Opportunity Information: Apply for HRSA 21 038
The Maternal Child Health (MCH) Research Network on Promoting Healthy Weight among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities is a federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Listed as HRSA 21 038 under CFDA 93.877, it supports work in the health field through a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means the awardee carries out the project while HRSA remains substantially involved in guiding priorities, coordination, and oversight compared with a standard grant. The overall purpose is to build and support a research network focused on healthy weight in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), with an emphasis on generating practical, actionable knowledge that can improve health outcomes for these populations.
A central feature of this competition is its broadened definition of the target population compared with earlier versions of the MCH Healthy Weight Research Network. Rather than focusing only on overweight or obesity, this notice expands the scope to include children who are underweight as well. That expansion matters because children with ASD and DD can experience weight-related health risks at both ends of the spectrum, often influenced by feeding challenges, sensory sensitivities, medication side effects, limited physical activity opportunities, gastrointestinal issues, and family or community barriers to accessing supportive services. By explicitly including underweight alongside overweight and obesity, the program signals interest in a fuller range of nutrition, growth, and health trajectories, as well as the prevention of downstream complications linked to both inadequate and excessive weight.
Another major priority called out in the notice is an increased emphasis on including underserved populations in proposed research studies. In practice, this points applicants toward designing network activities and studies that do not default to convenience samples and that deliberately reach communities that are frequently underrepresented in research or face structural barriers to care. Depending on the study context, underserved populations can include groups defined by socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, geography (for example, rural communities), language access needs, immigration status, disability-related service gaps, and limited access to specialty ASD/DD care. The intent is to ensure that findings are more generalizable and that interventions, measurement tools, and service strategies are relevant and feasible for the families and communities most likely to experience disparities in health outcomes.
The opportunity anticipates making a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1), suggesting HRSA intended to fund one lead organization to establish or operate the network and coordinate research activities across partners. While the award ceiling is listed as 0 in the source data, that generally indicates the ceiling was not specified in the summarized field rather than implying no limit or no funding; applicants would ordinarily confirm actual funding amounts and project period details in the full notice. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which indicates that the applicant pool was not limited to only state agencies or a narrow set of institutions, but applicants would need to consult the full eligibility language to confirm which organization types could apply and whether any particular partnerships or capabilities were required.
Administratively, this opportunity was created on October 29, 2020, with an original application closing date of February 3, 2021. The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement and the activity category is health, which together imply a structured, mission-driven initiative where HRSA likely expected coordinated outputs such as multi-site studies, shared measures or data elements, dissemination products, and network governance that supports collaboration across researchers, clinicians, and community stakeholders. Overall, the program can be understood as an effort to strengthen the evidence base and research infrastructure around healthy weight for children with ASD and DD, while widening the lens to include underweight concerns and making equity and inclusion of underserved populations a more explicit requirement in the research agenda.Apply for HRSA 21 038
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maternal Child Health (MCH) Research Network on Promoting Healthy Weight among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.877.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 29, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 03, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Maternal Child Health (MCH) Research Network on Promoting Healthy Weight among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities?
It is a federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The opportunity supports creation and/or operation of a research network focused on promoting healthy weight among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), with an emphasis on producing practical, actionable knowledge that can improve health outcomes.
Which federal agency is administering this opportunity?
HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration), within HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), administers the award.
What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?
It is listed as HRSA 21 038 under CFDA 93.877.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this award is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant?
A cooperative agreement generally means the awardee carries out the project, but HRSA remains substantially involved compared with a standard grant. Based on the description provided, HRSA involvement typically includes guiding priorities, coordination, and oversight to support a structured, mission-driven effort.
What is the main purpose of this program?
The overall purpose is to build and support a research network that focuses on healthy weight in children with ASD and other DD, and to generate practical, actionable knowledge that can improve health outcomes for these populations.
Who is the target population for the research network?
The target population is children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), with a focus on healthy weight and related health outcomes.
Does the program focus only on childhood obesity?
No. A central feature of this opportunity is a broadened definition of the target population compared with earlier versions of the MCH Healthy Weight Research Network. The scope explicitly includes children who are underweight as well as those who are overweight or have obesity.
Why does the opportunity include underweight in addition to overweight and obesity?
The notice highlights that children with ASD and DD can face weight-related health risks at both ends of the spectrum. Factors mentioned as influencing these risks include feeding challenges, sensory sensitivities, medication side effects, limited physical activity opportunities, gastrointestinal issues, and family or community barriers to accessing supportive services. Including underweight signals interest in a fuller range of nutrition, growth, and health trajectories, and in preventing downstream complications tied to both inadequate and excessive weight.
What kinds of research topics or challenges does the notice suggest are relevant?
Based on the description provided, relevant issues include nutrition and growth patterns, feeding challenges and sensory sensitivities, medication side effects that may affect weight, limited opportunities for physical activity, gastrointestinal issues, and barriers that families and communities face in accessing supportive services. The program is positioned to support work that leads to actionable findings for improving health outcomes.
Is there an equity or inclusion priority in this opportunity?
Yes. The notice places increased emphasis on including underserved populations in proposed research studies and encourages approaches that deliberately reach communities often underrepresented in research or facing structural barriers to care.
What does "underserved populations" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Depending on study context, underserved populations can include groups defined by socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, geography (for example, rural communities), language access needs, immigration status, disability-related service gaps, and limited access to specialty ASD/DD care.
How does the notice suggest applicants should approach recruitment and study design for underserved populations?
The description indicates HRSA is pointing applicants away from defaulting to convenience samples and toward deliberately designing network activities and studies that reach underserved communities. The intent is for findings to be more generalizable and for interventions, measures, and service strategies to be relevant and feasible for families and communities most affected by disparities.
How many awards does HRSA expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates making a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
What does it imply that only one award is expected?
It suggests HRSA intended to fund one lead organization to establish or operate the network and coordinate research activities across partners.
Is there a maximum award amount (funding ceiling) listed?
In the summarized source data, the award ceiling is listed as 0. The provided information notes that this generally indicates the ceiling was not specified in the summarized field rather than implying no limit or no funding. Applicants would typically confirm funding amounts and project period details in the full notice.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." This indicates the applicant pool was not limited to only state agencies or a narrow set of institutions, but applicants would need to consult the full eligibility language to confirm which organization types could apply and whether any particular partnerships or capabilities were required.
What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The activity category is health.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on October 29, 2020, and the original application closing date was February 3, 2021.
What kinds of outputs might HRSA expect from a network like this?
Based on the description of a structured, mission-driven cooperative agreement, HRSA likely expected coordinated outputs such as multi-site studies, shared measures or data elements, dissemination products, and network governance that supports collaboration across researchers, clinicians, and community stakeholders.
What is the overall aim of HRSA in funding this network?
Overall, the program aims to strengthen the evidence base and research infrastructure around healthy weight for children with ASD and DD, while widening the lens to include underweight concerns and making equity and inclusion of underserved populations more explicit in the research agenda.
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