Health Disparities and Alzheimer's Disease (R01) | PAR 15 349

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 349

The Health Disparities and Alzheimer's Disease (R01) funding opportunity (PAR 15-349) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant designed to support studies that explain and reduce disparities in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders. The core purpose is to push the field beyond broad descriptions of unequal outcomes and toward research that identifies the drivers of those differences and tests ways to close gaps in who is studied, who receives services, and who experiences the burdens of disease. Projects are expected to treat health disparities in AD as multi-factor problems shaped by biology, behavior, sociocultural context, and the environment, with an emphasis on how these factors combine to produce population-level differences in risk, diagnosis, progression, and care.

A central theme of the FOA is understanding and addressing why some groups remain underrepresented in AD research and how that underrepresentation can worsen disparities. One major area of interest is improving recruitment and retention of populations that have historically been left out of AD studies. This includes developing and evaluating strategies that build trust, reduce participation barriers, and improve long-term engagement in research. The FOA signals that disparities research is not just about enrolling diverse participants; it is also about sustaining their involvement so that study findings actually apply across the populations most affected, and so that the scientific community can draw stronger conclusions about differences in risk factors, disease pathways, and treatment responses.

Another priority area is identifying the most important factors and the pathways or mechanisms that create and sustain AD health disparities. This invites work that clarifies which contributors matter most (for example, social determinants, comorbidities, stress exposures, neighborhood conditions, educational opportunity, access to preventive care, cultural and linguistic barriers, and potential biological susceptibilities) and how they lead to unequal outcomes over time. The FOA explicitly frames disparities as the result of interacting influences rather than a single cause, encouraging research that can map causal chains and pinpoint actionable intervention points, whether those are clinical, community-based, policy-related, or tied to health systems.

The FOA also emphasizes the often overlooked role of informal and family caregivers, especially caregivers from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. As the number of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease continues to grow, caregiving demands rise as well, and the burdens are not evenly distributed. The opportunity calls for research that examines the specific challenges these caregivers face, such as financial strain, limited access to respite, competing work and family responsibilities, reduced access to culturally appropriate support, and differences in how caregiving roles are assigned and sustained within families and communities. Studies can focus on how these pressures affect caregiver health and well-being, the quality and continuity of care for the person with dementia, and downstream outcomes like hospitalization, institutionalization, or delayed diagnosis and treatment.

A fourth highlighted area is disparities in access to and use of formal long-term supports and services for people with dementia. This includes understanding why certain populations may be less likely to receive, afford, or effectively navigate services such as home- and community-based supports, adult day services, home health care, memory care programs, nursing facilities, and other long-term care resources. Research may examine structural barriers (like geography, insurance coverage, service availability, and health system complexity), informational barriers (like awareness and literacy), and sociocultural barriers (like language, stigma, mistrust, or service preferences). The focus is on documenting and explaining unequal utilization patterns and identifying opportunities to improve equitable access and appropriate use of these services.

From an administrative standpoint, this is an NIH discretionary grant using the R01 mechanism, which typically supports mature, hypothesis-driven research projects at a scale appropriate for multi-year investigations. The funding activity category is Health, and the CFDA number is 93.866. The FOA was created on September 17, 2015, and the original closing date listed is January 7, 2019, which means it is an archived opportunity as written and would require checking NIH listings for any reissued or currently active equivalents.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes many entity types commonly able to apply for NIH grants. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible organizations as allowed by NIH policy. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, U.S. territories or possessions, and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized.

At the same time, the FOA clearly restricts foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. In practical terms, the applicant organization and the proposed work must remain within the allowable U.S. scope, and the project cannot be structured to include foreign components under NIH definitions.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at building a stronger scientific foundation for why Alzheimer's disease outcomes and experiences differ across populations and how systems, communities, and interventions can reduce those differences. It supports research that can move the field from recognizing disparities to understanding their causes, improving representation in research, strengthening caregiver supports, and making long-term services more accessible and effective for everyone affected by dementia.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Health Disparities and Alzheimer's Disease (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 2015-09-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-07. (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 PAR 15 349

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