Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 318
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)" under Funding Opportunity Number PAR-23-318. This program supports exploratory and developmental research focused on mobile health (mHealth) interventions and tools that are designed specifically for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The emphasis is on innovations that take advantage of new or emerging technologies, platforms, systems, or analytic approaches, with the intent of generating practical evidence about what works, for whom, and under what real-world conditions in LMIC settings.
At its core, the NOFO is looking for projects that move beyond general interest in digital health and instead tackle the full pathway needed to make mHealth useful and credible in LMIC contexts. That includes the development of novel tools, validation of measures or systems, feasibility and usability testing, and research on effectiveness for improving clinical outcomes and/or public health outcomes. The funding announcement is deliberately broad about health areas so long as the work addresses meaningful global health problems and produces knowledge that strengthens the evidence base for mHealth adoption and scale. Clinical trials are optional, meaning applicants can propose a project with or without a clinical trial component, depending on what is appropriate for the stage of innovation and the research questions being tested.
A central requirement is partnership: every application must include collaboration between at least one U.S. institution and at least one LMIC institution. This is not framed as a minor administrative detail but as a program goal tied to capacity strengthening and sustainability. The intent is to promote multidisciplinary, cross-institutional work that builds mHealth research capability in LMICs, supports locally grounded innovation, and increases the likelihood that the resulting tools and findings are relevant to local health systems, infrastructure constraints, and user needs.
The activity uses the NIH R21/R33 mechanism, which is commonly used to support early-stage exploratory work (R21) with the possibility of transitioning into a next phase (R33) when predefined milestones are met. In practice, this structure is meant to encourage high-potential ideas while still pushing projects toward measurable progress, such as demonstrating feasibility, validating an approach, or producing preliminary effectiveness data that can justify later-stage testing or implementation. The award ceiling listed in the source data is $125,000. The opportunity’s original closing date is March 20, 2026, and the posting shows a creation date of December 6, 2023.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based and non-U.S. entities, reflecting the global and cross-sector nature of mHealth work. Eligible applicants listed 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 (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other categories. The NOFO also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities/foreign organizations, regional organizations, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. This breadth signals that NIH is open to proposals led by academic teams, health systems, community organizations, and technology-oriented groups, as long as the science, partnerships, and relevance to LMIC needs are strong.
Overall, this opportunity is designed to spark practical innovation in mobile health for LMICs, generate credible evidence on performance and outcomes, and reinforce long-term research capacity through genuine U.S.-LMIC collaboration. It is best suited to teams that can combine technical development (such as mobile platforms, sensors, decision-support tools, or analytics) with rigorous evaluation methods and on-the-ground implementation knowledge in LMIC health environments.Apply for PAR 23 318
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.242, 93.286, 93.313, 93.393, 93.399, 93.853, 93.865, 93.867, 93.989.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-20. (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 $125,000.00 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (NOFO)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-23-318.
Which agency is offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21/R33 mechanism, which supports early exploratory research (R21) with the potential to transition into a second phase (R33) if predefined milestones are achieved.
What is the overall purpose of this program?
The program supports exploratory and developmental research on mobile health (mHealth) interventions and tools designed specifically for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It aims to generate practical evidence about what works, for whom, and under what real-world conditions in LMIC settings.
What kinds of projects is NIH looking for under this NOFO?
NIH is looking for projects that move beyond general digital health interest and address the full pathway needed to make mHealth useful and credible in LMIC contexts. This includes developing novel tools, validating measures or systems, conducting feasibility and usability testing, and studying effectiveness for improving clinical and/or public health outcomes.
Is the NOFO limited to specific diseases or health conditions?
The announcement is broad regarding health areas, as long as the work addresses meaningful global health problems and strengthens the evidence base for mHealth adoption and scale in LMICs.
Are clinical trials required?
No. Clinical trials are optional under this opportunity. Applicants may propose projects with or without a clinical trial component, depending on the stage of innovation and the research questions being tested.
What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean for applicants?
It means your proposed research may include a clinical trial if it fits the project goals and stage of development, but you can also submit an application focused on activities like tool development, validation, feasibility, usability, or other effectiveness-related research that does not involve a clinical trial.
What is the geographic focus of the work?
The work must be designed specifically for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with an emphasis on real-world LMIC conditions such as local health systems, infrastructure constraints, and user needs.
Is a partnership between U.S. and LMIC institutions required?
Yes. Every application must include collaboration between at least one U.S. institution and at least one LMIC institution.
Why does NIH require U.S.-LMIC collaboration?
The partnership requirement is tied to program goals around capacity strengthening and sustainability. NIH intends to promote multidisciplinary, cross-institutional work that builds mHealth research capability in LMICs and increases the relevance of tools and findings to local contexts.
What types of innovations are encouraged?
The NOFO emphasizes innovations that take advantage of new or emerging technologies, platforms, systems, or analytic approaches, with the goal of producing practical evidence about performance and outcomes in LMIC settings.
What kinds of evidence is this program trying to generate?
The program aims to generate credible, practical evidence on how mHealth tools and interventions perform, who they benefit, and how they work under real-world LMIC conditions, including evidence related to clinical outcomes and/or public health outcomes.
How does the R21/R33 phased structure work in practice?
The R21 phase typically supports early-stage exploratory and developmental activities. The project may transition to the R33 phase when predefined milestones are met, encouraging measurable progress such as demonstrating feasibility, validating an approach, or producing preliminary effectiveness data that can justify later-stage testing or implementation.
Is there an award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
Yes. The award ceiling listed in the provided source data is $125,000.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is March 20, 2026.
When was this opportunity created or posted?
The posting shows a creation date of December 6, 2023.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based and non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants listed 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 (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other categories.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The NOFO highlights that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities/foreign organizations are among the eligible applicant types.
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The NOFO explicitly highlights faith-based or community-based organizations as additional eligible applicant types.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically included in eligibility?
Yes. The NOFO highlights additional eligible applicant types including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Can small businesses or for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. The eligible applicants list includes small businesses and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses).
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. The NOFO includes U.S. territories or possessions among the highlighted eligible applicant types.
Does this opportunity support both tool-building and evaluation?
Yes. The NOFO supports development of novel mHealth tools and also supports research activities like validation, feasibility and usability testing, and effectiveness research tied to clinical and/or public health outcomes.
What makes a project a good fit for this NOFO based on the description provided?
Projects are a strong fit when they combine technical development (for example, mobile platforms, sensors, decision-support tools, or analytics) with rigorous evaluation methods and on-the-ground implementation knowledge in LMIC health environments, supported by genuine U.S.-LMIC collaboration.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (U24 Clinical Trial RequiredInfrastructure)
Previous opportunity: YSEALI Plus: What Comes Next?
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PAR 23 318
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 23 318) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Clinical Sites for the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (UG1 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA OD 24 008 Funding Number: RFA OD 24 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (U24 Clinical Trial RequiredInfrastructure) Apply for RFA OD 24 009 Funding Number: RFA OD 24 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 25 170 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 170 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Production and distribution facilities for brain cell type-specific access reagents (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 25 105 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 105 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Scaled reagent resources for brain cell type-specific access across vertebrate species (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 25 100 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 100 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Consortium for Palliative Care Research Across the Lifespan (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AG 25 002 Funding Number: RFA AG 25 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Predoctoral Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) - Institutional Research Training Program [T32] Apply for RFA OD 24 012 Funding Number: RFA OD 24 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Preclinical Proof of Concept for Novel Recording and Modulation Technologies in the Human CNS (R18 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 24 031 Funding Number: RFA NS 24 031 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 24 017 Funding Number: RFA NS 24 017 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 24 160 Funding Number: PAR 24 160 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 24 161 Funding Number: PAR 24 161 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Data Archives for the BRAIN Initiative (R24 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 25 110 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 110 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 24 016 Funding Number: RFA NS 24 016 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Interaction between ARVs and Hormones in HIV and Coinfections (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AI 24 018 Funding Number: RFA AI 24 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Medical Rehabilitation Research Resource (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA HD 25 001 Funding Number: RFA HD 25 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative-Early-Stage Discovery of New Pain Targets Within the Understudied Druggable Proteome (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 24 197 Funding Number: PAR 24 197 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 24 134 Funding Number: PAR 24 134 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 24 132 Funding Number: PAR 24 132 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program (Si2/R00 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 24 202 Funding Number: PAR 24 202 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 24 214 Funding Number: PAR 24 214 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $375,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PAR 23 318", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.