Data Coordinating Center for Approaches to Identifying Preteen Suicide Risk and Protective Factors (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA MH 24 322

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 24 322

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a cooperative agreement (U24; clinical trial not allowed) to establish and operate a Data Coordinating Center (DCC) for a research initiative focused on identifying preteen suicide risk and protective factors. The opportunity is listed as RFA-MH-24-322 under CFDA 93.242 and sits within the health funding category. The overarching purpose is not to run clinical trials, but to support a coordinated, data-driven effort that improves how the field understands and predicts suicide-related outcomes in preteens, including how risk emerges, changes over time, and potentially becomes actionable for prevention.

A central emphasis of the initiative is the development of models of preteen suicide risk that go beyond broad, static risk indicators. NIH is looking for research that can explain "risk states" and how those states transition into observable risk behaviors, including self-harm and suicide attempts. In practical terms, this points to work that can characterize patterns, trajectories, and near-term warning signs, and that can distinguish between underlying vulnerability and periods of acute or escalating risk. The intent is to support modeling approaches that can connect data to real-world clinical and public health decision-making, rather than simply cataloging correlates.

Another major goal is the identification of protective factors, both proximal and distal, that could be strengthened or enhanced to change a child's risk trajectory. Proximal protective factors are those that may buffer risk in the near term (for example, immediate supports, coping resources, or family and school-based protective conditions), while distal protective factors may shape longer-term resilience and developmental pathways. The opportunity explicitly highlights the need to find protective factors that are not only measurable, but also potentially modifiable, meaning they could serve as levers for prevention strategies rather than just descriptive variables.

The initiative also aims to pinpoint intervention targets and the timing of intervention, along with scalable assessment approaches that have clinical utility. This reflects a priority for tools and measurement strategies that can be used in real settings such as pediatric clinics, schools, community programs, and other youth-serving systems. "Scalable assessment" implies approaches that can be implemented broadly and efficiently, while "clinical utility" signals an expectation that outputs should help characterize risk and protective factors in a way that supports screening, monitoring, triage, referral, or other prevention-related actions. The DCC role in this context is typically to ensure that data collected across participating projects are harmonized, well-managed, quality-controlled, and made usable for advanced analyses that address these goals.

This funding opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism, which usually means NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement during the award. Compared with a standard research grant, a U24 often carries stronger expectations around coordination, shared infrastructure, data standards, governance processes, and responsiveness to NIH program priorities. A DCC funded through this mechanism commonly provides leadership on data governance, common data elements, documentation, secure data transfer, database design, analytic support, and collaboration facilitation across the broader research consortium.

Eligible applicants are broad and 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 and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The notice also calls out 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, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the opportunity clearly excludes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations, and foreign components as defined in NIH policy; foreign organizations are not eligible, and foreign components are not allowed.

Key administrative details provided include an original closing date of 2023-11-09 and a creation date of 2023-09-08. The award ceiling is listed as $250,000. The listing shows "ExpectedAwards:" without a number, suggesting the expected number of awards was not specified in the provided source excerpt. Overall, the grant is aimed at building the data coordination backbone for a research effort that can produce better models of preteen suicide risk, clarify what protects children from progressing toward self-harm and attempts, and deliver measurement approaches that are practical and informative for real-world prevention and clinical use.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Data Coordinating Center for Approaches to Identifying Preteen Suicide Risk and Protective Factors (U24 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): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-09-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-09. (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 $250,000.00 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.

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