Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 242
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)" under Funding Opportunity Number PAR 25-242. This program is designed to support exploratory and developmental research focused on mobile health (mHealth) solutions that are purpose-built for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The emphasis is on innovation that is practical in LMIC settings and leverages new or emerging technologies, platforms, systems, or analytics to address important global health challenges.
At its core, the NOFO seeks projects that move beyond general ideas about digital health and instead generate real evidence about mHealth tools and interventions. Applicants are encouraged to study multiple stages of innovation, including the development of new tools, validation of their performance or measures, feasibility testing in real-world conditions, and evaluations of effectiveness for clinical or public health outcomes. Because the mechanism is R21/R33, the structure generally supports an initial exploratory phase followed by an expansion phase, allowing promising early findings to transition toward more robust testing and scaling. Clinical trials are allowed but not required, meaning applicants can propose clinical trial work if it fits their aims, or pursue other rigorous study designs appropriate to tool development and evaluation.
NIH frames the broader purpose of the program around three connected goals. First, it aims to catalyze multidisciplinary innovation by bringing together expertise such as public health, clinical medicine, behavioral science, computer science, data science, engineering, implementation science, and health systems research. Second, it aims to build a stronger evidence base on whether and how mHealth actually improves outcomes, rather than assuming that technology alone leads to impact. Third, it explicitly prioritizes strengthening mHealth research capacity within LMICs, supporting the idea that sustainable progress depends on local leadership, context-aware design, and locally anchored research teams.
A central requirement of this opportunity is partnership: every application must include collaboration between at least one U.S. institution and at least one LMIC institution. This requirement reflects NIHs intention that solutions be co-developed and tested with LMIC partners who understand local health priorities, infrastructure constraints, cultural factors, regulatory realities, and pathways for adoption in health systems. This also signals that competitive applications should show meaningful shared roles, clear governance, and credible plans for capacity building rather than treating LMIC institutions as peripheral implementation sites.
The eligible applicant landscape is broad, spanning many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, as well as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. The opportunity is also open to federally recognized Native American tribal governments, non-federally recognized Native American tribal organizations, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities. NIH also explicitly highlights eligibility for 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), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, reinforcing that applicants can come from a wide range of institutional types as long as they meet the partnership requirement and propose a strong LMIC-focused mHealth research plan.
Administratively, the opportunity lists an original closing date of 2026-03-20 and was created on 2024-12-04. It is categorized under Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services, and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.313, 93.399, 93.853, 93.865, 93.867, 93.989), which indicates involvement or alignment with multiple NIH programs and institutes. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source data, so applicants would need to consult the full NOFO text for budget guidance, project period expectations, and any institute-specific considerations tied to the participating components.
Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as NIH support for early-to-mid stage mHealth innovation that is rigorously studied in LMIC contexts, grounded in genuine U.S.-LMIC collaboration, and aimed at producing evidence that can inform real-world adoption and health impact rather than purely technical demonstrations.Apply for PAR 25 242
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.313, 93.399, 93.853, 93.865, 93.867, 93.989.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-04.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-20. (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 PAR 25-242 - Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)" under Funding Opportunity Number PAR 25-242.
Which agency is offering this grant?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering this discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the main purpose of PAR 25-242?
The program supports exploratory and developmental research on mobile health (mHealth) solutions that are purpose-built for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It emphasizes practical innovation in LMIC settings and encourages the use of new or emerging technologies, platforms, systems, or analytics to address important global health challenges.
What kinds of projects is NIH trying to fund through this NOFO?
NIH is looking for projects that generate evidence about mHealth tools and interventions in LMIC contexts. The NOFO encourages research across multiple stages of innovation, including development of new tools, validation of performance or measures, feasibility testing in real-world conditions, and evaluations of effectiveness for clinical or public health outcomes.
Does the program require a clinical trial?
No. Clinical trials are optional. Applicants may propose clinical trial work if it fits the project aims, or propose other rigorous study designs appropriate to tool development and evaluation.
What does the R21/R33 mechanism mean for project structure?
The R21/R33 structure generally supports an initial exploratory phase followed by an expansion phase. This is intended to allow promising early findings to transition toward more robust testing and scaling.
Is this opportunity focused on digital health in general?
It is specifically focused on mobile health (mHealth) and emphasizes moving beyond broad digital health concepts to produce real evidence about the performance and outcomes of mHealth tools and interventions in LMIC settings.
What are NIH's broader goals for this program?
NIH frames three connected goals: (1) catalyze multidisciplinary innovation by bringing together diverse expertise (for example public health, clinical medicine, behavioral science, computer science, data science, engineering, implementation science, and health systems research); (2) build a stronger evidence base on whether and how mHealth improves outcomes; and (3) strengthen mHealth research capacity within LMICs through local leadership, context-aware design, and locally anchored teams.
Is a partnership between U.S. and LMIC institutions required?
Yes. Every application must include collaboration between at least one U.S. institution and at least one LMIC institution.
Why is the U.S.-LMIC partnership requirement emphasized?
NIH signals that solutions should be co-developed and tested with LMIC partners who understand local priorities, infrastructure constraints, cultural factors, regulatory realities, and pathways for adoption in health systems. Competitive applications are expected to show meaningful shared roles, clear governance, and credible plans for capacity building rather than treating LMIC institutions as peripheral sites.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Examples listed 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; non-federally recognized Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities.
Are non-U.S. entities eligible to apply?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities among eligible applicants, alongside the separate requirement that each application must include at least one U.S. institution and at least one LMIC institution as collaborators.
Does NIH specifically encourage applications from certain institution types?
Yes. NIH explicitly highlights eligibility for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and non-domestic entities.
What topic areas does this grant fall under?
The listing categorizes the opportunity under Education, Health, and Income Security and Social Services.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2024-12-04.
What is the closing date for applications?
The listing shows an original closing date of 2026-03-20.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The listing references multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.313, 93.399, 93.853, 93.865, 93.867, and 93.989.
Does the listing provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The provided source data does not specify an award ceiling or an expected number of awards. Applicants would need to consult the full NOFO text for budget guidance, project period expectations, and any institute-specific considerations tied to participating components.
Is this grant more appropriate for early-stage ideas or later-stage scaling?
Based on the description, it is best understood as supporting early-to-mid stage mHealth innovation, with an emphasis on rigorous study in LMIC contexts and the ability to move from exploratory work toward more robust testing and scaling under the R21/R33 structure.
What makes an application more competitive based on the description provided?
The description emphasizes practical LMIC-focused innovation, rigorous evidence generation (not just technical demonstrations), meaningful U.S.-LMIC collaboration with shared roles and governance, and credible plans to strengthen mHealth research capacity within LMIC institutions.
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