Rural Health Disparities – Funding & Opportunities

Co-infection and Cancer (R01 and R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Grants for research on the roles of co-infection and cancer to inform prevention and treatment strategies for infection-related cancers. Applicants are encouraged to investigate co-infection and its relation to causes of risk among racially/ethnically diverse populations and those from urban and rural areas who are poor and medically underserved, and populations who may have a disproportionate burden of infection-related cancers.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
Sponsors: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Research to Address Vaccine Hesitancy, Uptake, and Implementation among Populations that Experience Health Disparities
Notice of Special Interest for community-engaged research to evaluate strategies to facilitate vaccination uptake in clinical and community contexts and address the barriers to increasing reach, access, and uptake of vaccinations among health disparity populations at high risk and likely to experience vaccine hesitancy.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Application Deadline: Jun 6, 2026
Sponsors: National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Community Level Interventions to Improve Minority Health and Reduce Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
Funding for research to develop and test community-level interventions to improve minority health and reduce health disparities. Populations of focus include American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and underserved rural populations, among others.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Application Deadline: Jan 8, 2027
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Long-Term Effects of Disasters on Health Care Systems Serving Health Disparity Populations (R01- Clinical Trial Optional)
Grants for research focused on understanding the long-term effects of natural and/or human-made disasters on healthcare systems serving health disparity populations. Health disparity populations include, but are not limited to, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and underserved rural populations.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: May 7, 2027
Sponsors: National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Advancing Healthcare for Older Adults from Populations that Experience Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
Funding for innovative, multi-level healthcare research for older adults from populations that experience health disparities.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Application Deadline: Jan 8, 2028
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals
Grants for innovative projects that are working to build health equity, ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need and all families have the opportunity to make healthier choices.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program Inactive
Loan repayment assistance for researchers that are not employed by the NIH. Loan repayment awards are based on an applicant's potential to build and sustain a research career, not to support specific research.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Nov 21, 2024
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) (U54 - Clinical Trial Optional) Inactive
Grants to institutions that offer doctorate degrees in the health professions or in a health-related science and have a historical and current commitment to educating underrepresented students, and for institutions that provide clinical services to medically underserved communities.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Letter of Intent (Optional): Sep 11, 2024
Application Deadline: Nov 19, 2024
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Brownfield Assessment Grants Inactive
Grants for assessing, prioritizing, and planning for the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites that are complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The program has a focus on areas historically affected by economic disinvestment, health disparities, and environmental contamination.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Nov 14, 2024
Sponsor: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Brownfield Cleanup Grants Inactive
Grants to carry out cleanup activities at specific brownfield sites, resulting in better community environmental health. The program has a focus on areas historically affected by economic disinvestment, health disparities, and environmental contamination.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Nov 14, 2024
Sponsor: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency