Deadline: 16-Sep-2025
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a new funding opportunity under program PAR-25-441, designed to address rural health disparities through innovative intervention and etiologic research.
This initiative seeks to generate practical solutions that improve access to care and reduce health inequities across rural communities.
Projects supported under this program will focus on testing interventions that strengthen healthcare delivery in community settings, exploring resilience factors, and using technology such as telehealth to bridge gaps. With an emphasis on real-world application, these studies aim to transform healthcare outcomes by working directly with rural populations and understanding the challenges they face.
Award budgets for this opportunity are capped at $225,000 in annual direct costs, not including consortium facilities and administrative expenses. Funding is intended to ensure sustainability of impactful projects while maintaining accountability and measurable results. Approximately $5 million has been allocated to support around ten awards, with projects expected to begin in April 2026.
Eligibility for this funding is limited to federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, Tribal colleges and universities, Tribal health programs, and Tribal organizations. Consortia formed by two or more of these entities may also apply. However, entities already supported by an active NARCH award or planning grant will not be eligible. This structure ensures opportunities are equitably distributed to new applicants while expanding the capacity of Tribal-led health research.
Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply. In addition, NIH will no longer issue awards involving foreign subawards or subcontracts, a policy effective May 2025. While international collaborations may continue in unfunded roles or through procurement of unique supplies, all monetary subawards to foreign entities are restricted under this call. Exceptions may only apply where federally recognized Tribes with ancestral catchment areas extending across U.S. borders are directly involved.
Through this program, NIH underscores its commitment to improving rural health and empowering Tribal organizations to lead research addressing disparities in their own communities. By investing in locally driven strategies and building long-term capacity, this initiative aims to create meaningful and lasting impacts on health equity.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
