Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 316
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity PA 18-316, titled "Typical and Atypical Patterns of Language and Literacy in Dual Language Learners (R01-Clinical Trial Optional)," supports investigator-initiated research projects using the R01 grant mechanism. The central aim is to improve understanding of how dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States develop language and literacy skills, both along typical developmental pathways and in cases where development is disrupted or impaired. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for strong, theory-driven studies that can explain what "normal" language and reading development looks like for children learning two languages, how that may differ from monolingual norms, and how to distinguish difference from disorder when children show signs of difficulty.
A key emphasis of the announcement is on leveraging modern advances in the language sciences and related disciplines. Applicants are encouraged to investigate specific factors that shape DLL language and literacy outcomes, including cognitive influences (such as attention, memory, and executive functioning), linguistic influences (such as vocabulary growth, grammar development, phonological processing, and cross-language transfer), neurobiological influences (including brain-based measures or developmental neuroscience perspectives when appropriate), and sociocultural influences (such as family language practices, quality and amount of language exposure, socioeconomic context, cultural expectations, classroom instruction, and broader community factors). The NIH is essentially signaling that it wants research that can move beyond broad descriptions and instead identify mechanisms and predictors that clarify why some DLL children thrive while others struggle, and how impairments may present differently in bilingual contexts.
The opportunity is also designed to strengthen the evidence base around atypical development, including language and literacy impairments in young DLL populations. That can include work focused on early identification and characterization of developmental language disorder, dyslexia and reading difficulties, and other communication-related challenges as they appear in bilingual or multilingual learners. Because clinical trials are listed as optional, the FOA can support a range of study designs, from observational and longitudinal developmental studies to intervention research, as long as the proposed approach aligns with NIH definitions and requirements for clinical trials when applicable. The overall goal is to generate findings that help the field draw clearer lines between typical bilingual development and clinically meaningful impairment, ultimately improving assessment, educational planning, and clinical decision-making for DLL children.
In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education when specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
There are important limits related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, the FOA allows "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant can include certain foreign elements within a project when justified and compliant with NIH policy (for example, specific collaborations, resources, or populations that meaningfully strengthen the research), even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under NIH, categorized within Health, Income Security and Social Services, and linked to CFDA numbers 93.173 and 93.865. The original posting indicates a closing date of December 16, 2020, and the record notes that an award ceiling and expected number of awards were not specified in the provided summary fields. The funding opportunity was created on October 20, 2017. Overall, the announcement targets rigorous, high-impact R01 research that advances scientific understanding of bilingual language and literacy development in the U.S., with clear attention to the real-world challenge of recognizing and addressing impairment in young children learning more than one language.Apply for PA 18 316
- The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Typical and Atypical Patterns of Language and Literacy in Dual Language Learners (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): 93.173, 93.865.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-10-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-12-16. (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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FAQs: NIH PA 18-316 - Typical and Atypical Patterns of Language and Literacy in Dual Language Learners (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
What is this NIH funding opportunity?
This is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) identified as PA 18-316, titled "Typical and Atypical Patterns of Language and Literacy in Dual Language Learners (R01-Clinical Trial Optional)." It supports investigator-initiated research projects using the NIH R01 grant mechanism.
What is the main purpose of PA 18-316?
The central purpose is to improve understanding of how dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States develop language and literacy skills, including both typical developmental pathways and cases where development is disrupted or impaired. A major practical goal is to help the field distinguish language difference from language disorder in children learning two languages.
Who is the focus population for the research?
The FOA focuses on dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States, specifically children developing language and literacy skills across two languages (including contexts where development may be typical or atypical).
What kinds of research questions is NIH looking for?
The FOA emphasizes strong, theory-driven studies that explain what "normal" language and reading development looks like for children learning two languages, how bilingual development may differ from monolingual norms, and how to identify clinically meaningful impairment in bilingual contexts.
Does the FOA prioritize mechanism-focused research or descriptive studies?
The FOA signals interest in research that moves beyond broad description to identify mechanisms and predictors that clarify why some DLL children thrive while others struggle, and how impairments may present differently in bilingual learners.
What factors does NIH encourage applicants to study?
Applicants are encouraged to investigate specific factors shaping DLL language and literacy outcomes, including cognitive, linguistic, neurobiological, and sociocultural influences.
What are examples of cognitive influences mentioned in the FOA?
The FOA gives examples such as attention, memory, and executive functioning as cognitive influences that may shape language and literacy outcomes for DLLs.
What are examples of linguistic influences mentioned in the FOA?
The FOA highlights linguistic influences such as vocabulary growth, grammar development, phonological processing, and cross-language transfer.
Does the FOA encourage neurobiological or neuroscience-related approaches?
Yes. The FOA notes neurobiological influences and indicates that brain-based measures or developmental neuroscience perspectives may be appropriate when relevant to the proposed research questions.
What sociocultural factors are specifically called out?
The FOA mentions family language practices, the quality and amount of language exposure, socioeconomic context, cultural expectations, classroom instruction, and broader community factors as sociocultural influences that may affect DLL language and literacy development.
Is atypical development within scope, and what does that include?
Yes. A key goal is to strengthen the evidence base around atypical development in young DLL populations, including language and literacy impairments and other communication-related challenges as they appear in bilingual or multilingual learners.
What types of impairments or difficulties are explicitly mentioned?
The FOA specifically mentions early identification and characterization of developmental language disorder, dyslexia and reading difficulties, and other communication-related challenges in bilingual or multilingual contexts.
How does this FOA relate to assessment and real-world decision-making?
The overall intent is to generate findings that help draw clearer lines between typical bilingual development and clinically meaningful impairment, ultimately improving assessment, educational planning, and clinical decision-making for DLL children.
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This FOA uses the NIH R01 mechanism, supporting investigator-initiated research projects.
Are clinical trials required under this FOA?
No. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning it can support a range of designs, including observational and longitudinal studies and intervention research, provided the proposed approach aligns with NIH definitions and requirements for clinical trials when applicable.
What kinds of study designs are considered responsive?
Based on the FOA summary, responsive designs can include observational studies, longitudinal developmental studies, and intervention research, as long as the design fits the scientific aims and follows NIH requirements for clinical trials if the project meets the NIH definition of a clinical trial.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, including (but not limited to) state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education when specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights eligibility for categories including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, and also faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Can foreign organizations apply as the primary applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply directly as the primary applicant under this FOA.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component?
Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, the FOA allows "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign elements within the project when justified and compliant with NIH policy.
What does it mean that "foreign components" are allowed?
Within NIH policy, a U.S. applicant may include specific foreign collaborations, resources, or populations that meaningfully strengthen the research, as long as these elements meet the NIH definition of a foreign component and are appropriately justified and handled under NIH policy. This does not make a foreign institution eligible to be the primary applicant.
What is the assistance type and broad program area for this opportunity?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant program under NIH and is categorized within Health, Income Security and Social Services.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The summary links this opportunity to CFDA numbers 93.173 and 93.865.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The record indicates the funding opportunity was created on October 20, 2017.
What closing date is listed in the summary?
The original posting summary indicates a closing date of December 16, 2020.
Is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) specified in the summary provided?
No. The provided summary notes that the award ceiling was not specified in the available summary fields.
Is the expected number of awards specified in the summary provided?
No. The provided summary notes that the expected number of awards was not specified in the available summary fields.
What is NIH hoping the research will contribute to the field?
The FOA aims to support rigorous, high-impact research that advances scientific understanding of bilingual language and literacy development in the U.S., with clear attention to the challenge of recognizing and addressing impairment in young children learning more than one language.
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