Personalized Strategies to Manage Symptoms of Chronic Illness (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 18 472

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 472

The funding opportunity titled "Personalized Strategies to Manage Symptoms of Chronic Illness (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-18-472) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to support research that reduces symptom burden and improves health-related quality of life (HRQL) for people living with chronic illnesses. The central idea is to push the field toward more personalized and practical symptom management by bringing together interdisciplinary teams who can connect biology, behavior, and real-world care needs. This opportunity emphasizes research that either expands what is known about the biological mechanisms that drive symptoms or develops and refines targeted, innovative, and cost-effective approaches to prevent, manage, or lessen those symptoms. Because the announcement specifies "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," projects must be structured as non-clinical-trial research, meaning applicants need to avoid designs that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial (for example, prospectively assigning people to an intervention to measure health-related outcomes).

The program is categorized as a grant under the NIH funding instrument types, and it falls under the broad activity areas of education and health, with CFDA number 93.361. The opportunity is framed around chronic illness symptom science and symptom management, which commonly includes issues like pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, nausea, shortness of breath, and other persistent or recurring symptoms that significantly affect daily functioning. The announcement highlights two complementary research directions: first, studies that clarify biological pathways and mechanisms underlying symptoms (for example, work involving biomarkers, inflammation, neuroendocrine function, genetics, or other physiological systems linked to symptom experience); and second, the creation or improvement of interventions that are targeted and efficient, with a strong preference for approaches that are feasible and scalable rather than expensive or highly specialized.

In terms of eligibility, the announcement is broad and inclusive of many organization types. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city or township, and special district governments), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. It also allows public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), as long as they are not institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. In addition, the opportunity explicitly lists other eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, and U.S. territories or possessions, reflecting NIH's interest in encouraging participation from a wide range of institutions and communities.

Foreign eligibility is more limited and nuanced. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which generally means a U.S.-based applicant can include certain well-justified international elements (such as unique populations, resources, expertise, or study sites) if they meet NIH requirements for foreign components and are properly described and approved through the application and award process.

The source data indicates an award ceiling of $300,000, which signals the program is intended to support relatively focused, manageable research projects rather than large multi-site undertakings. The original closing date listed is 2018-05-07, and the creation date is 2017-12-18, which provides context on the timing of the posted opportunity details. Overall, this announcement supports early-stage or developmental research that strengthens the scientific basis for understanding and managing symptoms in chronic disease, prioritizing approaches that can realistically reduce day-to-day symptom burden and improve quality of life without relying on prohibited clinical trial designs.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Personalized Strategies to Manage Symptoms of Chronic Illness (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" 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 2017-12-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-05-07. (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 $300,000.00 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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