HEAL Initiative: Whole Joint Health Program (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)

HHS-NIH11 PAR-27-045

Posted: Sep 28, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT

Closes: 10/30/2026

Description

The NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term® (HEAL) Initiative is releasing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support a phased mechanistic clinical research program focusing on understudied biological mechanisms that drive joint pain. The phased projects supported by this program (of up to five years total in duration) will first identify and validate multi-tissue mechanisms underlying joint pain, then test non-pharmacologic or multimodal interventions that directly target these mechanisms. The initiative responds to priorities identified in the 2023 HEAL Whole Joint Pain Workshop and supports the broader goals of the NIH HEAL Initiative and the Make America Healthy Again vision by advancing safe, non-addictive, and prevention-oriented approaches to chronic pain.

Synopsis

The NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term^®(HEAL) Initiative is releasing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support a phased mechanistic clinical research program focusing on understudied biological mechanisms that drive joint pain. The phased projects supported by this program (of up to five years total in duration) will first identify and validate multi-tissue mechanisms underlying joint pain, then test non-pharmacologic or multimodal interventions that directly target these mechanisms. The initiative responds to priorities identified in the 2023 HEAL Whole Joint Pain Workshop and supports the broader goals of the NIH HEAL Initiative and the Make America Healthy Again vision by advancing safe, non-addictive, and prevention-oriented approaches to chronic pain.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:

Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification) State governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/International CollaborationsNon-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Funding Activity Categories

Health

CFDA Numbers

93.121 - Oral Diseases and Disorders Research
93.213 - Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health
93.273 - Alcohol Research Programs
93.286 - Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health
93.473 - Complementary and Integrative Health - Research Projects
93.846 - Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research
93.853 - Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders
93.866 - Aging Research

Contact Information

Agency: National Institutes of Health

Contact: National Institutes of Health

Email: NCCIHDERFunding@nih.gov

Phone: 301-402-2541

NCCIH Program Officer
NCCIHDERFunding@nih.gov

Additional Information

Document Type: synopsis

Opportunity Category: Discretionary

Version: 1

Last Updated: Sep 28, 2026 08:26:01 AM EDT

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