.
Program description
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for research on the impact of technology and digital media on children and adolescents. Technology and digital media (TDM) encompasses social media, applications, websites, television, motion pictures, artificial intelligence, mobile devices, computers, video games, virtual and augmented reality, and other content, networks, or platforms disseminated through the internet, broadcasted, or other media technologies, as applicable. Collectively, they have become an integral part of our children’s and families’ daily lives. Most children and adolescents now engage with TDM starting from an early age, often with high levels of exposure across multiple devices and contexts and involving a wide range of content. There is therefore an urgent need to understand how TDM use and exposure impacts children’s health and development, as well as how it alters the very nature of interactions between children and their family members, peers, and society at large. As TDM has evolved with breathtaking speed, our understanding of its impacts – whether positive, neutral, or negative – on children’s health and development has not kept pace. This initiative intends to address this expanding gap by inviting research proposals on the impact of TDM on children and adolescents, including potential broader effects on their families and communities. Please note that applications are not being solicited at this time. This notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize a phased R61/R33 mechanism. Investigators with interests at the intersection of TDM and child/adolescent development are encouraged to apply. In addition, collaborative teams that combine expertise across domains such as behavioral sciences, cognition and learning, computational and statistical modeling, computer science, geographic information science, library and information sciences, neurodevelopment, pediatrics, social and affective development and social sciences will be encouraged, and these investigators should also consider applying for this opportunity.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- County Government
- Hospital
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for research institutions and investigators studying technology and digital media's impact on children and adolescents. Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, hospitals, and other organizations with research capacity. Projects should focus on how social media, video games, AI, mobile apps, and other digital platforms affect child development, family interactions, and communities. Collaborative teams combining expertise in behavioral science, computer science, neurodevelopment, and social sciences are strongly encouraged.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (or SF-424 R&B)
- Project Narrative/Research Proposal
- Biographical Sketches
- Budget and Justification
- Institutional Certifications
- Letters of Support (for collaborative teams)
Program contact
- 👤 Brett Miller, Ph.D. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- 📧 brett.miller@nih.gov
- 📞 301-496-9849
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.865 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$1,059,454,555
-
$719,372,575
-
$276,059,721
-
$155,556,396
-
$155,482,198
-
$103,665,364
-
$74,151,078
-
$71,490,911
-
$52,238,426
-
$47,450,377
Top States by Funding
- WA 1 awards $1,059.5M
- NC 7 awards $921.5M
- MD 4 awards $493.9M
- MA 3 awards $190.0M
- PA 3 awards $145.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.865). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,282,226,682 | |
| 2025 | $1,333,391,690 | |
| 2026 est. | $184,920,723 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Research institutions with appropriate research infrastructure. Investigators from academia, hospitals, and research organizations can submit proposals.
What is the application deadline?
June 30, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling.
What research topics are supported?
Studies on technology and digital media effects on child and adolescent development, including impacts on families and communities.
What mechanism will be used?
This uses a phased R61/R33 mechanism, supporting exploratory then refined research phases.
What should I include in my application?
Proposals should address gaps in understanding TDM impacts and preferably involve multidisciplinary teams with computational, behavioral, and social science expertise.
💡 Tips for applicants
- This is a Notice of Intent only; formal applications are not yet being solicited. Use this time to build collaborative teams and partnerships.
- Prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration. NIH strongly encourages teams combining behavioral science, computer science, and neurodevelopment expertise.
- Focus on urgent gaps in understanding how digital media impacts child development. Show why your research addresses these knowledge gaps.
- Use the phased R61/R33 mechanism strategically. Design exploratory (R61) work that leads to a refined (R33) project.
- Start building your team and developing ideas now. The deadline is fixed and competitive research typically requires careful planning.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposing single-discipline studies without interdisciplinary collaboration. Technology-focused projects lacking child development or health outcomes. Failing to address how research fills gaps in understanding TDM impacts on children.
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