Research To Address Sleep Disorders in the Context of Medical Rehabilitation (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 212

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 212

This NIH grant opportunity (PAR-18-212) supports research projects that improve how sleep disorders are identified, understood, and treated when they occur alongside a primary, non-sleep condition that requires medical rehabilitation. The core idea is that many people living with disabilities or recovering from injury report poor sleep, yet specific sleep disorders are frequently missed or never formally diagnosed. Because sleep is tightly linked to a wide range of physiological and behavioral outcomes, untreated sleep problems can undermine rehabilitation progress and overall health. The opportunity encourages investigators to tackle the real-world complexity of sleep in rehabilitation settings, where patients may be dealing with pain, mood changes, medication effects, neurological issues, and multiple overlapping symptoms that complicate diagnosis and treatment decisions.

The rationale for the program is that sleep affects numerous systems that matter directly to rehabilitation outcomes. The announcement highlights relationships between sleep and depression, anxiety, pain, cancer-related processes, cardiovascular changes, and immune function. In practical terms, this means that poor or disordered sleep can worsen fatigue, slow recovery, increase pain sensitivity, impair learning and memory needed for therapy, and reduce motivation or engagement in rehabilitation programs. By funding studies that integrate sleep assessment and management into rehabilitation care, NIH is aiming to improve both short-term functional gains and longer-term health trajectories for people with disabling conditions.

The mechanism is an R01 research project grant, with clinical trials listed as optional, meaning applicants may propose either observational/mechanistic studies or interventional studies (including clinical trials) as long as they fit the scientific goals. Projects are expected to generate evidence on better approaches to recognizing sleep disorders in rehabilitation populations and to test strategies for addressing them in ways that are feasible within rehabilitation workflows. While the notice does not spell out specific required topics in the provided text, the emphasis is on research that helps clinicians and systems handle the diagnostic and treatment complexity of sleep disorders in people receiving rehabilitation for another primary medical condition.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program run by the National Institutes of Health under CFDA numbers 93.361 and 93.865. The posted award ceiling is $499,999. The opportunity’s original closing date was 2019-03-29, and the posting information lists a creation date of 2017-11-21. As with many NIH opportunities, the ceiling shown in the listing is a high-level cap in the source data and does not by itself describe the full NIH budget framework (for example, project period length, direct vs. total costs, or institute-specific limits), so applicants typically confirm current budget rules and the active status of the announcement in the NIH FOA before preparing an application.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and governmental units: 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; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), other than institutions of higher education); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The listing also allows for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and other entities. In addition, the opportunity explicitly notes inclusion of a wide range of other eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth reflects an interest in bringing in rehabilitation centers, universities, hospitals, community organizations, and diverse institutions that work with affected populations.

Overall, the funding opportunity is meant to move sleep from being an overlooked complaint to being a systematically addressed clinical factor within rehabilitation research and practice. By supporting rigorous studies on diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders in rehabilitation contexts, NIH is looking for work that can translate into better clinical decision-making, more personalized rehabilitation plans, and improved patient outcomes when sleep problems and disability intersect.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research To Address Sleep Disorders in the Context of Medical Rehabilitation (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): 93.361, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-03-29. (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 $499,999.00 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 PAR 18 212

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