Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 286
The Practice-Based Suicide Prevention Research Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 20 286) is a National Institutes of Health grant program designed to build research centers that can run coordinated, real-world studies aimed at reducing suicide in the United States. The core idea is to fund integrated, center-level programs that produce practical, near-term improvements in how suicide risk is identified, managed, and treated across the everyday settings where people actually receive care. The work is expected to align with National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suicide prevention priorities and to support the broader National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention goal of lowering the national suicide rate.
A major emphasis of this FOA is practice-based research, meaning projects should be grounded in clinical and service delivery environments and focused on interventions that can be implemented and scaled in real systems. Rather than supporting a single, isolated research project, the P50 center mechanism is meant to enable multiple connected studies and shared infrastructure that would be difficult to accomplish through standard research project grants. These centers are expected to move quickly from development to refinement to rigorous testing of approaches that can be adopted by health systems, clinics, emergency departments, inpatient units, and other points of contact where suicide risk is recognized and addressed.
The FOA calls for transdisciplinary center teams, reflecting the reality that suicide prevention in health care depends on more than clinical expertise alone. Competitive centers are expected to bring together clinical and mental health services researchers, behavioral and social scientists, health information and communications technologists, health systems engineers, and decision scientists, alongside key stakeholders such as people with lived experience, family members, clinicians, and payers. This mix is intended to ensure that research questions are relevant, methods fit real operational constraints, and resulting interventions can be implemented at scale, sustained over time, and evaluated using meaningful outcomes.
Research priorities highlighted in the announcement center on key intercepts in the “chain of care.” In practical terms, that means improving what happens at the points where suicide risk is most likely to be detected or missed, and where people are most vulnerable to falling through the cracks. The FOA explicitly points to work that strengthens identification of high-risk individuals (for example, improving screening, risk detection workflows, and follow-up processes in busy clinical settings) and work that improves continuity through major care transitions, such as after a person is flagged for risk in an emergency department or after discharge from inpatient psychiatric or medical care. Centers are also expected to develop and test interventions that address risk directly, including prevention strategies and treatments for acute suicide risk, with a clear eye toward effectiveness, scalability, and real-world feasibility.
The funding instrument is a grant, categorized under health (CFDA 93.242), and it is structured as a P50 research center award with clinical trials optional, meaning applicants may propose clinical trials if they fit the center’s aims, but a clinical trial is not required. The listed award ceiling is $2,000,000, reflecting the center-scale expectation that applicants will propose substantial, coordinated programs rather than a single small study. The FOA was created on August 5, 2020, and the original closing date shown is February 18, 2022.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities that can carry out large, coordinated research programs. Eligible applicants 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as 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), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions.
At the same time, the FOA draws a clear boundary around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as applicants, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, “foreign components” are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S. applicant may include certain justified international elements within the project if they meet NIH requirements, even though the applicant organization itself must be eligible and U.S.-based.
Overall, this opportunity is built for teams that can partner closely with health systems and communities to produce actionable suicide prevention improvements quickly, test them rigorously, and generate evidence that can be adopted broadly. The center structure is meant to create the staffing, stakeholder engagement, data and technology capabilities, and coordinated project portfolio necessary to make meaningful progress at scale across the real-world care pathways where suicide risk emerges and where timely, continuous intervention can save lives.Apply for PAR 20 286
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Practice-Based Suicide Prevention Research Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-08-05.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-02-18. (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 $2,000,000.00 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 Practice-Based Suicide Prevention Research Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity?
It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to build practice-based research centers that can run coordinated, real-world studies aimed at reducing suicide in the United States. The opportunity is listed as PAR 20 286 and supports integrated, center-level programs that generate practical, near-term improvements in how suicide risk is identified, managed, and treated in everyday care settings.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to fund research centers that can produce actionable evidence and interventions that improve suicide prevention in real clinical and service delivery environments. The expectation is that funded centers will move quickly from development to refinement to rigorous testing of approaches that can be implemented and scaled in real systems.
What type of award mechanism is used?
This opportunity uses the P50 research center mechanism, meaning it is intended to support a center with multiple connected studies and shared infrastructure rather than a single, isolated research project.
Are clinical trials required under this FOA?
No. The FOA is described as "Clinical Trial Optional," which means applicants may propose clinical trials if they fit the center's aims, but a clinical trial is not required.
What does "practice-based research" mean in this FOA?
Practice-based research in this FOA means the work should be grounded in clinical and service delivery environments and focused on interventions that can be implemented, evaluated, and scaled within real-world systems (for example, health systems, clinics, emergency departments, and inpatient units).
What kinds of settings are emphasized for the research?
The FOA emphasizes everyday points of contact where suicide risk is recognized and addressed, including health systems, clinics, emergency departments, inpatient units, and other real-world care settings.
How is this FOA different from a standard research project grant?
Rather than supporting one stand-alone study, the P50 center mechanism is intended to enable a coordinated portfolio of studies plus shared infrastructure. This structure is meant to support research that would be difficult to accomplish through standard research project grants, especially when work requires shared data/technology capacity, coordinated stakeholder engagement, and multiple linked studies.
What research priorities are highlighted in the announcement?
Priorities are organized around key intercepts in the "chain of care," including improving identification of individuals at high risk (such as screening and risk detection workflows and follow-up processes) and strengthening continuity during major care transitions (such as after emergency department identification of risk or after discharge from inpatient psychiatric or medical care). The FOA also highlights developing and testing interventions that directly address risk, including prevention strategies and treatments for acute suicide risk, with a focus on effectiveness, scalability, and feasibility.
What does the FOA mean by "chain of care" and "intercepts"?
In this FOA, the "chain of care" refers to the real-world pathway people move through as suicide risk is identified and addressed across settings. "Intercepts" are the points along that pathway where risk may be detected or missed, and where people may be vulnerable to gaps in care (for example, busy clinical screening workflows or transitions after discharge).
What kinds of improvements does the FOA want centers to produce?
The FOA is aimed at near-term, practical improvements in the ways suicide risk is identified, managed, and treated across real care environments, with an emphasis on approaches that can be adopted broadly and sustained over time.
What kind of research team is expected to be competitive?
The FOA calls for transdisciplinary center teams. It expects a mix of expertise that can span clinical and mental health services research, behavioral and social sciences, health information and communications technology, health systems engineering, and decision science, alongside engagement with key stakeholders.
Which stakeholders are specifically mentioned as important to include?
The FOA highlights involvement from people with lived experience, family members, clinicians, and payers, in addition to scientific and technical experts, to help ensure relevance, feasibility in operational environments, and implementation at scale.
How does the FOA connect to broader national suicide prevention goals?
The work is expected to align with National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suicide prevention priorities and support the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention goal of lowering the national suicide rate.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and title?
The opportunity is titled "Practice-Based Suicide Prevention Research Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is PAR 20 286.
What is the CFDA number and program category listed?
The program is categorized under health and lists CFDA 93.242.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $2,000,000, reflecting the expectation of a substantial, coordinated center program rather than a small single project.
When was this FOA created and what closing date is shown?
The FOA was created on August 5, 2020. The original closing date shown is February 18, 2022.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities capable of carrying out large, coordinated research programs. Eligible applicants 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible entities.
Are there additional applicant categories explicitly highlighted?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply as the applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as applicants under this FOA.
Can a U.S. organization include non-U.S. components?
Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning certain justified international elements may be included within a project if they meet NIH requirements, even though the applicant organization itself must be eligible and U.S.-based.
What is the intended pace or timeline orientation of the research?
The FOA emphasizes producing practical, near-term improvements and expects centers to move quickly from development to refinement to rigorous testing of approaches that can be adopted in real-world systems.
What kinds of outcomes are centers expected to consider?
While the FOA does not list specific metrics in the provided text, it emphasizes evaluation using meaningful outcomes and prioritizes interventions that are effective, feasible in real-world care, scalable, and sustainable over time.
What is the central idea behind using a center-based structure?
The center structure is meant to provide the staffing, stakeholder engagement, data and technology capabilities, and coordinated project portfolio necessary to make progress at scale across real-world care pathways where suicide risk emerges and where timely, continuous intervention can save lives.
What types of interventions does the FOA encourage?
The FOA encourages development and testing of interventions that directly address suicide risk, including prevention strategies and treatments for acute suicide risk, designed with real-world feasibility and scalability in mind.
Does the FOA emphasize implementation in real health systems?
Yes. A major emphasis is on interventions and workflows that can be implemented and scaled in real systems, with research designed to fit operational constraints in clinical and service delivery environments.
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