Patient Activation for Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 19 381

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 381

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Patient Activation for Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-19-381) supports research that looks closely at how patient activation affects the way people manage long-term health problems. In plain terms, NIH is seeking studies that examine how engaged, informed, and motivated patients are in taking an active role in their own care, and how that level of activation influences day-to-day self-management behaviors and health outcomes for chronic conditions. The announcement uses the R01 mechanism, meaning it is intended for substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects, and it is labeled "clinical trial optional," so applicants can propose either non-trial research or a clinical trial if the scientific aims require it.

The overall goal of the opportunity sits at the intersection of patient behavior, health education, and chronic disease management. It invites applications that can deepen understanding of patient activation itself, identify factors that increase or decrease activation, and test approaches that could improve activation in ways that lead to better self-management. While the announcement text provided is brief, the framing implies interest in rigorous research that connects activation to real-world outcomes: adherence to medications, lifestyle changes, symptom monitoring, engagement with care teams, use of preventive services, and the ability to navigate healthcare systems over time. Because the activity category is listed under Education and Health, projects that blend health services research with practical patient education or coaching strategies are a natural fit, as long as they are grounded in a strong research design.

This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses a grant funding instrument. The associated CFDA number is 93.361, and the sponsoring agency is NIH. The posting was created on September 17, 2019, and the original closing date listed is May 7, 2023. The source data does not specify an award ceiling, the number of expected awards, or similar budget planning details, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full NIH announcement and any institute-specific guidance to understand budget expectations, project period norms, and the anticipated level of competition.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants 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 other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education under that category); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as 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 agencies of the federal government, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis signals that NIH is open to applications from a wide range of institutions, including those that serve populations often underrepresented in research and those deeply connected to local communities where chronic disease burdens may be high.

There are important limits related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities that are foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, the announcement states that foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. Practically, this means a U.S. applicant organization can include certain international collaborations or activities as a foreign component if they meet NIH policy definitions and are well-justified scientifically, but a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant, and a U.S. organization cannot simply route the bulk of work through an ineligible non-U.S. component.

Taken together, PAR-19-381 is best understood as an NIH research grant opportunity aimed at improving the science of chronic disease self-management by focusing on patient activation: what it is, what drives it, how it can be measured, and how it can be strengthened to improve health. It is intentionally flexible about study design (clinical trial optional) and inclusive about who can apply across government, education, nonprofit, community, and private-sector organizations, while still maintaining standard NIH restrictions on foreign applicant eligibility and allowing appropriately defined foreign components when needed for the research.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Patient Activation for Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (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): 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-09-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 19 381

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