Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 053
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Research Infrastructure Development for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-23-053) supports efforts to build new, sustainable research infrastructure that can accelerate progress in aging science, especially in areas where solving the problem depends on bringing together multiple disciplines, partners, or sectors. The emphasis is not simply on running a single research study, but on creating the tools, platforms, networks, shared resources, or coordination structures that make a broader portfolio of interdisciplinary aging research possible and more effective over time. Clinical trials are optional under this announcement, meaning applicants may propose projects that include clinical trial elements if they are appropriate to the infrastructure being developed, but a clinical trial is not required.
This opportunity uses the NIH Phased Innovation Award mechanism (R61/R33), which is designed for projects that need an initial, clearly defined development period before scaling up. The first phase, the R61, can provide up to two years of support to complete early-stage developmental milestones. In practical terms, this phase is meant for planning, piloting, building, testing feasibility, and demonstrating that the proposed infrastructure can function as intended. If the R61 phase meets its predetermined milestones, the project can transition into the second phase, the R33, which can provide up to three additional years to expand, operationalize, and more broadly implement the infrastructure. Across both phases, the expectation is that the end product is sustainable, meaning it can continue to support interdisciplinary aging research beyond the award period through institutional commitment, cost-recovery models, partnerships, or other long-term maintenance strategies.
The core purpose is to advance the science of aging by enabling projects that address key interdisciplinary research questions. While the announcement summary does not list specific scientific topics, it signals that NIH is looking for infrastructure that meaningfully strengthens research capacity at the intersections of fields. That could include, for example, shared data resources and harmonization methods across cohorts, research networks that connect clinical, behavioral, social, and biological aging investigators, platforms that enable multi-site collaboration, community-engaged research infrastructure for older adult populations, specialized cores that provide measurement or analytic capabilities, or other enabling structures that help teams study aging in more integrated ways. The unifying theme is that the infrastructure should be novel, justified by a clear need in the interdisciplinary aging space, and designed to support multiple projects or users rather than only a single investigator's aims.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include 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; and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The opportunity is also open to public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses. NIH also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. These eligibility statements underscore NIH interest in a wide range of institutional settings, including those that serve populations often underrepresented in research and those positioned to build community-facing or regionally coordinated infrastructure.
At the same time, there are important restrictions related to foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which means a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign elements in the project when scientifically justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though the main applicant organization must be domestic.
From an administrative perspective, this is a discretionary grant in the health funding category, administered by NIH, with CFDA numbers 93.313 and 93.866. The original closing date listed is 2025-12-02. The award ceiling shown in the source data is $500,000, which signals the upper limit reflected in the summary provided (applicants would still need to align budgets with NIH rules, the FOA's detailed budget guidance, and the scope of proposed milestones across the R61 and R33 phases). Overall, the opportunity is aimed at teams that can define a concrete infrastructure gap in interdisciplinary aging research, propose a credible phased development and scale-up plan, and deliver a resource that remains useful and viable well beyond the funding period.Apply for PAR 23 053
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Infrastructure Development for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R61/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): 93.313, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-11-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-12-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIH funding opportunity PAR-23-053?
PAR-23-053 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "Research Infrastructure Development for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)." It supports projects that build new, sustainable research infrastructure to accelerate progress in aging science, especially where meaningful advances require interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple fields, partners, or sectors.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The main purpose is to create infrastructure that enables and strengthens a broader portfolio of interdisciplinary aging research over time. The focus is not on conducting a single stand-alone research study, but on developing tools, platforms, networks, shared resources, or coordination structures that multiple investigators and projects can use.
What does "research infrastructure" mean in this announcement?
In this announcement, "research infrastructure" refers to enabling resources that make interdisciplinary aging research more feasible, efficient, and impactful across multiple projects or users. Examples mentioned include shared data resources, harmonization methods, research networks, multi-site collaboration platforms, community-engaged research infrastructure for older adult populations, specialized measurement or analytic cores, and similar shared capabilities.
Is this opportunity focused on a specific aging topic area?
The summary provided does not list specific scientific topic areas. Instead, it emphasizes infrastructure that meaningfully strengthens research capacity at the intersections of disciplines relevant to aging. Proposed infrastructure should address a clear need in the interdisciplinary aging research space.
What does "interdisciplinary aging studies" imply for applicants?
It implies the proposed infrastructure should support aging research that integrates multiple disciplines (for example, clinical, behavioral, social, and biological perspectives) and enables coordinated work across teams, institutions, sites, or sectors where appropriate.
How is this different from funding a typical research project?
Rather than primarily funding one research study designed around a single investigator's aims, this opportunity prioritizes building shared and scalable infrastructure that supports multiple projects and users, helping interdisciplinary aging research become more effective over the longer term.
What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean?
Clinical trials are optional under this funding opportunity. Applicants may include clinical trial elements if they are appropriate to the infrastructure being developed, but proposing a clinical trial is not required.
What award mechanism does this FOA use?
This FOA uses the NIH Phased Innovation Award mechanism (R61/R33). It is designed for projects that require an initial development period before expanding and scaling.
What is the R61 phase intended to support?
The R61 phase can provide up to two years of support for early-stage development milestones. Based on the summary, this phase is meant for planning, piloting, building, feasibility testing, and demonstrating that the proposed infrastructure can function as intended.
What is the R33 phase intended to support?
If predetermined R61 milestones are met, the project may transition to the R33 phase, which can provide up to three additional years. This phase supports expanding, operationalizing, and more broadly implementing the infrastructure.
Is transitioning from R61 to R33 automatic?
No. The transition is tied to whether the R61 phase meets its predetermined milestones. The summary indicates that meeting those milestones is the basis for moving into the R33 phase.
How long can the overall project period be across both phases?
Based on the summary, the R61 phase can last up to two years and the R33 phase can provide up to three additional years, for a total of up to five years across both phases.
What does NIH mean by "sustainable" infrastructure?
The expectation is that the infrastructure continues to support interdisciplinary aging research beyond the award period. The summary notes sustainability approaches such as institutional commitment, cost-recovery models, partnerships, or other long-term maintenance strategies.
What kinds of deliverables are NIH expecting?
The emphasis is on deliverables that enable a broader research ecosystem: tools, platforms, networks, shared resources, or coordination structures that multiple investigators or projects can use. The infrastructure should be novel, justified by a clear need, and designed for ongoing utility beyond the funding period.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Examples listed include state, county, city, township, 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, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized.
Are nonprofits eligible to apply?
Yes. The summary states that nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) are eligible applicant organizations.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The summary indicates that for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.
Are institutions that serve underrepresented populations specifically encouraged or eligible?
Yes. NIH explicitly highlights additional eligible categories including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The summary explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible applicant categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The summary lists U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicant categories.
Can a foreign organization apply as the primary applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization.
Can a non-domestic component of a U.S. organization apply?
No. The summary states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
Are any foreign activities allowed at all?
Yes, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This means a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign elements in the project when scientifically justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though the main applicant must be domestic.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling shown in the source data is $500,000, which indicates the upper limit reflected in the summary provided. Applicants still need to align budgets with NIH rules, the FOA's detailed budget guidance, and the proposed scope and milestones across the R61 and R33 phases.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed in the summary is 2025-12-02.
What agency administers this grant?
This is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of funding is this?
It is described as a discretionary grant in the health funding category.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The summary lists CFDA numbers 93.313 and 93.866.
What would make a proposed infrastructure project a strong fit, based on the summary?
Based on the provided description, a strong fit would clearly define an infrastructure gap in interdisciplinary aging research, propose a credible phased plan (development milestones in R61 and scale-up/implementation in R33), demonstrate novelty and broader usefulness to multiple projects or users, and include a realistic sustainability strategy for ongoing use beyond the award period.
Does the infrastructure need to support multiple users or projects?
Yes. The summary emphasizes that the infrastructure should support multiple projects or users rather than only a single investigator's aims.
What are examples of infrastructure concepts explicitly mentioned in the summary?
Examples include shared data resources and harmonization methods across cohorts, research networks connecting investigators across disciplines, platforms enabling multi-site collaboration, community-engaged research infrastructure for older adult populations, and specialized cores providing measurement or analytic capabilities.
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