Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA ES 21 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 21 001

The Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award (R01 Clinical Trial Optional), Funding Opportunity Number RFA-ES-21-001, is a discretionary grant program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) focused on building the next generation of leaders in Environmental Health Sciences. Its central purpose is to identify exceptionally promising Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) who are likely to make a long-term commitment to environmental health research, and to give them the support needed to launch an innovative, independent research program. The work supported under this opportunity is specifically aimed at improving understanding of how environmental exposures affect human health, which can include a wide range of exposure types and health outcomes as long as the core focus remains on the exposure-health connection. As an R01 mechanism, it is designed to fund substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects, and it is labeled “Clinical Trial Optional,” meaning applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials if appropriate, but they are not required to do so.

The opportunity is categorized under the funding activity area of Environment and Health and is associated with CFDA number 93.113. The program was created on 2020-11-19, and the original closing date listed is 2023-02-24. While the source data does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the structure and intent imply a competitive NIH-style research grant aimed at supporting early career faculty or equivalent investigators as they establish a durable research trajectory in environmental health sciences.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common U.S.-based applicant organization types. Eligible applicants listed 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; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when they are not institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses, along with an “Other” category. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories, emphasizing inclusion of a wide range of institution types and community-connected organizations. These include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); eligible agencies of the federal government; faith-based or community-based organizations; Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized; regional organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the opportunity places clear limits on foreign participation at the applicant organization level. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) and non-domestic (non-U.S.) foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning that while a non-U.S. organization generally cannot be the applicant institution, a U.S.-based applicant may include certain foreign components or collaborations if they meet NIH policy requirements and are justified within the proposed project.

Overall, the ONES Award functions as a career-launching R01-style research grant targeted at early-stage environmental health scientists, with the goal of accelerating innovative research programs that clarify how environmental exposures influence health. It combines the scale and rigor of an NIH R01 with a talent-identification and field-building mission, encouraging a broad range of eligible U.S. institutions and organizations to compete while maintaining NIH’s standard boundaries around foreign applicant eligibility and allowable foreign components.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award (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): 93.113.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-02-24. (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.

Apply for RFA ES 21 001

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