Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 27 015
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Community-Based Participatory Research to Advance Data and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) for Optimizing Oral Health for All (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)" (PAR-27-015). The program is designed to fund community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects that work directly with communities to evaluate, implement, and/or test population-based interventions that change real-world policies, programs, or practices in ways that improve oral health outcomes across the lifespan. A central emphasis is on integration: applicants are expected to build and leverage cross-sector partnerships so that oral health is addressed alongside other health and social needs, rather than treated as a standalone issue.
This NOFO uses a UG3/UH3 phased award structure under a cooperative agreement mechanism. In practice, that means projects are expected to move from an initial, time-limited planning or start-up phase (UG3) into a larger implementation/testing phase (UH3) once prespecified milestones are met. Because it is a cooperative agreement, NIH will have substantial scientific/programmatic involvement during the project period, which typically translates to closer coordination, shared expectations around milestones, and active participation in consortium activities. The announcement is marked "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose a clinical trial if it fits the intervention and evaluation design, but a clinical trial is not required.
The interventions sought under ADAPT must target social and chronic disease common risk factors and/or the barriers that drive oral disease burden in communities. The intent is to support strategies that address underlying conditions and systems that contribute to poor oral health, especially where oral health disparities persist. Rather than focusing narrowly on individual behavior change alone, the NOFO highlights community-level, population-based approaches that can shift how services are delivered, how systems coordinate, and what values and priorities are embedded in local practices. Examples of the kinds of changes implied by the description include better integration between medical, dental, public health, and social services; improvements in referral pathways and follow-up; policy or program adjustments that reduce access barriers; and community-informed workflows that make prevention and early intervention more feasible.
A distinctive feature of this opportunity is that funded projects will not operate in isolation. Awardees will become part of a CBPR consortium called ADAPT, alongside a separately funded Community Engagement Evaluation and Data Coordination hub (CEED). The consortium structure is intended to accelerate learning across projects, support consistent approaches to community engagement and evaluation, and strengthen data practices so that findings are more usable and transferable. In addition, the consortium will receive consultative services from the NIH Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource (CEACR), signaling that meaningful, high-quality community engagement is not just encouraged but expected to be supported and assessed throughout the work.
The opportunity also connects awardees to broader NIH-supported infrastructure focused on data and technology. Specifically, ADAPT projects will join the Science Collaborative for Health and Artificial Intelligence Reduction of Errors (SCHARE) platform. Based on the description, this linkage is meant to promote stronger data use and learning systems, and to improve how evidence is generated and applied while reducing errors that can occur in health and AI-supported settings. The overall goal of tying ADAPT to CEED, CEACR, and SCHARE is to create a coordinated set of community-centered projects that use better data and deeper engagement to drive practical, scalable improvements in oral health for all populations.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities as allowed under NIH policy and the NOFOs eligibility section. However, the NOFO is explicit that foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed, which keeps the work fully domestic in terms of performance sites and organizational participation.
Key administrative details provided include an award ceiling listed as $300,000 and an original closing date of 2028-11-16. The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, and the activity category is health. The CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 93.121, 93.307, 93.310, and 93.313, indicating the NIH program areas under which awards may be administered. While the description references "ExpectedAwards" without a number in the provided text, applicants should rely on the full NOFO for the most current information on anticipated award counts, budgets, project period expectations, and milestone requirements for UG3-to-UH3 transition.
Taken together, ADAPT is aimed at community-driven, partnership-based transformation of policies and practices that influence oral health, with a strong expectation of cross-sector integration, attention to social and chronic disease risk factors, rigorous evaluation, and participation in a coordinated NIH-supported consortium designed to improve both engagement quality and data-driven decision-making.Apply for PAR 27 015
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community-Based Participatory Research to Advance Data and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) for Optimizing Oral Health for All (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-11-16.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the official title and number of this NIH opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Community-Based Participatory Research to Advance Data and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) for Optimizing Oral Health for All (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)" and the notice number is PAR-27-015.
2. What is ADAPT trying to fund, in plain terms?
ADAPT is intended to fund community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects that work directly with communities to evaluate, implement, and/or test population-based interventions. These interventions are expected to change real-world policies, programs, or practices in ways that improve oral health outcomes across the lifespan.
3. What does "community-based participatory research (CBPR)" mean in this program?
Based on the opportunity description, CBPR here means research that is carried out with communities (not just in communities). Projects are expected to work directly with community partners and to treat community engagement as a core part of how interventions are chosen, implemented, and evaluated.
4. Is this opportunity focused on individual behavior change interventions?
The description emphasizes community-level, population-based approaches and highlights changes to systems, services, policies, programs, and practices. It specifically notes a preference for approaches that do more than focus narrowly on individual behavior change alone.
5. What types of interventions are encouraged under ADAPT?
The interventions must target social and chronic disease common risk factors and/or barriers that drive oral disease burden in communities. The intent is to support strategies that address underlying conditions and systems contributing to poor oral health, particularly where disparities persist.
6. What kinds of real-world changes does NIH expect these projects to influence?
Examples implied by the description include integration between medical, dental, public health, and social services; improvements in referral pathways and follow-up; policy or program adjustments that reduce access barriers; and community-informed workflows that make prevention and early intervention more feasible.
7. What does "cross-sector integration" mean in this NOFO?
Applicants are expected to build and leverage partnerships across sectors so oral health is addressed alongside other health and social needs, rather than treated as a standalone issue. The emphasis is on coordinated approaches that connect oral health with broader systems of care and support.
8. What is the UG3/UH3 phased award structure?
This NOFO uses a UG3/UH3 phased structure. Projects are expected to begin with a time-limited planning or start-up phase (UG3) and then transition to a larger implementation/testing phase (UH3) once prespecified milestones are met.
9. What determines whether a project can move from UG3 to UH3?
Transition is tied to meeting prespecified milestones. The description notes that applicants should rely on the full NOFO for the most current information on milestone requirements for UG3-to-UH3 transition.
10. What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement means NIH will have substantial scientific and/or programmatic involvement during the project period. In practice, this typically involves closer coordination with NIH, shared expectations around milestones, and active participation in consortium activities.
11. Is a clinical trial required for this opportunity?
No. The announcement is marked "Clinical Trial Optional." Applicants may propose a clinical trial if it fits the intervention and evaluation design, but a clinical trial is not required.
12. Will funded projects operate independently or as part of a group?
Funded projects will not operate in isolation. Awardees will become part of a CBPR consortium called ADAPT.
13. What is CEED and how does it relate to awardees?
CEED is the Community Engagement Evaluation and Data Coordination hub that is separately funded. The consortium structure is intended to support consistent approaches to community engagement and evaluation and to strengthen data practices so findings are more usable and transferable.
14. What is CEACR and what role does it play?
The consortium will receive consultative services from the NIH Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource (CEACR). This indicates that meaningful, high-quality community engagement is expected to be supported and assessed throughout the work.
15. What is SCHARE and why are ADAPT projects connected to it?
ADAPT projects will join the Science Collaborative for Health and Artificial Intelligence Reduction of Errors (SCHARE) platform. Based on the description, this linkage is meant to promote stronger data use and learning systems, and to improve how evidence is generated and applied while reducing errors that can occur in health and AI-supported settings.
16. Why does the NOFO emphasize data coordination and stronger data practices?
The description frames the ADAPT consortium (with CEED, CEACR, and SCHARE connections) as a coordinated effort to improve data use, evaluation consistency, and learning across projects, so results are more usable, transferable, and scalable.
17. What is the overall goal of linking ADAPT to CEED, CEACR, and SCHARE?
The stated goal is to create a coordinated set of community-centered projects that use deeper engagement and better data to drive practical, scalable improvements in oral health for all populations.
18. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities as allowed under NIH policy and the NOFO eligibility section.
19. Are foreign organizations allowed to apply?
No. The NOFO is explicit that foreign organizations are not eligible to apply.
20. Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component or foreign component?
No. The description states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.
21. Does this mean the project work must be fully domestic?
Yes. The restrictions described indicate the work is intended to be fully domestic in terms of performance sites and organizational participation.
22. What is the funding instrument and activity category?
The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, and the activity category is health.
23. What is the award ceiling mentioned in the provided information?
The provided information lists an award ceiling of $300,000.
24. What is the closing date shown in the provided information?
The original closing date provided is 2028-11-16.
25. Are the number of expected awards included in the provided text?
No. The description references "ExpectedAwards" without a number in the provided text, and it advises applicants to rely on the full NOFO for the most current information.
26. What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.121, 93.307, 93.310, and 93.313.
27. What population is ADAPT intended to benefit?
The program is focused on improving oral health outcomes across the lifespan and emphasizes improving oral health for all populations, particularly in settings where oral health disparities persist.
28. What is the main emphasis on "practice transformation" in this NOFO?
The emphasis is on changing real-world policies, programs, or practices and improving how systems coordinate. The description highlights integration across medical, dental, public health, and social services, plus improvements in workflows, referrals, follow-up, and access.
29. What level of engagement and coordination is implied for awardees?
Because this is a cooperative agreement and a consortium-based program, awardees should expect active coordination with NIH and participation in consortium activities, along with alignment around milestones and shared learning through ADAPT, CEED, CEACR, and SCHARE-related activities.
30. Where should applicants look for the most up-to-date details on budgets, project period, and milestones?
The description notes that applicants should rely on the full NOFO for the most current information on anticipated award counts, budgets, project period expectations, and UG3-to-UH3 transition milestone requirements.
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