Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 502

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 502

Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 18 502) designed to expand and strengthen the evidence base for palliative care specifically for older adults. The focus is on generating practical, publishable science that improves the quality of care for geriatric populations facing serious illness, complex symptom burdens, and high-stakes decision-making. Because it uses the NIH R01 mechanism, it is aimed at substantial, well-developed research projects that can meaningfully advance the field, and it allows (but does not require) clinical trials, which gives applicants flexibility to propose either interventional or non-interventional work depending on the research question.

A major feature of this opportunity is its broad view of where geriatric palliative care happens. The FOA explicitly welcomes studies across many real-world settings, including hospitals and specific hospital sites such as specialty medical or surgical wards, intensive care units, and emergency departments. It also extends to post-acute care environments, outpatient clinics and physicians offices, patients homes and other residential settings, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospices, and other healthcare or community locations where older adults receive care. This breadth signals that NIH is interested in evidence that applies across the full continuum of care, including transitions between settings, where older adults often experience fragmentation, burdensome treatments, and communication gaps.

In terms of what kinds of research are encouraged, the FOA supports both prospective, newly collected studies and strong secondary analyses that make use of existing information sources. Applicants may propose analyses of existing datasets, electronic health and medical records, administrative and insurance claims data, or other data sources that can answer meaningful questions about palliative care delivery and outcomes in older adults. NIH also encourages investigators to build on existing resources and infrastructure, such as ongoing cohorts, prior or active intervention studies, research networks, and data or specimen repositories. The intent is to speed progress by reusing high-value data and systems when appropriate, rather than requiring every project to start from scratch.

The announcement is intentionally inclusive about study designs. It allows observational studies that describe needs, patterns of care, disparities, or outcomes in geriatric palliative care. It also permits quasi-experimental approaches that evaluate policy changes, program rollouts, or natural experiments when randomization is not feasible. At the interventional end, it welcomes studies that test palliative care models, workflows, communication strategies, symptom management approaches, care coordination methods, or other interventions aimed at improving outcomes for older adults and their caregivers. Since the FOA is labeled clinical trial optional, applicants can propose trials when appropriate, but they are not forced into a clinical trial framework if the most rigorous approach is observational or quasi-experimental.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that conduct or support health research. Standard eligible applicants listed include state, county, 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants to encourage participation from diverse institutional types and communities, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. Practically, this means projects can be led by academic centers, health systems, community organizations, tribal entities, and other partners positioned to study and improve geriatric palliative care in varied populations and contexts.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under NIH, with activity categories in education and health and associated CFDA numbers listed in the source data (93.213, 93.233, 93.307, 93.361, 93.393, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.866). The original posting date in the source information is 2017-12-15, and the original closing date shown is 2020-09-07. An award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source snippet, which commonly means applicants need to consult the full FOA and NIH institute-specific guidance for budget expectations, project period norms, and any institute-level priorities tied to this announcement.

Overall, the core purpose of this FOA is to stimulate rigorous, impactful research that improves palliative care for older adults wherever they receive care, using the best-fit methods for the question at hand. It places equal value on innovative new prospective work and high-quality analyses of existing data, and it encourages investigators to leverage established cohorts, networks, and repositories to accelerate progress in geriatric palliative care science.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing the Science of Geriatric Palliative Care (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.233, 93.307, 93.361, 93.393, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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.

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