Examination of Survivorship Care Planning Efficacy and Impact (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 002

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Examination of Survivorship Care Planning Efficacy and Impact (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PA 18-002) supports research aimed at strengthening the evidence base for survivorship care planning after cancer treatment. The central focus is to determine whether, how, and under what conditions survivorship care planning actually improves outcomes for people who have completed primary cancer therapy. Survivorship care planning in this context generally refers to structured approaches that outline a survivor's treatment history, anticipated late and long-term effects, recommended follow-up schedules, screening plans, and guidance on health behaviors and self-management, often designed to help survivors navigate the transition from oncology to primary care or shared care.

The FOA is intended to stimulate rigorous studies that evaluate the real-world effects of care planning on survivor behavior and health. NIH is explicitly interested in whether care planning leads to better self-management of late effects of cancer therapy, improved adherence to prescribed medications, stronger adherence to cancer screening and recommended health behavior guidelines, and more appropriate utilization of follow-up care. In other words, the agency is looking beyond the idea that a plan is inherently helpful and wants empirical proof of impact on measurable outcomes like morbidity, psychosocial well-being, and engagement with recommended surveillance and preventive care.

A major component of the announcement is the development and testing of metrics for evaluating survivorship care planning. This reflects an underlying challenge in the field: organizations may implement survivorship care plans, but the definition of "success" is often inconsistent, and measurement approaches vary widely across settings. Proposed projects can therefore focus on creating valid, reliable, and practical measures that capture the quality, fidelity, reach, and effectiveness of care planning, including patient-reported outcomes and system-level indicators. NIH is looking for work that helps the field move toward standardized or at least well-justified evaluation tools so results can be compared and synthesized across studies and health systems.

The FOA also emphasizes systems and implementation considerations, not just individual patient outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to study organizational-level factors that shape how survivorship care planning is delivered and sustained, including staffing models, workflow integration, coordination between oncology and primary care, use of health information technology, and barriers faced by clinics serving diverse populations. Importantly, NIH signals interest in the costs associated with implementing care planning and its downstream effects on providers and organizations. That can include direct implementation costs (such as staff time, training, and technology) as well as broader impacts like provider burden, changes in clinic efficiency, or shifts in utilization patterns that may affect overall healthcare spending.

Another priority is identifying models and processes of care that promote effective survivorship care planning. This invites research comparing different approaches, such as who delivers the plan (oncology nurse, physician, navigator, primary care team), when it is delivered (end of treatment, during transition, ongoing updates), and how it is delivered (in-person visits, digital tools, patient portals, telehealth, or hybrid models). It also leaves room for studying tailored or risk-stratified planning, where the intensity and content of follow-up guidance is matched to the survivor's treatment exposures, comorbidities, psychosocial needs, and risk of recurrence or late effects.

The funding mechanism is an R01 research project grant, with "Clinical Trial Optional" indicated, meaning projects may include a clinical trial but are not required to do so. This allows for a wide range of study designs, including observational studies, pragmatic trials, comparative effectiveness research, implementation science studies, and mixed-methods evaluations that combine quantitative outcomes with qualitative insights from survivors, caregivers, and healthcare teams. The activity category is listed under education and health (CFDA 93.399), and the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. public and private entities, such as state, county, and local governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private higher education institutions; independent school districts; special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other eligible organizations. The announcement also explicitly welcomes applications from organizations serving specific populations and geographies, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), reflecting an intent to support research that can address survivorship needs across diverse settings and populations.

Ultimately, the goal of the FOA is to generate a coherent and actionable body of science on survivorship care planning: what works, for whom, in which settings, and at what cost. NIH is aiming for research that can directly inform how survivorship follow-up care is designed and delivered, leading to practical interventions and care models that improve health outcomes, reduce preventable morbidity, support psychosocial well-being, and strengthen coordination of care for the growing population of cancer survivors. The source information lists an original closing date of January 7, 2019, and a creation date of November 2, 2017, indicating this specific posting was time-bound, though similar survivorship-focused NIH opportunities may appear under updated announcements in later years.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Examination of Survivorship Care Planning Efficacy and Impact (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): 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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