Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 20 028
The NIH funding opportunity titled "HEAL Initiative: Pain Management Effectiveness Research Network: Clinical Trial Planning and Implementation Cooperative Agreement (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required)" (RFA-NS-20-028) supports clinical trials that directly compare existing pain-related drugs, biologics, or medical/assistive devices to find out what works best for preventing or managing pain while also lowering addiction risk. It sits under the NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative and is focused on producing practical, clinician-ready evidence about pain treatment approaches that can reduce opioid use, improve function, and reduce pain for defined diseases or conditions that align with the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers.
A central feature of this announcement is that it funds controlled comparative effectiveness trials of pharmacological therapies and device-based interventions or delivery strategies. Applicants are expected to study real, existing interventions rather than developing entirely new behavioral programs. In fact, behavioral interventions for pain management are explicitly not included under this FOA, which keeps the scope tightly centered on medications, biologics, and devices (including delivery system strategies) that can be tested head-to-head or against appropriate controls to clarify benefits, risks, and tradeoffs in specific pain populations.
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement using the UG3/UH3 phased approach, meaning projects generally move from a planning and start-up phase (UG3) into a larger implementation phase (UH3) once predefined milestones are met. This structure is designed to reduce the risk of launching large, expensive trials before key elements are ready, such as finalizing protocols, confirming feasibility and recruitment plans, putting data and safety monitoring in place, and ensuring the study can execute at the level needed for meaningful results. Because it is a cooperative agreement, NIH staff will have substantial involvement compared with a standard grant, with the expectation of active collaboration and coordination as the trial progresses.
All funded clinical trials are intended to run within the infrastructure of the HEAL Pain Effectiveness Research Network. In practical terms, that means awardees should be prepared to align with network standards and processes for trial operations, coordination, and potentially common approaches to data elements, oversight, and reporting. The broader goal is to generate consistent, high-quality evidence across multiple studies so that findings can be compared, combined, and translated more efficiently into clinical practice.
Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic organization types across government, academic, nonprofit, and commercial sectors. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, faith-based or community-based organizations, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
At the same time, the FOA draws a firm line against foreign involvement on the applicant side. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. Foreign components, as defined by NIH policy, are not allowed under this opportunity, which signals that the work, infrastructure, and performance sites are expected to remain fully domestic.
Administratively, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the instrument type is a cooperative agreement under a discretionary funding category, with activity centered on health and education. The original closing date listed for this specific announcement was June 24, 2020, and the creation date was January 21, 2020. The FOA references multiple CFDA numbers associated with NIH programs (93.121, 93.213, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.361, 93.393, 93.846, 93.853), reflecting the multi-institute nature of HEAL-related pain research. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at producing rigorous, practice-relevant trial evidence on existing drug and device options for pain that can help clinicians manage pain effectively while reducing reliance on opioids and lowering addiction risk.Apply for RFA NS 20 028
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HEAL Initiative: Pain Management Effectiveness Research Network: Clinical Trial Planning and Implementation Cooperative Agreement (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.213, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.361, 93.393, 93.846, 93.853.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-01-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-24. (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.
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