Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 22 046
The HEAL Initiative: Coordinating Center for National Pain Scientists Career Development (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding opportunity (RFA-NS-22-046) is a National Institutes of Health grant designed to strengthen and expand the U.S. pipeline of pain researchers. NIH is emphasizing this area because the field needs stronger evidence on best practices for pain management and more effective, non-opioid approaches to treating pain, yet there are not enough investigators entering and staying in pain research to meet long-term national goals. The Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) has flagged this workforce gap as a major barrier slowing progress, pointing to issues like barriers to entry into pain research, limited growth in the field, and a high departure rate among senior investigators and mentors. In response, this program is positioned as part of the broader NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative and focuses on building a more durable, better connected, and better mentored community of pain scientists.
At the center of the opportunity is the creation of a Coordinating Center for National Pain Scientists (CCNPS). Rather than funding a set of individual research projects, the CCNPS is meant to function as a hub that organizes, supports, and connects people across the pain research workforce. Its primary role is to integrate training and mentoring activities across a network of NIH-supported early-stage investigators and experienced mentors, including NIH trainees, fellows, and career development awardees. The overarching goal is to improve the quality and consistency of career development in pain science from basic to translational to clinical research, while also creating a large, visible network of NIH-funded pain researchers who can more easily find collaborators, share expertise, and form multidisciplinary teams.
A major theme in the announcement is that pain research often remains siloed, with basic scientists, translational researchers, and clinicians not routinely collaborating when building grant applications or shaping research directions. NIH is explicitly trying to change that pattern by using the CCNPS to promote cross-disciplinary interaction and coordinated mentoring. The expectation is that if researchers across these domains work together more deliberately, pain research will become more innovative and more likely to yield findings that translate into practical improvements in pain management. In that sense, the CCNPS is intended to be both a training infrastructure and a field-building mechanism that accelerates collaboration and helps early-stage investigators develop the skills, professional networks, and mentorship relationships needed to remain in pain research long term.
Administratively, this is a discretionary NIH grant using the R24 activity mechanism, and it is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the coordinating center work supported under this award cannot include conducting clinical trials. The opportunity falls under CFDA numbers 93.213, 93.853, and 93.865, and it was originally posted with a closing date of March 24, 2022 (creation date January 10, 2022). While the notice text provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the overall structure indicates NIH is looking for a single central entity (or a central organizing team) capable of running national-level coordination, mentoring integration, and community-building functions that serve a broad network of NIH-funded pain researchers.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as NIH defines them) are not allowed, though non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may be eligible under NIH policy.
In practical terms, applicants are being asked to propose a national coordinating center that can act as a connective backbone for pain scientist career development under the HEAL Initiative. The emphasis is on organizing structured mentoring and training experiences, reducing fragmentation across disciplines, and creating an enduring network that helps early-stage investigators succeed and encourages experienced investigators to remain engaged as mentors. The intended end result is a stronger, more collaborative pain research workforce that is better positioned to develop and evaluate improved pain management strategies, especially non-opioid approaches, and to translate discoveries into real-world clinical benefit.Apply for RFA NS 22 046
- The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HEAL Initiative: Coordinating Center for National Pain Scientists Career Development (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.853, 93.865.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-03-24. (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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the HEAL Initiative: Coordinating Center for National Pain Scientists Career Development (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), NIH funding opportunity number RFA-NS-22-046. It is designed to strengthen and expand the U.S. pipeline of pain researchers by supporting a national coordinating center focused on career development, mentoring, and community-building in pain science.
Who is sponsoring this program?
The program is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity and is positioned within the broader NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative.
What problem is NIH trying to address with this award?
NIH is responding to a workforce gap in pain research. The field needs stronger evidence on best practices for pain management and more effective non-opioid approaches, but there are not enough investigators entering and staying in pain research to meet long-term national goals. The Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) has identified barriers to entry, limited growth, and a high departure rate among senior investigators and mentors as major barriers that slow progress.
What is the CCNPS?
CCNPS stands for the Coordinating Center for National Pain Scientists. The award supports creation of a central hub that organizes, supports, and connects people across the pain research workforce, rather than funding a set of individual research projects.
Is this opportunity meant to fund research projects?
No. The description emphasizes that the CCNPS is not a collection of individual research projects. Instead, it is a coordinating hub that integrates training and mentoring activities and builds an enduring, visible network of NIH-supported pain researchers.
What is the main purpose of the Coordinating Center?
The primary role of the CCNPS is to integrate training and mentoring activities across a network of NIH-supported early-stage investigators and experienced mentors (including NIH trainees, fellows, and career development awardees). The goal is to improve the quality and consistency of career development in pain science and to make it easier for NIH-funded pain researchers to connect, collaborate, and form multidisciplinary teams.
What kinds of researchers is the program trying to connect?
The program is explicitly focused on connecting pain researchers across basic, translational, and clinical research domains, with an emphasis on reducing siloing and encouraging cross-disciplinary interaction.
Why does NIH emphasize cross-disciplinary collaboration in this announcement?
The announcement notes that pain research often remains siloed, with basic scientists, translational researchers, and clinicians not routinely collaborating when developing grant applications or shaping research directions. NIH intends for the CCNPS to promote coordinated mentoring and cross-disciplinary interaction to increase innovation and improve the likelihood that findings translate into practical improvements in pain management.
What is the intended outcome of funding a national coordinating center?
The intended end result is a stronger, more collaborative pain research workforce. NIH aims for a more durable, better connected, and better mentored community of pain scientists that is better positioned to develop and evaluate improved pain management strategies (especially non-opioid approaches) and translate discoveries into real-world clinical benefit.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary NIH grant using the R24 activity mechanism.
Are clinical trials allowed under this award?
No. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the coordinating center work supported under this award cannot include conducting clinical trials.
What does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean in the context of this coordinating center?
Based on the notice, it means the funded activities under this award cannot include conducting clinical trials. The focus is on coordination, mentoring integration, training infrastructure, and network/community-building functions.
What is the relationship to the NIH HEAL Initiative?
This coordinating center program is positioned as part of NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term), and it focuses on strengthening pain research career development and building a connected national community of pain scientists.
Who are the primary beneficiaries of the CCNPS activities?
The primary beneficiaries include NIH-supported early-stage investigators and experienced mentors in pain research, including NIH trainees, fellows, and career development awardees.
Does the opportunity indicate whether NIH expects one award or multiple awards?
The notice text provided does not specify the expected number of awards. However, it describes a single national-level coordinating center and suggests NIH is looking for a single central entity (or a central organizing team) capable of running the coordination and integration functions.
Is there an award ceiling listed?
The notice text provided does not specify an award ceiling.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under CFDA numbers 93.213, 93.853, and 93.865.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The creation date listed is January 10, 2022, and the closing date listed is March 24, 2022.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible categories including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly mentions faith-based or community-based organizations as eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicant categories.
Are eligible federal agencies included?
Yes. The announcement explicitly lists eligible federal agencies among the eligible applicant categories.
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Are foreign components allowed?
No. Foreign components (as NIH defines them) are not allowed under this opportunity.
Can a U.S. organization include non-U.S. components?
The announcement notes that while foreign components are not allowed and foreign institutions cannot apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may be eligible under NIH policy.
What kinds of activities is the CCNPS expected to perform?
Applicants are expected to propose a national coordinating center that acts as a connective backbone for pain scientist career development under HEAL. The emphasis is on organizing structured mentoring and training experiences, integrating career development efforts across a network of NIH-supported investigators and mentors, reducing fragmentation across disciplines, and creating an enduring network that improves collaboration and long-term retention in pain research.
What is NIH trying to change about how pain research is conducted?
NIH is trying to reduce silos and increase deliberate collaboration among basic, translational, and clinical researchers. The CCNPS is intended to promote cross-disciplinary interaction and coordinated mentoring to accelerate innovation and translation.
How does this program relate to non-opioid pain management?
NIH highlights the need for more effective, non-opioid approaches to treating pain. By strengthening the pain research workforce and improving collaboration and mentoring, the program aims to help the field generate better evidence and improved pain management strategies, including non-opioid approaches.
What is the overall goal of building a visible network of NIH-funded pain researchers?
The goal is to make it easier for pain researchers to find collaborators, share expertise, and form multidisciplinary teams. This is intended to strengthen career development and increase the likelihood that research leads to practical improvements in pain management.
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