End-of-Life and Palliative Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Serious Illnesses (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 137

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 137

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity "End-of-Life and Palliative Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Serious Illnesses (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-18-137) supports research aimed at improving end-of-life and palliative care for adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 24, as defined by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The focus is on understanding what seriously ill AYA patients want and need, how they think about their care, and how they make difficult decisions when facing advanced illness. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for studies that center the lived experiences of AYA patients and translate that understanding into better care approaches for patients and the people supporting them.

A major emphasis of this FOA is research on end-of-life and palliative care (EOLPC) models tailored to AYA populations. This includes studies that develop, test, refine, or evaluate care models intended to address the full range of needs that tend to be intensified in serious illness: physical symptoms (such as pain, fatigue, nausea, dyspnea), psychological concerns (including anxiety, depression, trauma, uncertainty, and distress), social needs (peer relationships, school/work disruption, identity development, family dynamics, financial strain), and spiritual or existential concerns (meaning-making, fears about death, legacy, hope, faith, and values). The announcement also makes clear that the scope extends beyond the patient alone by encouraging research that accounts for the experiences and needs of families and caregivers, who often play a central role in decision-making, caregiving burden, and ongoing support.

The FOA highlights several interconnected research themes: the perspectives and wishes of AYA with advanced illness; the ways they participate in or prefer to participate in medical decision-making; and the processes through which decisions are made, negotiated, and revisited over time. This can include questions about communication preferences, advance care planning that fits developmental stage, the role of parents or guardians, the influence of culture and community, and how clinical teams can best support patients when goals of care change. Because the program is an R01 mechanism, it is geared toward substantial, hypothesis-driven or well-structured research projects that can produce generalizable knowledge and inform practice, systems of care, or future intervention work. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation indicates that applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials, but they are not required to do so; both trial and non-trial designs can be responsive if they fit the FOA goals.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations: state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories, including 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, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility signals an interest in drawing on diverse settings and perspectives, including community-based, culturally grounded, and international insights that may improve the relevance and reach of AYA palliative care research.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity using the NIH R01 grant funding instrument. It falls under broad federal activity categories that include education, health, income security, and social services, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of palliative care. The CFDA numbers listed for this FOA include 93.313, 93.361, 93.393, 93.395, 93.399, and 93.865, indicating that multiple NIH programs or funding streams may be involved. The original closing date listed in the source data is December 21, 2018, and the record creation date is November 6, 2017, which suggests this specific posting is tied to a particular application cycle; anyone interested would typically verify whether the FOA remains active, has been reissued, or has an updated due date through NIH and Grants.gov.

Overall, the opportunity is designed to strengthen the evidence base for how best to support adolescents and young adults with serious, advanced illnesses as they navigate symptoms, identity and developmental transitions, family and peer relationships, and the emotional and existential realities of end-of-life care. It aims to generate research that can lead to palliative care approaches that are more developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and aligned with what AYA patients and their families say they actually need when time, choices, and quality of life matter most.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "End-of-Life and Palliative Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Serious Illnesses (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.313, 93.361, 93.393, 93.395, 93.399, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-12-21. (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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