Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere (R01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PAR 23 303

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 303

This NIH funding opportunity (PAR-23-303) uses the R01 grant mechanism to support research that clarifies and helps reduce health and health care disparities tied to non-communicable and chronic diseases (NCDs) that drive the greatest burden of illness and mortality in Latin America and among U.S. Hispanic/Latino populations. The emphasis is on producing rigorous evidence that can explain why disparities persist, how they vary across settings and populations, and which levers in health systems or policy environments could realistically improve outcomes. Clinical trials are not allowed under this NOFO, so the program is aimed at observational, analytic, measurement, and policy-focused research rather than testing new interventions in trial formats.

The scope is intentionally multi-disciplinary and collaborative. NIH is looking for teams that can bring together expertise such as clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, health services research, implementation or dissemination science (when not framed as a clinical trial), economics, sociology, political science, and measurement science, depending on the scientific questions. Projects are expected to do more than run parallel analyses; they should integrate perspectives and methods in a way that meaningfully advances understanding of disparities in disease risk, diagnosis, treatment, quality of care, and outcomes across the life course. The NOFO highlights three broad research areas that fit well: clinical epidemiology to quantify and explain inequities in NCDs; evaluation of public policies and/or health care policies that shape access and quality; and validation of measurements, meaning development, adaptation, testing, or calibration of tools and metrics used to capture exposures, outcomes, and inequity-related constructs across countries and cultures.

A central requirement is strong partnership with Latin America. Applications are expected to include genuine collaboration with key partners, and the team must include at least one Principal Investigator or Multiple Principal Investigator based at an institution in Latin America. This design is meant to ensure that research questions, data, measurement approaches, and interpretations reflect local context and priorities, and that the work contributes to capacity and sustained collaboration across the hemisphere. While the project focus is on Latin America and U.S. Hispanics/Latinos, the broader goal is to set the stage for better population health outcomes across the hemisphere by generating actionable evidence on where inequities arise and how systems and policies might be improved.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes many government and non-government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other eligible entities. The NOFO also explicitly notes interest in participation from organizations that often serve communities experiencing disparities, including Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions, as well as eligible federal agencies.

At the same time, there are important restrictions related to foreign applications. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means a U.S. applicant can include certain project elements conducted outside the U.S. when appropriately justified and structured, consistent with NIH rules, and in line with the required collaboration with Latin American investigators and institutions.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health under the R01 funding instrument, categorized under education and health. The NOFO lists CFDA numbers 93.307, 93.313, 93.361, 93.393, and 93.866. The opportunity was created on October 12, 2023, and the original closing date shown is January 6, 2027. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source information, which is common for some NIH announcements where budgets are proposed based on project needs and must align with NIH and institute-specific policies.

Overall, the opportunity is designed for applicants who can assemble cross-disciplinary teams and build equitable, real partnerships with Latin American investigators to produce high-quality evidence on chronic disease disparities. Competitive projects will typically be those that can link robust epidemiologic or health services methods with policy-relevant questions and culturally and contextually valid measurement, generating insights that health systems, policymakers, and communities can actually use to reduce inequities in NCD prevention, care, and outcomes.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere (R01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.307, 93.313, 93.361, 93.393, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-10-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-06.
• 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 23 303

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