NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 20 207

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 207

The NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PA 20-207, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to help fund high-quality scientific conferences and meetings. The central goal is to support gatherings that meaningfully align with public health priorities and advance the scientific missions of the specific NIH Institutes and Centers participating in the program. In practice, this mechanism is meant for well-justified meetings that can move a field forward by sharing research findings, building consensus, identifying research gaps, fostering collaboration, developing standards or best practices, and strengthening the scientific workforce connected to NIH mission areas. As the title indicates, clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity, so applicants should plan meeting content and proposed activities accordingly.

This program uses the R13 funding instrument, which is specifically associated with research conference support. The funding activity category is broad and cross-cutting, spanning education and health related domains (and linked to multiple CFDA numbers across NIH), reflecting that NIH may support conferences across many biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and population health areas depending on the Institute or Center. While the listing includes an original closing date of February 10, 2021 and a creation date of May 8, 2020, applicants should treat those dates as part of the archived source record and verify current submission windows and active receipt dates directly in the live NIH funding announcement and the NIH Guide, since parent announcements often operate on recurring due dates and may be updated or reissued over time.

Eligibility is wide and intentionally inclusive. Eligible applicants include many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, such as state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Higher education institutions are eligible as well, including public and state-controlled colleges and universities as well as private institutions of higher education. The announcement also allows nonprofit organizations, whether they have 501(c)(3) status or not (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under those nonprofit categories). For-profit organizations are eligible too, including small businesses and other for-profit entities that are not classified as small businesses, which can be relevant for professional conference organizers, scientific societies with for-profit arms, or specialized convening organizations.

The opportunity explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types to encourage broader participation across underserved and mission-relevant communities. This includes 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; regional organizations; eligible agencies of the federal government; and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized. U.S. territories or possessions are also included as eligible applicants, supporting conference activity that benefits researchers and communities in those jurisdictions.

At the same time, the announcement places clear limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, described as foreign organizations and foreign institutions, are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, the announcement allows foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. That distinction typically means a U.S. applicant may include certain justified international elements (for example, international speakers, collaborations, or specific meeting-related components) if they meet NIH policy requirements and are properly described and approved, but the applicant organization itself must be domestic and the structure must comply with NIH rules on foreign components.

The summary record does not specify an award ceiling, nor does it list an expected number of awards, which usually means those details are either variable, institute-specific, or dependent on annual appropriations and program priorities. Applicants generally need to design a conference proposal that demonstrates strong scientific value, a clear public health relevance, and alignment with the mission priorities of the NIH Institute or Center they are targeting. In addition, because this is a conference support mechanism, reviewers and program staff commonly expect clarity on the meeting purpose and format, the caliber and appropriateness of invited participants, plans to promote meaningful exchange, and how the meeting outcomes will be disseminated to maximize impact.

Overall, PA 20-207 is best understood as NIH support for scientific convenings that can accelerate progress in health-related research and practice, while maintaining NIH policy boundaries such as the prohibition on clinical trials under this specific parent R13 announcement and the restrictions on foreign entities serving as applicants.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.310, 93.350, 93.351, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-05-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-10. (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 PA 20 207

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