Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA ES 22 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 22 002

Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity run through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). It is designed to support outstanding investigators in the Environmental Health Sciences by giving them sustained funding along with greater intellectual and administrative flexibility than is typical of standard project-by-project grants. The central idea is to reduce the need to manage multiple separate awards and instead provide a single, consolidated grant that supports most of an investigator's independent environmental health sciences research program, making it easier to pursue new, higher-impact directions as the science evolves.

The program is investigator-focused rather than narrowly project-focused. NIEHS is looking to identify individuals with strong potential for continued innovation and meaningful impact in environmental health research, and this applies regardless of career stage. In practical terms, the award is meant to roll up an investigator's existing investigator-initiated efforts into one integrated program of research, helping them maintain momentum while also creating room to explore novel ideas, take calculated risks, and pivot into emerging opportunities without constantly having to restructure the work into multiple separate applications.

This opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-ES-22-002, with an activity category spanning environment and health (CFDA 93.113). It is an R35 mechanism, which generally signals longer-term, programmatic support for an investigator's research rather than a single tightly scoped study. The listing notes "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose a clinical trial if it fits the goals of their research program, but a clinical trial is not required to be responsive to the announcement.

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 that are not federally recognized governments; public housing authorities/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 types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, regional organizations, tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions.

There are important limits related to foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means a U.S. applicant organization can include certain scientifically justified elements of the work to be performed outside the U.S. under NIH rules, even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

Key administrative details from the source include an original closing date of June 9, 2022, and a creation date of January 21, 2022. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided listing, so applicants would typically consult the full NIH funding opportunity announcement for budget structure, project period expectations, and review considerations. Overall, RIVER is positioned as a high-trust, long-horizon investment in researchers who are poised to drive the environmental health sciences forward, with funding structured to encourage ambition, adaptability, and sustained impact.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-06-09. (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 RFA ES 22 002

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