Pragmatic Trials for Dementia Care in Long-term Services and Support (LTSS) Settings (R01) | RFA AG 17 064

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 17 064

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Pragmatic Trials for Dementia Care in Long-term Services and Support (LTSS) Settings (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AG-17-064; CFDA 93.866) supports research grant applications that test dementia care approaches in the kinds of real-world environments where people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) actually receive long-term assistance. The focus is on pragmatic trials, meaning the studies should be designed to answer practical, decision-relevant questions rather than tightly controlled, highly selective efficacy questions. In other words, the goal is to generate findings that are immediately useful to patients, families, front-line staff, and health care systems, and that can be adopted quickly without requiring idealized conditions that rarely exist in everyday care.

The FOA emphasizes comparative, practice-facing research questions that matter to ADRD patients, clinicians, and caregivers, including both paid caregivers (such as nursing assistants, aides, and facility staff) and unpaid caregivers (such as family members and friends). Projects are expected to compare realistic care strategies, programs, or service delivery approaches that LTSS organizations could actually implement. Because the intent is rapid translation, the trials should be embedded in routine care workflows and typical LTSS settings, rather than built around specialized research infrastructure that would be difficult to replicate outside the study.

A central expectation is inclusion of broad and diverse populations. Applicants are encouraged to design trials that reflect the heterogeneity of people living with dementia and the settings that serve them, including variation in geography, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and levels of impairment and comorbidity. This emphasis on inclusivity aligns with the FOA's interest in producing results that generalize well and that can help address inequities in access, quality, and outcomes across different communities and systems of care.

The outcomes NIH is seeking from funded projects are explicitly tied to improving day-to-day dementia care in LTSS. Successful applications are expected to show clear potential to improve the quality of care for persons with dementia, improve quality of life for persons with dementia and their informal caregivers, and/or deliver more patient-centered and cost-effective care in LTSS settings. Another major aim is reducing disparities in LTSS dementia care, meaning trials may be particularly responsive to gaps in care experienced by underserved groups or under-resourced facilities, and may test interventions that are feasible in settings with staffing constraints and limited specialty support.

This FOA uses the R01 grant mechanism (a standard NIH research project grant) under the discretionary grant category. The opportunity was created on November 23, 2016, with an original closing date of February 3, 2017. While the source text does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the structure indicates NIH intended to support rigorous, real-world trials capable of changing practice in LTSS dementia care.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that could realistically partner with LTSS providers or conduct embedded trials. 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility reflects the reality that meaningful LTSS dementia trials often require collaborations among academic researchers, community organizations, health systems, long-term care providers, and organizations serving specific populations.

Overall, this opportunity is designed to accelerate practical evidence for dementia care in long-term services and supports by funding trials that are inclusive, embedded in real care environments, and directly oriented toward adoptable improvements in care quality, caregiver and patient quality of life, cost-effectiveness, and equity.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pragmatic Trials for Dementia Care in Long-term Services and Support (LTSS) Settings (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-11-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-02-03. (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 RFA AG 17 064

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