HEAL Initiative: Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Anatomical and Functional Mapping of Pain-Related Visceral Organ Neural Circuitry (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA RM 19 001

FAQs: RFA-RM-19-001 (NIH HEAL Initiative / SPARC) - Anatomical and Functional Mapping of Pain-Related Visceral Organ Neural Circuitry (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)

What is the main goal of this NIH funding opportunity?

The opportunity supports research to build detailed anatomical and functional maps of the nerve circuits that drive pain signals coming from visceral organs (internal organs). The intent is to identify which peripheral sensory pathways and connected neural networks are responsible for visceral pain and describe those pathways in a rigorous, map-like way that others can use to guide new treatments.

What does the project focus on in plain terms?

In practical terms, this FOA is about figuring out which nerves carry pain-related information from internal organs toward the central nervous system, where those nerve pathways run, how they function, and how their activity relates to pain signaling. The output is meant to be high-quality reference maps and associated knowledge products.

Which NIH program is this funding opportunity part of?

This announcement sits within the SPARC program (an NIH Common Fund effort). SPARC focuses on understanding how peripheral nerves control organ function and how that knowledge can be used to develop targeted neuromodulation therapies.

How does this relate to the NIH HEAL Initiative?

The FOA is coordinated with the NIH HEAL Initiative, specifically the Translational Devices to Treat Pain (TDTP) efforts. The mapping work is intended to be directly useful for accelerating non-addictive pain interventions, including device-based or neuromodulation approaches that could reduce reliance on opioid medications.

What types of pain are being targeted?

The emphasis is on pain signals that originate in visceral organs and are mediated by visceral organ afferents (sensory nerve fibers that carry information from organs toward the central nervous system).

What are "visceral organ afferents"?

Visceral organ afferents are sensory nerve fibers that carry signals from internal organs toward the central nervous system. This FOA emphasizes mapping the pain-mediating circuitry that starts with these afferents.

What kinds of research activities are implied by this FOA?

Based on the description provided, the work typically involves identifying relevant afferent pathways, tracing their anatomical routes, characterizing how those circuits behave functionally, and linking circuit features to pain-related signaling, with the goal of producing comprehensive maps and usable reference outputs.

What is the expected deliverable from projects funded under this opportunity?

The deliverable concept described is a set of high-quality anatomical and functional maps of visceral pain circuitry, along with associated knowledge products that can be used by the broader SPARC and HEAL ecosystems to speed development of safer, non-addictive pain treatments.

What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?

The mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement.

What does a U01 cooperative agreement mean for the project?

A cooperative agreement means NIH staff are expected to have substantial scientific involvement during the project, rather than acting only as a passive funder.

Is a clinical trial required?

No. The FOA is labeled "clinical trial optional," which means applicants may propose studies that include a clinical trial if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required for all applications.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-RM-19-001.

What is the full title of the funding opportunity?

HEAL Initiative: Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Anatomical and Functional Mapping of Pain-Related Visceral Organ Neural Circuitry (U01 Clinical Trial Optional).

Which agency is sponsoring this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What type of funding is this categorized as?

It is categorized as discretionary funding using a cooperative agreement instrument.

What is the activity category?

The activity category listed is health.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 93.310.

What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?

The award ceiling is $500,000, which signals the maximum anticipated funding level per award under the announcement.

How many awards does NIH expect to make?

The "expected awards" field is not specified in the provided source data.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, including state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA allows nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education).

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.

Are minority-serving institutions specifically mentioned as eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly calls out Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, and TCCUs among eligible applicant types.

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed among other eligible applicant types.

Are federal agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. Eligible federal agencies are explicitly listed as an eligible applicant type.

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among eligible applicant types.

Can a foreign (non-U.S.) institution apply as the lead applicant?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.

Can foreign partners or sites participate in the work?

Yes, under NIH policy as described in the FOA summary. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This means the lead applicant must be an eligible U.S. organization, but certain project elements may be carried out with foreign sites or partners when justified and properly structured.

Why is the mapping work considered important for treatment development?

The FOA explains that by clarifying the circuitry of visceral pain at a fine level of detail, the resulting maps can serve as a foundational reference that technology developers and translational teams can use to design and refine peripheral stimulation and other neuromodulation strategies aimed at non-addictive pain relief.

When was this opportunity created and when did it close?

The source data indicates the opportunity was created on 2018-12-10 and had an original closing date of 2019-02-08.

What is the overall purpose of the FOA in one sentence?

It is designed to generate actionable, high-resolution knowledge about visceral pain circuits that can serve as a shared resource and a translational springboard for next-generation, non-addictive approaches to pain management.