Social and Behavioral Intervention Research to Address Modifiable Risk Factors for Cancer in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA CA 20 051

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 20 051

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity RFA-CA-20-051, titled "Social and Behavioral Intervention Research to Address Modifiable Risk Factors for Cancer in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Required)," supports research projects that create, tailor, and rigorously test interventions aimed at reducing cancer risk in rural communities. The central focus is primary prevention, meaning applicants are expected to target upstream, changeable drivers of cancer risk before cancer develops, rather than concentrating on treatment. NIH is looking for intervention research that works at the individual level, the community level, or across multiple levels at once (for example, combining patient-focused behavior change support with clinic workflow changes and community-based resources). Because the mechanism is an R01 with a clinical trial requirement, proposed work is expected to include a prospective intervention study in people, with outcomes that can demonstrate whether the intervention actually works.

A major emphasis is on tackling social and behavioral risk factors that contribute to higher cancer burden and worse outcomes in rural populations. While the announcement does not list specific risk factors as requirements, it is clearly oriented toward modifiable behaviors and social conditions that influence cancer risk and cancer disparities, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, alcohol use, HPV vaccination-related behaviors, screening uptake behaviors, and other prevention-relevant actions, as well as the real-world social and cultural context shaping those behaviors. The opportunity highlights that rural cancer disparities are not only about geography itself, but also about "non-geographic aspects of rurality" that can vary widely across rural places, including economic conditions, local norms, occupational exposures and patterns, resource limitations, and community infrastructure. NIH is signaling that strong applications will be thoughtful about what "rural" means in the specific target setting and will measure and address the factors that are driving risk in that setting, rather than assuming rural communities are all the same.

The announcement also strongly encourages applicants to confront social determinants of health and access barriers that can block prevention efforts in rural areas. This includes issues like limited healthcare availability, shortages of specialty care, transportation challenges, broadband and technology constraints, insurance and cost barriers, literacy and language needs, and cultural factors that influence trust and engagement. The intent is not just to deliver an intervention, but to design it in a way that fits rural realities and reduces barriers that routinely prevent rural residents from benefiting from cancer prevention strategies. Relatedly, NIH notes the value of more granular data and geospatial information, suggesting that applicants can use local, place-based data to customize interventions to the needs of particular communities, counties, or regions, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Another key theme is implementation science, meaning NIH is interested not only in whether an intervention can work under ideal conditions, but also how to integrate proven cancer control and prevention strategies into programs that are coordinated, sustainable, and scalable in rural contexts. Applications are encouraged to build interventions that can be embedded in real service systems and maintained over time, with room for local adaptation. The announcement explicitly frames sustainability as a priority: interventions should strengthen or enhance existing programs so that, if successful, they can continue beyond the study period and expand to improve population health downstream.

Collaboration expectations are also prominent. Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with organizations that already have trusted relationships, service infrastructure, or delivery platforms in rural communities, especially those addressing other health or social needs that overlap with cancer prevention. Examples given include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), community health centers, and rural health centers, as well as programs with capabilities like telemedicine and behavioral health services. The underlying idea is that rural cancer prevention can often move faster and last longer when it is integrated into institutions that rural residents already rely on, rather than being built entirely from scratch.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad across U.S.-based public and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), as well as small businesses and other organizations. The opportunity also calls out additional eligible applicant types commonly included in NIH announcements, 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 and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly restricts foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply as applicants, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in policy) are not allowed.

Administratively, this is an NIH discretionary grant under the R01 mechanism, aligned with education and health activity categories, with CFDA number 93.393. The source data lists an award ceiling of $700,000 (as provided in the opportunity record). The original closing date in the record is January 18, 2022, and the opportunity was created on September 15, 2020. Overall, the funding announcement is aimed at building a stronger evidence base for what actually reduces cancer risk in rural America, while paying close attention to the social, cultural, healthcare, and technology realities that shape prevention efforts and determine whether effective interventions can be delivered, adopted, and sustained at scale.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Social and Behavioral Intervention Research to Address Modifiable Risk Factors for Cancer in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-09-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-18. (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 $700,000.00 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 RFA CA 20 051

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