CCRP Initiative: Chemical Threat Agent-induced Pulmonary and Ocular Pathophysiological Mechanisms (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA ES 24 005

FAQs: NIH RFA-ES-24-005 (CounterACT/CCRP) R01 - Mechanisms of Pulmonary and Ocular Injury from Chemical Threat Agents

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) identified as RFA-ES-24-005. It supports R01 research grants under the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) and the broader NIH CounterACT program.

2) What is the main scientific goal of this NOFO?

The central goal is to explain, at a mechanistic level, how chemical threat agents cause acute damage in two vulnerable organ systems: the lungs (pulmonary injury) and the eyes (ocular injury). Projects are expected to map the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of toxicity and use those insights to pinpoint molecular or genetic targets that could reduce or prevent acute harmful effects after exposure.

3) What types of injuries or organ systems are in scope?

The scope is specifically focused on pulmonary injury (lung) and ocular injury (eye) that occur following exposure to chemical threat agents.

4) What kind of research approach is emphasized?

The emphasis is on basic and translationally oriented mechanistic research that answers "how" injury happens in ways that are actionable for countermeasure discovery. The work should be designed to produce clear mechanistic conclusions and connect them to specific intervention points that could plausibly be targeted to blunt immediate injury.

5) What does "mechanistic" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Mechanistic research here means defining the biological events that drive acute injury progression in lung and eye tissues after exposure. Examples mentioned include key signaling pathways, cell and tissue responses, inflammatory cascades, barrier disruption processes, and neural or vascular contributions, with the expectation that the project ties these events to concrete targets for intervention.

6) What kinds of targets are expected to come out of this work?

Applicants are expected to identify molecular or genetic targets that could be leveraged to reduce or prevent acute harmful effects. The NOFO gives examples of plausible intervention points such as a receptor, enzyme, transcriptional program, epigenetic regulator, or other molecular node.

7) Is this opportunity meant to directly develop medical countermeasures?

This NOFO is positioned as foundational research, but it is intentionally aligned with downstream therapeutic exploration. The expectation is that strong target-identification work funded here can feed into later-stage efforts aimed at developing medical countermeasures, including early development activities supported elsewhere within CounterACT.

8) Are purely descriptive studies a good fit?

The NOFO stresses actionable mechanistic understanding rather than purely descriptive findings. Projects should aim to connect mechanistic conclusions to specific intervention points that can realistically inform countermeasure concepts.

9) What grant mechanism is used?

The mechanism is an NIH R01 research grant.

10) Are clinical trials allowed under this announcement?

No. Clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement. The proposed work must remain outside NIH's definition of a clinical trial.

11) What kinds of studies are appropriate given the "no clinical trials" restriction?

Appropriate studies include non-clinical translational work such as mechanistic studies, target identification, target validation, and related preclinical approaches, as long as they do not meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial.

12) Which NIH programs are associated with this NOFO?

This opportunity is part of the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) and the broader NIH CounterACT program.

13) What funding category or agency context is provided?

It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health within the environment and health-related funding categories.

14) What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The NOFO is associated with CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.855, and 93.867.

15) What is the application due date (closing date) listed?

The posted original closing date is September 23, 2026.

16) Who is eligible to apply (in general terms)?

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and government entities, including various levels of government, higher education institutions (public and private), tribal governments and organizations, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, with certain exclusions noted in the listing), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses.

17) Which government entities are eligible?

Eligible government applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments. The eligibility list also includes eligible federal agencies and U.S. territories or possessions (called out under "other eligible applicants").

18) Are institutions of higher education eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education. The announcement also calls out multiple institution types under "other eligible applicants," including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and AANAPISIs.

19) Are tribal entities eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are other tribal organizations. Tribally controlled colleges and universities are also explicitly called out as other eligible applicants.

20) Are nonprofits eligible?

Yes. Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible (with the listing noting exclusions as stated in the announcement regarding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories).

21) Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.

22) Are independent school districts eligible?

Yes. Independent school districts are included in the eligibility list.

23) Are public housing authorities eligible?

Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are included in the eligibility list.

24) Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly called out under "other eligible applicants."

25) Are regional organizations eligible?

Yes. Regional organizations are explicitly included under "other eligible applicants."

26) Can a foreign (non-U.S.) organization apply as the applicant?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.

27) Can a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization apply?

No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.

28) Are any foreign activities allowed at all?

Yes, but only in a limited way. "Foreign components" are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This means a U.S. applicant may include certain well-justified foreign elements in the project (such as specific collaborations, resources, or performance sites) if they meet NIH's definition and are appropriately documented and justified.

29) What is the practical takeaway on foreign participation for applicants?

A U.S. organization must be the applicant, and non-U.S. organizations cannot apply directly. However, a U.S. applicant may include a foreign component if it is justified and meets NIH policy definitions and documentation requirements.

30) What makes a proposal a strong fit for this NOFO?

Proposals tend to fit best when they are hypothesis-driven, mechanistically deep, and structured to produce results that can be acted on in subsequent therapeutic discovery and early development programs within CounterACT/CCRP, while remaining clearly outside the bounds of a clinical trial.