Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Health Disparities in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers conducting health interventions studies focused on rural populations. NIH R01 grants typically require principal investigators to have relevant research experience and institutional affiliation. Organizations must have a valid DUNS number and be able to manage federal funds. This NOFO supports development, adaptation, and evaluation of social determinants of health interventions in rural settings.
Projects may be investigator-initiated or responsive to this specific funding opportunity. Clinical trials are optional but not required. Both domestic and international research sites may be eligible, though primary focus should be on US rural populations.
Hybrid effectiveness-implementation studies and pragmatic research designs are encouraged. Individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, or population-level interventions qualify, including multi-level intervention bundles.
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Key dates
- May 13, 2025 Applications open
- Aug 12, 2025 Application deadline
- Apr 1, 2026 Award announced
- Apr 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The purpose of this notice is to inform the research community that the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) intends to publish a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Health Disparities in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional), a re-issuance of RFA-NR-24-005.
This 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. Details of the planned NOFO are provided below.
Research Initiative Details
This funding opportunity will support research that seeks to develop, adapt, and/or evaluate social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions, or test strategies for the implementation of SDOH interventions already shown to be effective in rural populations. Research must address SDOH in the development, adaptation, implementation, or evaluation of interventions. Interventions or implementation strategies seeking to either mitigate or eliminate the impacts of adverse SDOH and/or bolster positive SDOH are of interest. Successful, evidence-based interventions may be adapted to specific rural communities and tested for acceptability and efficacy or effectiveness. Pragmatic and implementation studies are welcome, including hybrid effectiveness/implementation studies of adapted interventions or intervention bundles. Studies that include the evaluation of the impact of an event or policy (e.g., closing of local hospital, opening of a new employment center, change in internet access, new school consolidation) are welcome. Applications that are responsive to this NOFO will include an organizational-, community-, or population-level SDOH intervention. In addition, individual- or interpersonal-level interventions can be included in a multi-level intervention or intervention bundle.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- County Government
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Researcher (independent)
- 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 for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (Research Strategy)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketch (Key Personnel)
- Facilities and Equipment
- Support Letters (from collaborating institutions/rural partners)
- NIH Forms (Progress Report if resubmission)
- Vertebrate Animals or Human Subjects documentation (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Karen A. Kehl, PhD, RN National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
- 📧 karen.kehl@nih.gov
- 📞 301-594-8010
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.361 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$57,577,134
-
$22,922,703
-
$21,569,241
-
$21,520,028
-
$20,637,207
-
$20,579,767
-
$20,359,653
-
$20,254,434
-
$19,085,847
-
$18,080,014
Top States by Funding
- NY 12 awards $77.2M
- NC 7 awards $63.0M
- AK 1 awards $57.6M
- PA 9 awards $50.0M
- CA 5 awards $35.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.361). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $153,520,124 | |
| 2025 | $152,273,865 | |
| 2026 est. | $156,087,739 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this R01 grant?
Researchers with relevant research experience and institutional affiliation can apply. Your organization needs a valid DUNS number and ability to manage federal funds. Postdocs, early-career researchers, and established investigators are all eligible.
What is the application deadline?
The deadline is August 12, 2025. This is a fixed deadline, so applications must be submitted before 5 PM ET on that date.
What types of research projects qualify?
Projects must focus on social determinants of health interventions in rural populations. Development, adaptation, implementation, and evaluation studies are welcome. Clinical trials are optional; pragmatic and hybrid effectiveness-implementation studies are encouraged.
How competitive is this grant?
R01 grants are highly competitive. Success rates typically range from 15-25%. Strong preliminary data, clear innovation, and feasibility are critical.
What is the typical funding range?
R01 awards typically range from $250,000 to $500,000 per year, depending on project scope and institution. Maximum costs vary; check the NOFO for specific directives.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Build strong rural partnerships early. Include letters of support from rural community organizations, health systems, and local stakeholders to demonstrate feasibility.
- Ground your intervention in evidence. Show how your work builds on existing effective SDOH interventions or addresses gaps in current knowledge.
- Emphasize real-world applicability. Pragmatic study designs and implementation strategies that can actually be adopted by rural settings are favored over purely explanatory approaches.
- Address recruitment and retention clearly. Rural populations present unique challenges; provide specific, realistic strategies for participant engagement.
- Align with NINR priorities. The National Institute of Nursing Research emphasizes nursing science, health equity, and vulnerable populations—make these connections explicit.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Focusing narrowly on individual-level interventions without addressing broader SDOH context. Proposals lacking strong community partnerships or rural stakeholder input fail to demonstrate feasibility and relevance.
Submitting preliminary data that is weak or from urban settings. Reviewers expect solid evidence that interventions can work in rural contexts specifically.
Underestimating implementation challenges unique to rural healthcare systems. Vague dissemination plans without consideration of rural delivery barriers reduce competitiveness.
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