Research on Current Topics in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 22 094

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 22 094

The grant opportunity "Research on Current Topics in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (PAR-22-094) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant designed to push forward timely, high-priority research needs in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (ADRD). It focuses on early-stage, exploratory projects that are not yet fully established but have strong potential to become broadly useful to the research community once additional proof-of-concept or preliminary data are generated. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for proposals that develop, refine, or validate things like new tests, experimental techniques, animal or other model systems, or other enabling tools that could accelerate progress across the field if adopted widely.

A central feature of this opportunity is that the specific "priority topics" are not fixed only within the main announcement text. Instead, NIH will identify and update priority areas through a series of official Notices released after the FOA, meaning applicants are expected to pay attention to those subsequent Notices to understand what NIH is emphasizing at a given time. This structure is meant to keep the program responsive to fast-moving scientific gaps or emerging opportunities in AD/ADRD research, including methodological bottlenecks where the field needs better tools, assays, models, or technical capabilities.

This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically aimed at exploratory and developmental research. The emphasis is on generating the key preliminary evidence needed to de-risk a novel idea or tool and to demonstrate that it can work and be disseminated for broader use. While many NIH opportunities are either strictly clinical trial or strictly non-clinical trial, this one is "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning projects may include a clinical trial if it is scientifically justified, but a clinical trial is not required. This flexibility allows applicants to propose tool-building work that might be preclinical (for example, model development or assay optimization) or human-focused (for example, developing and piloting a novel assessment approach) depending on what is needed for the proposed innovation.

Funding details provided in the source information indicate an award ceiling of $275,000. The program sits within the NIH health funding area and is associated with CFDA number 93.866. The original closing date listed is 2024-11-12, and the opportunity was created on 2021-12-22. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided data, which often means awards depend on application volume, merit, and available funds.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that commonly participate in NIH research funding. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories aimed at widening participation and supporting diverse institutional ecosystems, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized; faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible agencies of the federal government; U.S. territories or possessions; regional organizations; and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals that NIH is open to tool and model development coming from many corners of the research and community landscape, including international and community-rooted groups where appropriate.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted, tool-and-capability building announcement for the AD/ADRD field: it supports innovative, potentially high-impact approaches that still need additional early validation, with the explicit goal that successful outputs can be shared and adopted more widely. Applicants who align their proposals with the most current priority topics released via NIH Notices, and who clearly explain how their proposed tests, models, or techniques would fill a recognized gap and enable broader progress, are the intended audience for this R21 funding call.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on Current Topics in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-12-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-12. (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 $275,000.00 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.

Apply for PAR 22 094

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: