NIOSH Exploratory and/or Developmental Grant Program (R21) (PAR-18-798)

NIOSH Exploratory and/or Developmental Grant Program (R21) (PAR-18-798) is sponsored by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Supports exploratory and developmental research projects that identify and address novel scientific ideas or new model systems, tools, or technologies with the potential for significant impact on occupational safety and health.

Expired PAR-18-798: NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21) This notice has expired. For NIH, in limited situations, applications may be accepted on a case-by-case basis for a short period after expiration to accommodate NIH late or continuous submission policies . Contact the eRA Service Desk for any submission issues.

Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. Department of Health and Human Services Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) The policies, guidelines, terms, and conditions of the HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) might differ from those used by the HHS National Institutes of Health (NIH).

If written guidance for completing this application is not available on the CDC website, then CDC will direct applicants elsewhere for that information.

of Participating Organizations National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH ) Funding Opportunity Title NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21) R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program March 31, 2025 - This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission.

November 13, 2023 - Extension of Application Receipt Dates for PAR-18-798 NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21). See Notice NOT-OH-24-006 . NOT-OD-22-190 - Adjustments to NIH and AHRQ Grant Application Due Dates Between September 22 and September 30, 2022 September 15, 2020 - Notice of Application Form Issue with PAR-18-798 Occupational Safety and Health Research (R21).

See Notice NOT-OH-20-011 . Clarifying Competing Application Instructions and Notice of Publication of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research. See Notice Changes to NIH Requirements Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research.

See Notice NOT-OD-19-128 . April 10, 2019 - Updates for PAR-18-797 Occupational Safety and Health Research (R03). See Notice NOT-OH-19-005 .

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number Companion Funding Opportunity Additional Information on Eligibility .

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s) Funding Opportunity Purpose The purpose of the R21 grant program is (1) to develop an understanding of the risks and conditions associated with occupational diseases and injuries, (2) to explore methods for reducing risks and preventing or minimizing exposure to hazardous conditions in the workplace, and (3) to translate significant scientific findings into prevention practices and products that will effectively reduce work-related illnesses and injuries.

NIOSH supports exploratory and developmental research projects (R21) that identify and address novel scientific ideas or new model systems, tools, or technologies with the potential for significant impact on occupational Applicants must concisely describe the occupational health burden addressed in their proposals and must link the need for the proposed research activities to planned outputs that will help alleviate this burden.

Applicants should clearly articulate the anticipated impacts of the proposed research, both during the project period and beyond. Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Letter of Intent Due Date(s) July 19, 2018 for New Applications; August 10, 2018 for Resubmission and Revision Dates apply for future dates. Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.

m. , ET, on the listed application due date. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

AIDS Application Due Date(s) New Date November 21, 2025 per NOT-OH-25-004 (Prior Date November 18, 2024) It is critical that applicants follow the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide , except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced.

Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV . When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for Part 1.

Overview Information Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description Section II.

Award Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Section V.

Application Review Information Section VI. Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contacts Section VIII.

Other Information Full Text of Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Every day, millions of U.S. workers go to work expecting to return home healthy and safe. The workplace environment can have a significant impact on a worker’s physical and psychological health. Depending on the job, a worker may be at risk for many different kinds of injuries and illnesses or even death.

Work-related illnesses are often significantly underestimated due to the difficulty of recognizing or associating illness or disease with past occupational exposures. In 2016, there were approximately 2. 9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers, according to estimates from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In addition, a report from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) by the BLS indicates that there were 5,190 fatal work injuries in the United States in 2016. Work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths are very costly to American society. In 2015, employers spent $94.

8 billion on workers' compensation ( National Academy of Social Insurance Data ). Despite successes in reducing fatal and nonfatal occupational-related injuries and illnesses in recent years, the need for continued research and intervention activities in occupational safety and health (OSH) remains essential.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is an agency operating under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the mission of generating new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and transferring that knowledge into practice to prevent worker injury, illness and death.

To accomplish this mission, NIOSH conducts and funds scientific research, develops methods to prevent occupational hazards, develops guidance and authoritative recommendations, translates scientific knowledge into products and services, disseminates information, identifies factors underlying work-related disease and injury and responds to requests for workplace health hazard evaluations ( see About NIOSH ).

NIOSH organizes its research programs into sector and cross-sector programs based on the framework provided by the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), a partnership program designed to stimulate innovative research and improved workplace practices.

Research objectives supported by NIOSH include, but are not limited to the following: identification and investigation of the relationships between hazardous working conditions and associated occupational diseases and injuries; development of more sensitive means of evaluating hazards at work development of methods for measuring early markers of adverse health effects and injuries; development of new protective equipment and engineering control technology to reduce work-related illnesses and injuries; development of work practices that reduce the risks of occupational hazards; and evaluation of the technical feasibility or application of a new or improved occupational safety and health procedure, method, technique, or system, including assessment of economic and other factors that influence their diffusion and successful adoption in workplaces.

NIOSH R21 grants support the early and conceptual stages of research projects that assess the feasibility of novel areas of investigation, examine new experimental systems with the potential to enhance occupational safety and health research or practice, or apply unique and innovative uses of existing methods to explore new scientific areas.

These studies may involve considerable risk, but may lead to breakthroughs in a particular area, or to the development of novel techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or applications that have a major impact. These studies should break new ground or extend previous discoveries toward new directions or applications.

Long-term projects or projects designed to increase knowledge in a well-established area (for example, R01 projects) will not be considered for R21 awards. Healthy People 2020 and other National Strategic Priorities The United States Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving nationwide improvements in health for a society in which all people live long, healthy lives.

The vision, mission, and goals are found in Healthy People 2020 at https://www. healthypeople. gov/ .

The objectives of Healthy People 2020 related to occupational safety and health (OSH) are primarily addressed through the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). NORA, established by NIOSH and its partners to stimulate research and improve workplace practices, provides a framework to guide OSH research.

The goal of NIOSH research programs is to support relevant, high quality, and effective projects that demonstrate impact in reducing occupational disease and injury. Detailed information about the NORA Program Portfolio can be found at http://www. cdc.

gov/niosh/programs/ . NIOSH Programs support research that addresses worker safety, accident prevention, and health concerns across a wide spectrum of industries and occupations, and approaches that include basic research though translation research, which takes research knowledge and works to put it to use by promoting engineering controls, new technologies, and communication products.

Through this announcement, NIOSH encourages qualified applicants to submit applications that will reduce or prevent occupational injury, illness and death, whether targeted to particular worker populations or to workers in broad spectrums of the work environment. NIOSH has a long history of funding extramural research covering a highly diverse range of topics and approaches related to occupational safety and health research.

Ongoing funding opportunity announcements such as this one provide grant support for investigator-initiated research, small research projects, exploratory developmental research, and/or mentored research scientist career development awards. Through funding in these areas, NIOSH successfully supports advancements in knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and the transfer of knowledge into practice.

More information can be found at https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/oep .

NIOSH organizes its research program under the framework of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA [ https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/nora/about.

html ]). NORA is a partnership program to stimulate innovative research and improved workplace practices. Unveiled in 1996, NORA is now entering its third decade (2016-2026) with an enhanced structure.

It now consists of ten industry sectors based on major areas of the U.S. economy, and seven health and safety cross-sectors organized according to the major health and safety issues affecting the U.S. years 2019-2023 that identifies strategic and intermediate goals for its research portfolio ( https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/about/strategicplan/ ).

The strategic goals listed below represent the major health and safety issues facing the U. S workforce. These goals are the broad focus areas for this Reduce occupational cancer, cardiovascular disease, adverse reproductive outcomes, and other chronic diseases.

Reduce occupational hearing loss. Reduce occupational immune, infectious, and dermal disease. Reduce occupational musculoskeletal disorders.

Reduce occupational respiratory disease. Improve workplace safety to reduce traumatic injuries. Promote safe and healthy work design and well-being.

NIOSH has also identified intermediate goals. These are specific actions needed to achieve, or help achieve, the strategic goals. In addition, NIOSH has identified certain areas where extramural research is specifically encouraged to fill a gap or provide a capacity that NIOSH cannot.

Descriptions and updates of the strategic and intermediate goals are on the NIOSH website at https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/about/default.

html . proposals and identify the strategic and intermediate goals the proposed research will support. Funding priority will be given to those applications that clearly address strategic and intermediate goals.

Researchers are encouraged to propose innovative or novel approaches to addressing the major health and safety issues facing the U.S. workforce and moving the field forward through action designed to achieve these strategic and intermediate goals. Sectors and Health and Safety Cross-sectors In the Project Description/Abstract, state which industry sector(s) and health and safety cross-sector(s) the proposed work will address.

Provide a clear rationale for how the intended outcomes of the proposed project will contribute to the specified strategic and intermediate goals.

Funding priority will be given to applications that clearly identify the strategic and intermediate goals their proposed work will address Review the following websites for updates about NIOSH strategic and intermediate goals, research goal priorities, and other current information as you craft and submit your research proposals: National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) - https://www. cdc.

gov/niosh/nora/ NIOSH Strategic Goals - https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/about/default.

html NIOSH Programs - https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/programs.

html . NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs - https://www. cdc.

gov/niosh/oep . This information is provided to help researchers submit relevant, high-quality applications. The third decade of NORA encompasses a new framework for assessing research priorities and aligning NIOSH research investments.

This new framework provides a structured, transparent, and evidence-based approach that the burden of occupational exposures and hazards on worker morbidity, mortality, injury, and direct and indirect economic costs; the need for the research effort, including the comparative advantage that NIOSH the potential for impact of the proposed research. This new burden-need-impact framework is known by its acronym, BNI .

Research funded based on BNI. The concepts of the new BNI framework are described in the Burden is risk from any of the following: exposure to hazards; occurrence of injuries, illnesses, or deaths due to work-related factors; and impacts on economic factors and well-being. The extent of exposure can be in terms of the number of workers exposed, the magnitude of the exposure, or both.

The assessment of burden is based on several main constructs: magnitude of the problem; health impact severity; exposure to workers; societal costs; new or emerging issues; and relationship to work environment. For emerging issues, the burden is anticipatory.

Clearly describe the occupational health burden(s) your research will address and how the proposed research activities and outputs will help Estimate potential burden by using the same arguments as for existing burden, and identify any assumptions. Provide a rationale for extrapolating potential burden to the Address the following elements of burden: Exposure/Hazard. How many workers are exposed or at risk?

Are there disparities among worker populations? Is there a trend in exposure or risk? Does a new or emerging burden show an increasing trend?

Injury/Illness. How many fatalities or illnesses have occurred? What is the incidence or prevalence of the injury or illness?

Are there disparities among worker Disability/Severity. How serious is the health outcome under study? Is there evidence of disability, years of life lost or disabled, reduction in quality of life, or days away from work?

Have the most relevant indicators been selected? Cost. What is the estimated cost (such as medical expenses), productivity loss (such as absenteeism or presenteeism), lost wages, or disability payments?

Have the most relevant indicators been selected? Although burden is a foundational factor in setting priorities, need is also a critical factor. NIOSH should not only invest in an important burden area but also focus on the most relevant and impactful issues pertaining to the burden.

Address the following elements of need: of knowledge gap . Is there evidence that this activity will approach . Is the proposed research method well defined (basic/etiologic, intervention, translation, or surveillance) and appropriate to the proposed aims of the project?

How does this methodological approach compare with other approaches that could be considered to fill the knowledge Is this the best time for undertaking this activity? need . Does this study address an explicit stakeholder need?

What is the evidence of that need, and why should NIOSH address the need? What are the potential advantages of NIOSH’s undertaking of this activity, in the broad context of research, policy, and practice? The assessment of impact is based on the potential for the activity to be successful in generating knowledge or products that will be used by stakeholders external to NIOSH (intermediate outcomes).

Describe how these intermediate outcomes might result in reduced burden or improved health and well-being in the near- or long-term. Describe who will benefit from the proposed activities. Include appropriate partners or stakeholders in the activities to help ensure successful transfer of the findings to the end users or intended audience.

Address the following elements of impact: of success . What is the probability of success? Is the proposed research feasible and likely to address the stated need?

Feasibility includes available capacity, resources, and technical expertise, as well as anticipated time to completion. If relevant, are letters of support from collaborators, stakeholders, or critical data sources provided? of research results by others .

Is there potential for the proposed research to be used in setting standards, guidance, policy, or recommendations? Could the proposed research be adopted by manufacturers, trade associations, or others? Is there potential for dissemination of research results by external organizations?

Is there potential for others to adopt technology, training programs/materials, intervention strategies, or new surveillance methods used in or resulting from the proposed research? Is there a potential for technology to be transferred into the marketplace? If appropriate to the proposed research, is there potential for partners to assist in tracking progress of research translation efforts?

research. Is the proposed research likely to generate information that leads to follow-on research that builds on the findings from this project? What type of follow- on research would be anticipated as a NIOSH has a number of data resources are available to researchers at the NIOSH Data and Statistics Gateway ( https://www.

cdc. gov/niosh/data/default. html ).

This includes Worker Health Charts ( https://wwwn. cdc. gov/NIOSH-whc ) that use worker health data gathered by NIOSH from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create specialized charts to assess the rates, distribution, and trends in workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.

These data can be used to help provide the context and estimate the burden of the problems being addressed, the need for the proposed work, the impact on the workforce, and the potential long-term benefits of the proposed projects and activities.

Additionally, issues can be contextualized through economic metrics such as the societal cost, medical cost, productivity losses and disability costs In addition to NORA, NIOSH has established a Research to Practice (r2p) approach to reduce or eliminate occupational illness and injury.

This approach increases the transfer and translation of knowledge, interventions, and technologies into highly effective prevention practices and products into the workplace ( https://www. cdc. gov/niosh/r2p ).

It involves collaborations with partners and stakeholders on the use, adoption, and adaptation of NIOSH knowledge, interventions, and technologies that will move research into practice in order to reduce and eliminate injuries, illness, The r2p approach is an interactive process in which the occupational safety and health community including researchers, communicators, decision-makers, and employer/employee groups work Design, plan, and conduct studies; Translate and disseminate existing knowledge, interventions, and technologies to relevant users for implementation in the workplace; and to Evaluate results to determine the impact on occupational safety Provide a brief statement about how the proposed research addresses r2p in both the Description (Abstract) and in the Research Strategy Proposed goals and objectives should be clearly stated in the application and directly linked to the occupational health and safety burdens being addressed.

Applicants are expected to justify their proposal, by describing the burden of the problem, the need for the proposed research or activity, and the potential for impact or likelihood Applicants should provide data to support their selection of proposed work, such as morbidity or mortality rates, indicators of the size of the population at risk including estimates of the target population’s potential risk of exposure to the hazard, frequency of exposure, or sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Similarly, applicants may provide qualitative data that describe exposures, the magnitude of the problem, and potential benefits and impacts of addressing the issue. Qualitative data may be necessary when the nature of the exposure or population at risk make collecting large-scale, representative quantitative data difficult.

Governmental agencies and organizations have been faced with increasing demand to measure the effectiveness of their funded research in improving public health. Effectiveness can be measured by the products (outputs) of research activities and subsequent outcomes, i.e., benefits or changes at an individual or population level. Outputs are the immediate products or direct result of research activities.

Examples include publications, reports, conference proceedings, presentations/posters, investigator career development, databases, tools, methods, guidelines, recommendations, education and training The causes of work-related injuries and illnesses are complex, and determining the effect that specific research activities have on them can take years. Thus, outcomes can be measured over time as either intermediate or end outcomes.

outcomes are specific changes that occur as a result of research activities. Examples of intermediate outcomes include public or private policy changes, conduct of training or workshops based on project outputs, citations in the literature, inventions and patents, and adoption of technologies or methods developed by the researcher.

outcomes are the ultimate goal of the research and the result of what individuals or institutions do with the knowledge or products generated by the research. Examples of end outcomes include reduction in workplace illnesses, injuries, fatalities, and/or hazardous exposures. Provide a brief statement about expected outputs and outcomes of the proposed research in the Description (Abstract) and in the Research Strategy (Significance).

The ultimate beneficiaries are workers in the United States. As an example, a project might target United States vulnerable worker populations to address the additional increased safety and health risks associated with occupational health disparities, changing worker demographics, and changing nature of work.

The population(s) of workers to be addressed by the proposed research should be identified, whether specifically or more Collaborations/Partnerships Partnerships are critical for translating research findings into effective work practices and are encouraged by the NIOSH Research-to-Practice (r2p) program.

Interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary collaborations that share expertise are essential to advancing occupational Address a wide range of occupational safety and health concerns, as determined by the burdens posed by these concerns, and describe how your efforts will alleviate or eliminate these burdens. Include collaborations or partnerships that strengthen the proposed research in terms of OSH, or related, expertise and resources.

Evaluation/Performance Measurement Evaluations provide information for management and improve program effectiveness. The CDC document A Framework for Program Evaluation ( http://www. cdc.

gov/eval/framework/index. htm ) Effective program evaluation is a systematic way to improve and account for public health actions by involving procedures that are useful, feasible, ethical, and accurate.

Understanding and applying the elements of this framework for research projects may enhance planning effective public health strategies, improving existing programs including evidence-based activities, and demonstrating beneficial results and impact of federal funding. Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on Optional: Accepting applications that either propose or do not propose clinical trial(s) help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon availability of funds and receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious Total amount awarded and the number of awards issued each year will depend upon available funds and the number, quality, duration, and proposed costs of the applications received. Anticipated number of awards per year is 5 to 10.

Estimated total funding (direct and indirect costs) available for new awards in the first budget period of this FOA is $1M. Estimated total funding (direct and indirect) available for these awards over the 2-year period of performance is $2M. This FOA covers a 5-year period.

Available funds may vary Up to $275,000 in direct costs (including consortium F&A costs) for the 2-year period of performance. No more than $200,000 in direct costs may be requested in The total period of performance may not exceed 2 years. described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement ( http://www.

hhs. gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107. pdf ) will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this FOA.

Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for CDC/NIOSH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education: Hispanic-serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government U.S. Territory or Possession Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith-based or Community-based Organizations Bona Fide Agents: a Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in lieu of a state application.

If applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local government, a legal, binding agreement from the state or local government as documentation of the status is required. Attach with "Other Attachment Forms" when submitting via www. grants.

gov . Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): FFRDCs are operated, managed, and/or administered by a university or consortium of universities, other not-for-profit or nonprofit organization, or an industrial firm, as an autonomous organization or as an identifiable separate operating unit of a parent organization.

A FFRDC meets some special long-term research or development need that cannot be met as effectively by an agency's existing in-house or contractor resources. FFRDC's enable agencies to use private sector resources to accomplish tasks that are integral to the mission and operation of the sponsoring agency. For more information on FFRDCs, go to https://dap.

dau. mil/acquipedia/Pages/ArticleDetails. aspx?

aid=5e3079b8-44f2-43df-a0e7-9f379e8c48ed Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are not allowed.

For this announcement, applicants may not include collaborators or consultants from foreign institutions. All applicable federal Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted.

Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number.

After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application. System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually .

The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code. Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.

must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants. gov registration.

eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account.

PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.

Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for CDC/NIOSH support. For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, NIOSH requires one PD/PI to be designated as the "Contact PI, who will be responsible for all communication between the PDs/PIs and the NIOSH, for assembling the application materials outlined below, and for coordinating progress reports for the The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PDs/PIs.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide ( https://grants. nih. gov/grants/multi_pi ).

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement ( http://www. hhs. gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.

pdf ) 3. Additional Information on Eligibility Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

As defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement, applications received in response to the same funding opportunity announcement generally are scored individually and then ranked with other applications under peer review in their order of relative programmatic, technical, or scientific merit. CDC/NIOSH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time.

This means that CDC/NIOSH will A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.

An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101 ). Applications that exceed the 2-year period of performance limit or the direct cost limit of $275,000 (including consortium F&A costs) will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed. In these cases, CDC/NIOSH will notify the applicant and request that the application be withdrawn.

Upon receipt, applications will