Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 935
The NIH opportunity titled "Urgent Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Urgent Supplement - Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 18-935) is a discretionary grant mechanism that makes additional funds available to certain investigators who already hold active NIH awards and who need to rapidly pivot their existing, funded work to respond to an immediate public health crisis. The core purpose is speed and relevance: it supports time-sensitive, unforeseen needs that were not anticipated when the original (new or renewal) application was submitted or when the most recent progress report for the ongoing award was filed. In practical terms, this is not a standalone new grant for a new team starting from scratch; it is a competitive revision (often called a competing supplement) that builds on an existing NIH-funded project and expands or modifies its aims, methods, or activities to address an urgent and emerging health situation.
A key feature of this program is that applications are routed directly to the NIH Institute, Center, or awarding component that manages the parent award, specifically the component listed on the most recent Notice of Award (NoA). That routing detail matters because it signals how NIH intends to handle these submissions: the request is evaluated in the context of the existing grant relationship, the scientific scope of the parent project, and the urgent public health justification for the revision. The emphasis is on addressing needs "in a timely manner," which generally implies that the proposed revision should be ready to launch quickly, leverage existing infrastructure and personnel where possible, and produce outputs that matter during the timeframe of the crisis rather than far in the future.
The announcement is described as "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose work that includes a clinical trial if it is appropriate for the urgent question and consistent with NIH definitions and requirements, but a clinical trial is not required. This gives flexibility for projects that may be basic, translational, behavioral, implementation-focused, data-driven, or community-engaged, as long as the proposed activities directly support the urgent crisis response and fit within the boundaries NIH sets for competitive revisions to an existing award.
Eligibility is broad, but it is anchored by one main requirement: the applicant must be tied to a qualifying, active NIH grant or cooperative agreement type specified in the full FOA (the detailed list is in the complete announcement). Beyond that, NIH indicates a wide range of eligible applicant organizations and government entities, including state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other categories. NIH also explicitly calls out additional eligible groups 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 agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. Taken together, this indicates NIH is aiming to make urgent-response capacity available across many institutional settings, including community-based and underserved-focused organizations, not only traditional research universities.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a grant under NIH, with activity areas spanning education, food and nutrition, and health, and it is associated with CFDA numbers 93.242, 93.279, 93.847, 93.855, and 93.866. The posting date in the source data is October 3, 2018, and the listed original closing date is October 24, 2022, which is important because it suggests the opportunity may have operated over a defined window and that applicants would need to verify whether the FOA is still active, has been reissued, or has been superseded by a newer NIH urgent supplement mechanism before preparing a submission.
What this funding is designed to accomplish is straightforward: when a crisis emerges and researchers already supported by NIH are well-positioned to help, NIH can use the competitive revision pathway to rapidly expand those projects so they can answer urgent questions, collect critical data, adapt protocols, add new sites or populations, accelerate analysis, or deploy interventions relevant to the crisis. The revision must be justified as an immediate need tied to a specific public health emergency and as something that could not reasonably have been planned for at the time the parent application or routine progress report was submitted. In effect, NIH is paying for a rapid, targeted extension of existing capacity, rather than funding an entirely new line of work that would take longer to stand up.Apply for PA 18 935
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Urgent Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Urgent Supplement - Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.279, 93.847, 93.855, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-10-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-10-24. (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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FAQs: NIH PA 18-935 Urgent Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Urgent Supplement - Clinical Trial Optional)
What is this funding opportunity?
This NIH opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 18-935) provides additional discretionary funds through a competitive revision (also called a competing supplement) to support urgent, time-sensitive work tied to an immediate public health crisis.
Is this a new standalone grant for brand-new projects?
No. This mechanism is designed for investigators who already hold an active NIH award and need to rapidly pivot or expand that funded project to respond to an urgent and emerging public health situation.
What does "competitive revision" (or "competing supplement") mean in this context?
A competitive revision is a request to add funds and revise the scope of an existing NIH-funded project. The revision typically expands or modifies aims, methods, or activities so the parent award can address urgent, unforeseen needs related to a public health crisis.
What problem is this program trying to solve?
The purpose is speed and relevance during a crisis. It supports needs that were not anticipated when the original (new or renewal) application was submitted or when the most recent progress report for the ongoing award was filed, and that must be addressed in a timely manner.
What kinds of changes to an existing project can be supported?
Based on the description, supported revisions may include rapid additions or modifications that help with crisis response, such as answering urgent questions, collecting critical data, adapting protocols, adding new sites or populations, accelerating analyses, or deploying crisis-relevant interventions, as long as those changes build on the existing NIH-funded project.
How does NIH route or assign these applications?
Applications are routed directly to the NIH Institute, Center, or other awarding component that manages the parent award. Specifically, the relevant component is the one listed on the most recent Notice of Award (NoA) for the existing grant or cooperative agreement.
Why does routing to the parent award’s awarding component matter?
It indicates the request will be evaluated in the context of the existing grant relationship, the scientific scope of the parent project, and the urgency and public health justification for the proposed revision.
How quickly is the proposed work expected to start?
The emphasis is on responding "in a timely manner." Practically, this implies the revision should be ready to launch quickly, leverage existing infrastructure and personnel where possible, and produce outputs that matter during the timeframe of the crisis rather than far in the future.
Are clinical trials required?
No. The announcement is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning a clinical trial may be included if appropriate for the urgent question and consistent with NIH definitions and requirements, but proposing a clinical trial is not required.
Can the revision include a clinical trial?
Yes. Clinical trials may be proposed when they are appropriate to the urgent public health question and align with NIH clinical trial definitions and applicable requirements.
What types of research or activities can fit under "clinical trial optional"?
The description indicates flexibility for basic, translational, behavioral, implementation-focused, data-driven, or community-engaged work, as long as the activities directly support urgent crisis response and remain within NIH’s boundaries for competitive revisions to an existing award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad but anchored by one main requirement: the applicant must be tied to a qualifying, active NIH grant or cooperative agreement type specified in the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
Do applicants need to already have an active NIH award?
Yes. This opportunity is meant to provide additional funds to investigators who already hold active NIH awards and need to pivot their existing funded work to address an urgent public health crisis.
What kinds of organizations does NIH consider eligible (in general terms)?
The opportunity lists a wide range of eligible applicants and entities, including various government types (state, county, city/township, special district), independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other categories described in the full FOA.
Are community-based or faith-based organizations included as eligible applicants?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly mentions faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible groups.
Are institutions that serve specific populations (like HBCUs or Hispanic-serving institutions) included?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly calls out multiple institution types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are U.S. territories or possessions included?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among eligible groups.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes non-U.S. (foreign) organizations.
Which NIH component reviews the application?
The application is directed to the NIH Institute, Center, or awarding component responsible for the parent award, as listed on the most recent Notice of Award (NoA).
What are the activity areas associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with activity areas spanning education, food and nutrition, and health.
Is this categorized as a grant or something else?
It is categorized as a grant mechanism under NIH, and it applies to existing NIH grants and cooperative agreements through the competitive revision pathway.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA numbers listed are 93.242, 93.279, 93.847, 93.855, and 93.866.
What are the posted dates mentioned for this opportunity?
The posting date in the provided information is October 3, 2018, and the listed original closing date is October 24, 2022.
Does the closing date mean this opportunity may no longer be active?
The information notes an original closing date of October 24, 2022, which suggests the opportunity may have operated within a defined window. Applicants would need to verify whether PA 18-935 is still active, has been reissued, or has been superseded by a newer NIH urgent supplement mechanism before preparing a submission.
What must be true for a request to qualify as "urgent" under this program?
The revision must be justified as an immediate need tied to a specific public health emergency and described as something that could not reasonably have been planned for when the parent application (or the most recent routine progress report) was submitted.
How is this different from planning a normal expansion of a project?
This mechanism is intended for unforeseen, time-sensitive crisis needs. The core idea is that the new activities were not anticipated in the original application or the most recent progress report and must be addressed quickly due to an immediate public health crisis.
What is the main strategic advantage of applying through this mechanism?
It is designed to rapidly expand existing NIH-funded capacity rather than starting a new line of work from scratch. That means leveraging current personnel, infrastructure, and ongoing activities to generate crisis-relevant outputs within the timeframe of the emergency.
Where does an applicant find the "qualifying" parent award types?
The information indicates that qualifying, active NIH grant or cooperative agreement types are specified in the full FOA. Applicants would need to consult the full PA 18-935 announcement for the detailed list.
What is the role of the Notice of Award (NoA) in this process?
The most recent NoA identifies the NIH Institute, Center, or awarding component that manages the parent award, and applications under this urgent competitive revision are routed to that component.
What is NIH trying to fund in practical terms?
In practical terms, NIH is funding a rapid, targeted extension of existing project capacity so supported teams can pivot to urgent crisis response tasks, rather than funding an entirely new project that would take longer to establish.
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