U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 675

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 675

The grant opportunity titled "U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 18 675) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding announcement designed to push forward practical, policy-relevant research aimed at reducing cancer-related health disparities tied to tobacco use in the United States. The core idea is to support studies that can show, with real evidence, how tobacco control policies and related prevention or cessation strategies can lower tobacco use among groups that carry a disproportionate burden of tobacco-related disease. While the topic is broad, the emphasis is clearly on reducing inequities in tobacco use and, over time, narrowing the cancer outcome gaps that stem from those inequities.

This FOA supports both observational and intervention research, meaning applicants can propose studies that analyze existing policy environments and their impacts, or studies that actively test or evaluate policy or policy-driven interventions in real-world settings. The "Clinical Trial Optional" label signals that applicants are not required to run a clinical trial, but they can include one if it fits the research question and design. Importantly, the focus is not just on general tobacco reduction, but on tobacco use differences that map onto cancer health disparities, especially within vulnerable or underserved populations. The long-term goal is to reduce the excess disease burden caused by tobacco in these groups by identifying, improving, or scaling policies that work.

A defining feature of the announcement is its explicit interest in innovative tobacco control policies. In practice, that can include evaluating the design, implementation, enforcement, reach, and unintended consequences of policies intended to prevent initiation, promote cessation, reduce exposure to tobacco marketing, or limit access to tobacco products. Applicants are expected to keep the primary outcomes centered on disparities, such as differential changes in tobacco use rates, quitting success, exposure patterns, or other tobacco-related measures that translate into cancer risk differences. The funding announcement positions tobacco control policy as a lever for population-level impact, especially where clinical or individual-level interventions alone have not fully closed the gap.

The announcement also calls out health economics as a potential component, but with a caution: investigators proposing health economics-related projects are encouraged to consult NIH guidance referenced as NOT-OD-16-025. The practical takeaway is that economics work is welcome when it is aligned with NIH mission priorities, for example by improving understanding of costs, cost-effectiveness, pricing policies, or resource allocation in ways that directly support the broader disparities-reduction goal, rather than drifting into purely commercial or non-mission economic questions.

On eligibility, this is a discretionary grant under the NIH umbrella, categorized under Education and Health and associated with CFDA number 93.395. A wide range of U.S.-based applicants can apply, 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 Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education institutions); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicants that NIH particularly encourages or recognizes, including 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), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. In other words, the applicant pool is intentionally broad, and it explicitly includes many institution types that are closely connected to communities experiencing tobacco-related inequities.

At the same time, there are strict limits around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, including foreign organizations and foreign institutions, are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply, and foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. The net effect is that funded activities must be fully domestic in terms of applicant eligibility and project components, reinforcing the focus on U.S. tobacco control policy and U.S. cancer health disparities.

Key administrative details included in the source information are the creation date of February 21, 2018, and an original closing date of June 15, 2020. The source data does not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which often means applicants would need to consult the full FOA or NIH budget guidance for typical R01 budget expectations, project period norms, and institute-specific paylines or funding levels.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as NIH support for rigorous, policy-focused research that can credibly inform how tobacco control policies can be crafted, implemented, or improved to reduce tobacco use where it is most concentrated and harmful. The emphasis on disparities, vulnerable populations, and cancer-related outcomes signals that applications should do more than show an average population benefit; they should be designed to detect and explain differential impacts across groups, and to produce results that help reduce the unequal tobacco-related cancer burden in the United States.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (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): 93.395.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-02-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-15. (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 18 675

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