NIDCD Research Dissertation Fellowship for Au.D. Audiologists (F32) | PAR 21 093

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 093

The NIDCD Research Dissertation Fellowship for Au.D. Audiologists (F32), Funding Opportunity Number PAR-21-093, is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant designed to help Au.D.-trained audiologists build strong research careers by supporting structured biomedical research training and dissertation work that leads to a research doctorate, specifically a Ph.D. The central goal of the program is to provide a comprehensive and rigorous research training experience in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences, paired with dissertation research that meaningfully advances the fellow's development as an independent scientist. In practical terms, this fellowship is meant to support the transition of a clinically trained audiologist into a research-intensive pathway, with an emphasis on developing deep methodological skills, scientific reasoning, and a solid foundation for future NIH-funded research.

A key boundary in the announcement is the clinical trial policy. Applicants are not allowed to propose that they will lead an independent clinical trial as part of the fellowship. However, the FOA does permit applicants to gain clinical trial-related research experience if the trial is led by a sponsor or co-sponsor, meaning the fellow can be involved in and trained through participation in a larger clinical trial effort without being the person responsible for directing it. This matters for applicants whose dissertation research touches patient-oriented research, because it clarifies that the fellowship can still support valuable clinical research training, as long as leadership and ultimate responsibility for the trial do not rest on the fellow.

Eligibility is broad across several types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicant organizations include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities that are not institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible institution types 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), and eligible agencies of the federal government. At the same time, it draws clear lines around foreign involvement: non-U.S. (foreign) institutions cannot apply as the applicant organization, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. That said, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means certain internationally based elements of a project may be permissible when they meet NIH policy definitions and requirements, even though the applicant organization itself must be U.S.-based.

Administratively, the opportunity is issued by the National Institutes of Health under the health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.173. The opportunity was created on December 14, 2020, and the original closing date listed in the provided source data is January 7, 2024. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the excerpt provided, so applicants would need to consult the full FOA and related NIH guidance for budget structure, allowable costs, fellowship duration, and review considerations. Overall, the fellowship is positioned as a targeted training mechanism for Au.D. audiologists who are pursuing Ph.D. dissertation research and want a formal, NIH-recognized research training experience that strengthens their scientific trajectory while staying within NIH rules on clinical trial leadership.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCD Research Dissertation Fellowship for Au.D. Audiologists (F32)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-12-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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 PAR 21 093

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: