Advanced-Stage Development and Utilization of Research Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R33) | PAR 16 368

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 368

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Advanced-Stage Development and Utilization of Research Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R33)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-16-368) supports projects that are ready to move beyond early pilot-building and into a more mature, expanded phase of research infrastructure development and real-world use. The central goal is to strengthen the science of aging by funding the advanced-stage development and utilization of novel infrastructure that enables teams from different disciplines to work together on important aging-related questions. This opportunity is positioned for groups that already have something built and functioning, and now need support to scale it, stabilize it, broaden its reach, and demonstrate sustained value to the interdisciplinary aging research community.

This program uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grants Phase II mechanism (R33), which is typically intended for projects that have already completed an earlier developmental stage and can justify a next phase with expanded activities. A key expectation is that applicants already have an existing research infrastructure in place, either created through the earlier related NIH effort PA-12-064 or developed with other NIH or non-NIH funding. In other words, this is not meant for brand-new infrastructure ideas; it is meant for infrastructure that is already established enough to be advanced into a mature, sustainable resource. The funded work should push that infrastructure to a point where it can reliably support multiple projects and users, address key interdisciplinary aging research questions, and continue operating effectively beyond the period of grant support.

The infrastructure emphasis is broad but focused on serving interdisciplinary aging studies, meaning the funded resource should enable collaborations that cross traditional boundaries (for example, integrating clinical research, population studies, social and behavioral science, data science, engineering, implementation science, health services research, or other relevant fields). The research infrastructure could take different forms depending on the need in a given area of aging research, such as shared datasets and coordinated data systems, harmonized measures and protocols, platforms for recruitment and longitudinal follow-up, specialized cores or networks that support multi-site studies, tools that enable integration of biological and social determinants data, or other organized resources that make interdisciplinary work feasible at scale. The main point is that the funded infrastructure should not just exist technically, but should actively be used to support research projects that tackle high-priority interdisciplinary questions in aging.

In practical terms, the award is designed to help investigators take an existing infrastructure from a functioning but limited state to one that is more robust and sustainable. That includes expanding capabilities, improving operational reliability, increasing adoption and utilization by the research community, strengthening governance and policies, and building a clearer pathway to long-term maintenance. Sustainability is explicitly emphasized, so competitive applications would be expected to show how the infrastructure will be maintained over time, how it will be managed and accessed, and how it will continue to attract users and projects that demonstrate scientific value in aging research.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants listed in the source include state, county, and city or township 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; other Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where relevant); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The opportunity also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, "foreign components" (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed, meaning a U.S.-based applicant may be able to include certain types of international collaboration elements if they meet NIH rules for foreign components.

Administrative details from the provided source indicate this is a discretionary grant program administered by NIH, aligned with education and health-related funding activity categories, and associated with CFDA numbers 93.399 and 93.866. The opportunity was created on July 13, 2016, and the original closing date listed is February 9, 2018. The award ceiling shown is $500,000. The source does not specify the expected number of awards (it is left blank), so applicants would typically look to NIH program materials or related notices for any additional context on anticipated funding levels and competition.

Overall, this R33 opportunity is best understood as a second-stage boost for aging research infrastructure that has already proven it can work and now needs resources to become a mature, widely usable, and durable platform for interdisciplinary aging research. The strongest fit is an applicant team that can demonstrate an existing infrastructure foundation, a clear plan for scaling and improving it, concrete ways it will be used to answer major interdisciplinary aging questions, and a credible strategy for long-term sustainability and broad research impact.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advanced-Stage Development and Utilization of Research Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R33)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.399, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-07-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-02-09. (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 $500,000.00 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 16 368

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