Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Data Informed, Place-Based Community-Engaged Research to Advance Health Equity

A list of contacts based on research area is provided in the NOSI.

This opportunity is a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) for community-engaged research that leverages geospatial data to probe the influence of geographic factors on disease development and health outcomes.

Research examples include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct geospatial and multi-level analyses using primary and secondary data sources to gain a better understanding of the associations between built and social environments and their effects on health outcomes
• Use of geospatial or multilevel analyses tools to link health information with existing data on neighborhood features to identify high-risk communities for poor health outcomes and vulnerability to climate change that are relevant to disease management
• Utilize advanced GIS tools and artificial intelligence to monitor the spatial distribution of different diseases in real time, identify associated risk factors, and inform targeted public health interventions and policies
• Partner with community members and leaders to identify the communities' most pressing concerns and utilize geospatial data to better understand health conditions prevalent in the most vulnerable communities, including Native American communities or reservations
• Leverage multilevel analyses to address the impact of place on health outcomes that considers historical, individual, and spatiotemporal variables
• Conduct natural experiments that examine health outcomes before and after a change in neighborhood characteristics or the built environment and its impact on health outcomes
• Utilize GPS data from personal devices to analyze individual and population-level mobility patterns, investigating how these patterns relate to health behaviors and outcomes
• Examine how geographical variations in healthcare access influence health outcomes
• Analyze geotagged social media data to gauge public sentiment on health-related topics, track the spread of health misinformation, or monitor behavioral trends related to health in different geographical areas
• Use of geospatial tools to prioritize recruitment and enrollment to tailor outreach strategies in communities with the aim of advancing equitable participation in clinical studies and trials

General NIH eligibility includes:

• Higher education institutions
  • Public/state controlled institutions
  • Private institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
  • With 501(c)(3) status
  • Without 501(c)(3) status
  • Native American tribal organizations
  • Faith-based or community-based organizations
  • Regional organizations
• Governments
  • State
  • County
  • City or township
  • Special districts
  • Federally recognized Indian/Native American tribal governments
  • Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
  • Eligible agencies of the federal government
  • U.S. territory or possession
• Other
  • Independent school districts
  • Public housing authorities
  • Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • For-profit organizations

Related funding announcements may have additional eligibility requirements.

Funding amounts are based on the related funding announcements.

This opportunity is attached to the list of related NIH announcements in the NOSI.

Applicants should submit proposals to the related announcement and indicate that it is a response to the NOSI.

Investigators planning to submit an application are strongly encouraged to contact and discuss their proposed research with program staff well in advance of the anticipated submission date to better determine appropriateness and interest.

This NOSI expires on January 8, 2027.