Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere (R01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PAR 25 377

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 377

The NIH funding opportunity PAR 25-377, titled "Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere (R01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)," is an R01 research grant solicitation aimed at improving understanding of health and healthcare disparities tied to the non-communicable and chronic diseases (NCDs) that drive the greatest burden of illness and death in Latin America and among Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States. The core idea is to generate practical, policy-relevant evidence that helps explain where disparities come from, how they persist across communities and health systems, and what measurement tools and analytic approaches are strong enough to guide action. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed under this NOFO, so the emphasis is on observational and evaluative research rather than testing clinical interventions in a trial format.

The NOFO is designed to support innovative, collaborative, multi-disciplinary projects, particularly those grounded in clinical epidemiology, evaluation of public and/or healthcare policies, and validation of measurements. In practice, that points to studies that can map inequities in disease risk, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes; analyze how structural and social factors shape those inequities; and assess the effects of real-world policies or healthcare delivery changes on different populations. It also highlights measurement validation, meaning applicants can focus on strengthening the tools used to quantify disparities, such as validating survey instruments, risk scores, clinical measures, administrative data algorithms, or harmonized indicators that can be applied across countries or across Latino/Hispanic subgroups. The goal is to ensure the field is working with reliable, comparable measures that can support credible cross-setting conclusions and better decision-making.

A defining requirement is meaningful partnership with Latin America. Multi-disciplinary research teams are expected to collaborate closely with key partners, and the project leadership must include at least one Principal Investigator (PI) or Multiple Principal Investigator (MPI) based at an institution in Latin America. This requirement signals that NIH is looking for research that is not simply about Latin America, but done with Latin American institutions in leadership roles, supporting shared governance, contextual expertise, and stronger regional relevance. The intent is to foster equitable collaborations that combine local knowledge, data access, and health system realities with rigorous analytic methods and cross-border comparative perspectives.

The populations and settings of interest span both Latin America and U.S. Hispanics/Latinos, reflecting a hemisphere-wide framing of disparities. That opens the door to research that examines common drivers of inequity across countries, migration and transnational factors, and differences among Hispanic/Latino groups by ancestry, national origin, geography, socioeconomic position, or access to insurance and care. Because the NOFO emphasizes the NCDs with the highest burden and mortality, projects would be expected to focus on major chronic disease areas that dominate morbidity and mortality profiles in the region and in U.S. Latino communities, while staying aligned with the specific priorities described in the full announcement.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based applicants and organizations, such as 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 (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly calls out several categories of organizations as eligible applicants or relevant partners, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), regional organizations, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility is consistent with a disparities-focused initiative that benefits from community-connected institutions and diverse organizational capabilities.

At the same time, the opportunity draws important boundaries around foreign applications. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. In practical terms, this means the applicant organization must be eligible under NIH rules (typically U.S.-based), but the research can include foreign components and collaborations in Latin America, and the leadership structure must include at least one PI or MPI from a Latin American institution. That combination is meant to preserve NIH’s applicant eligibility framework while still enabling substantial on-the-ground work and shared leadership across the hemisphere.

Administrative details provided include that this is a discretionary grant under the NIH umbrella, tied to CFDA numbers 93.121, 93.307, 93.313, 93.361, 93.393, and 93.866. The original closing date listed is January 7, 2027. Award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided text, which usually means applicants should consult the full NOFO for budget expectations, project period limits, and any institute- or center-specific guidance. Overall, the opportunity is positioned to build a stronger evidence base on how chronic disease disparities arise and can be measured and addressed, with an explicit expectation that U.S. and Latin American investigators co-lead rigorous research that can inform policy, health system improvements, and future interventions across the hemisphere.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere (R01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.307, 93.313, 93.361, 93.393, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-01-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-07.
• 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 25 377

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: