Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response

Extramural Research Program Funding Opportunities

Overview

The Extramural Research Program supports OPHPR's research mission by soliciting research applications through funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). See below for links to current and past FOAs. Past FOAs provide excellent background information on the types of research funded. See general information on how to apply for CDC extramural research funding.

Current Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs)

None.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

The SBIR program is a set-aside program for domestic small business concerns to engage in research or research and development with commercialization potential. For more SBIR information, including specific SBIR funding priorities for OPHPR research, see

Current SBIR Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA):
PHS 2009-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44])

Past (Closed) Funding Opportunity Announcements

CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response Releases Systems Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (TP-08-001)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About CDC Funding Opportunity Announcement TP-08-001 - Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers: A Public Health Systems Approach (P01)

Improving Public Health Practice through Translation Research (RFA-CD-07-005)

RFA-CD-09-001 Translating Research to Protect Health through Health Promotion, Prevention, and Preparedness (R18)
Critical to CDC's mission is new scientific knowledge that can accelerate the translation of research findings into public health practice. Moving the best science into practice is essential to protect and improve health. To that end, the purpose of this FOA is to accelerate the translation of proven effective interventions into public health practice through implementation, dissemination, and diffusion research.

General Issues

I'm not sure whether to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement. How do they differ?
The main difference between a grant and cooperative agreement is the level of OPHPR's involvement. For a grant, OPHPR is not substantially involved in the execution of the research. For a cooperative agreement, OPHPR may have substantial involvement. The amount of involvement by OPHPR in a cooperative agreement will be specified in the program announcement.

Can I submit more than one application for the same program announcement?
You are encouraged to submit only one application in response to a particular program announcement. With few exceptions (e.g., research issues needing immediate public health attention), only one application per principal investigator will be funded per program announcement.

Can I apply to more than one program announcement?
Yes, there are no restrictions on the number of program announcements to which a principal investigator can apply.

I have other funding for part of our project/research and want to apply for OPHPR funding to extend our work. Is this ok?
Yes, you can apply to OPHPR to fund research that is partially funded by another source. However, the proposed research needs to be different than that which is already funded; OPHPR will not pay for duplicate research.

I can't get an application together before the deadline. Will this type of research be funded again in the future?
OPHPR traditionally publishes program announcements once per year. OPHPR expects to publish program announcements every year for the individual research grants. However, the research objectives of those program announcements change from year to year. If you plan on waiting and submitting to a future program announcement, make sure your application meets the research objectives of that program announcement. Research cooperative agreements, on the other hand, are typically published only once. It is rare that the same announcement will be published the following year.

I submitted an application last year, and it was deemed nonresponsive. Why?
The most likely reasons your application was deemed nonresponsive are 1) proposed research did not match one of the research objectives outlined in the program announcement; 2) the proposed budget exceeded the award ceiling listed in the program announcement; 3) the principal investigator did not meet the eligibility requirements listed in the program announcement.

My application from last year was not funded; can I resubmit it this year?
You may resubmit your application provided the proposed research meets the research objectives of a new program announcement. The research objectives of the program announcements change from year to year, so it is important that your application meets the current objectives. A resubmitted application will not receive any special treatment; it will be reviewed as a new submission. However, you will improve your chances of success if you consider the issues addressed in your previous reviewers' summary statement.

The program announcement says you're only funding two awards—is there any flexibility on this?
OPHPR typically funds only the number of awards listed in the program announcement. However, if additional funds become available, more awards may be funded.

If there are multiple highly rated applications from the same geographic area, does that lower our chances of being funded?
If the secondary review criteria listed in the program announcement include geographic balance, the decision to fund your competitive application could be affected by another competitive application from your geographic region.

If I am not yet sure what intervention (or what population) I will use, how can I give the detailed description asked for in the application?
You need to provide as much detail in your application as possible about your experimental design. If you are still trying to decide between two interventions (or two study populations), you must explain both in your application. You must also explain how and when you will decide which intervention (or population) to use.
If you are undecided on a specific intervention (or study population), you might consider waiting for a future program announcement when you have better defined your experimental design.

What if I'm not sure whether my proposed research fits the research objectives of the program announcement?
First, read the research objectives in your particular program announcement carefully. Second, contact the project officer listed for your particular program announcement. The project officer will be happy to discuss your proposed research with you.

Application Process Requirements

What form do I use to submit my application?
CDC uses the SF424 and has adopted the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide located at this Web site: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm.

Where do I obtain additional information on the SF424 and electronic submission?
For general information on SF424 (R&R) Application and Electronic Submission, see the following Web sites: SF424 (R&R) Application and Electronic Submission Information; and General Information on Electronic Submission of Grant Applications

Where do I obtain additional information on PH398 for paper submission and instructions?
For general information on PH398, see the following website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html

Is a letter of intent required if the Request for Application (RFA) asks for it?
A letter of intent is not required and will not enter into the review of your subsequent application. However, we ask that you do submit a letter of intent. OPHPR uses letters of intent to gauge the level of interest in the program announcement and plan for the application review.

If I missed the deadline for submitting a letter of intent, can I still submit an application?
Yes, you can submit an application without first submitting a letter of intent. The letter of intent is not required and is nonbinding.

Must I have all my IRB assurances to submit my application?
You do not need IRB approval when you submit your application. However, if you receive an award, a portion of your funds will be restricted until all of your IRB assurances are in place.

Are there requirements formatting requirements for the application?
Requirement may vary by announcement.

What if I exceed the 25 pages allotted for the R01 research plan section of my application?
Your application will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be considered for peer review. The research plan must not exceed 25 pages.

Who will review my application?
First your application will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an external peer review panel convened by OPHPR. Applications judged to have sufficient technical and scientific merit will then undergo a secondary review. The secondary review will be conducted by external experts. ERP Director will develop funding recommendations for the OPHPR director based on the results of the primary review, the relevance and balance of proposed research relative to OPHPR programs and priorities, and the avoidance of unwarranted duplication of federally funded research.

Program announcements from other granting agencies have offered a conference call-in time for potential applicants to ask questions. Can my research team set up a conference call with you?
Often OPHPR does set conference call-in times for questions. Please contact the project officer listed for your particular program announcement for details.

Do you have examples of successful applications I can use as a model?
No, OPHPR does not have examples of previously funded applications that you can use as a model.

Principal Investigators

How strict will you be in assessing the eligibility requirements of the principal investigator?
For example, some program announcements require that the principal investigator has published in peer-reviewed journals. Applications from principal investigators who do not meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the program announcement will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be considered for further review. This includes the requirement in some program announcements that the principal investigator has published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Must the principal investigator be employed by the organization applying for the award?
The principal investigator need not be employed by the applicant organization. However, the relationship between the principal investigator and the applicant organization must be clearly stated in the application.

How can a small nonprofit or community-based organization find a qualified principal investigator?
We suggest they contact local universities to see if someone who meets the requirements of principal investigator is willing to collaborate with them on the application.