This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is issued by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to encourage Phased Innovation (R21/R33) grant applications that focus on intervention development consistent with the NIMH emphasis on the experimental therapeutic approach in the treatment and prevention of mental disorders in adults and children.

Objective: Under this FOA, trials must be designed so that results, whether positive or negative, will provide information of high scientific utility and will support “go/no-go” decisions about further development or testing of the intervention. Studies of novel interventions include, but are not limited to behavioral, pharmacological, biologics-based, cognitive, device-based, interpersonal, physiological, or combined approaches.

Ultimately, this R21/R33 funding mechanism is intended to speed the translation of emerging basic science findings of mechanisms and processes underlying mental disorders into novel interventions that can be efficiently tested for their promise in restoring function and reducing symptoms for those living with mental disorders.

Funding scheme: NIMH intends to commit approximately $2,500,000 across 2015 and 2016 to fund 5-10 new awards in response to this FOA.

Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project and the scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. Support will be provided for up to 2 years (R21 Phase) for preliminary milestone-driven testing and validating of the intervention’s mechanism of action, possibly followed by up to 3 years of support (R33 Phase) for studies relating the mechanism to functional or clinical effects. Applications with a project period less than 5 years are encouraged where feasible.

Deadlines:

i. Official opening date: May 17, 2014

ii. VHIR's internal deadline: June 06, 2014

iii. Official deadline: June 17, 2014

More information: HERE