Studies at Periviable Gestation (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 053

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 053

Studies at Periviable Gestation (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity designed to support small, focused research projects that strengthen the evidence base for medical care at periviable gestational ages, meaning the earliest edge of fetal viability where outcomes are highly uncertain and clinical decisions are particularly complex. The central aim is to generate practical, data-driven guidance that can improve therapies, treatment strategies, and decision-making for both pregnant people and their infants when birth is imminent or occurs at extremely early gestational ages. The FOA is structured to encourage research that can directly inform clinical practice, including projects that may involve clinical trials, although a trial is not required under this announcement.

The opportunity is issued under Funding Opportunity Number PA 18 053 and uses the NIH R03 mechanism, which typically funds short-duration, limited-scope studies such as pilot work, feasibility studies, secondary analyses, or early-stage investigations that can lay the groundwork for larger projects. The listed award ceiling is $50,000, signaling that applicants should propose tightly scoped aims with clear deliverables that can be completed efficiently. The activity category is Health, Income Security and Social Services, and the CFDA number associated with the program is 93.865. The original closing date provided is September 7, 2018, and the posting (creation) date is November 2, 2017, which indicates this was a time-bounded solicitation; anyone interested today would typically need to look for a reissued or related active FOA, or confirm whether NIH still accepts applications under this number.

A key feature of the FOA is its emphasis on periviable care for both the mother and the infant, reflecting the reality that interventions at the threshold of viability often involve balancing maternal health, fetal or neonatal survival, and the risks of severe long-term morbidity. Projects responsive to this kind of announcement commonly include studies that compare management strategies, evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with specific interventions, examine timing and dosing questions for commonly used therapies, assess neonatal resuscitation and stabilization approaches, investigate counseling and shared decision-making practices, or analyze existing datasets to identify factors linked to better outcomes. Because the FOA explicitly seeks an "evidence base" to guide therapies and treatment, strong applications would typically focus on clinically relevant endpoints, clear definitions of periviability and gestational age windows, and methods that can produce interpretable results despite the inherent constraints of small sample sizes and heterogeneous clinical scenarios.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. public and private organizations as well as certain non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and 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; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; 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 organizations. In addition, the FOA explicitly highlights other eligible applicant types such as 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, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized tribes, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities or foreign organizations. This wide eligibility range signals NIH interest in drawing proposals from diverse institutions and communities, including those serving populations disproportionately affected by preterm birth and its complications.

Overall, this FOA supports targeted, clinically grounded research that can quickly add clarity to a challenging area of obstetric and neonatal care. The small-grant structure and the clinical trial optional designation make it suitable for investigators who want to test a well-defined hypothesis, establish feasibility for a larger study, develop preliminary outcome data, or leverage existing clinical data to answer high-priority questions about maternal and infant treatment at periviable gestation.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Studies at Periviable Gestation (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-09-07. (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 $50,000.00 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.

Apply for PA 18 053

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