Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Exploratory/Developmental Projects (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 253

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 253

The Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Exploratory/Developmental Projects funding opportunity (PAR-20-253) is an NIH R21 grant aimed at jump-starting early-stage research that can lead to new or improved medical treatments for harmful chemical exposures. It sits under the NIH CounterACT program, which focuses on therapeutics that lessen or prevent the health effects caused by chemical threats. In this context, "chemical threats" includes both intentional and accidental hazards: classic chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals that might be released during production or transport incidents, pesticides, and even certain pharmaceutical-based agents that could be misused.

The work supported is intentionally exploratory and development-focused, meaning it is designed to produce strong preliminary evidence rather than to fully mature a product on its own. The FOA emphasizes basic and translational toxicology studies that help move a countermeasure from concept toward viability. Examples of activities that fit the stated scope include identifying biological targets involved in toxicity, finding and characterizing therapeutic "hits" (promising candidate interventions), validating those hits, optimizing them into stronger leads, and demonstrating key properties in vivo such as ADME/Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) along with evidence of efficacy in relevant animal models. The bigger expectation is that the R21 results will position a team to compete for larger, more advanced CounterACT support mechanisms later, particularly the NIH CounterACT Cooperative Agreement programs or related initiatives that can fund more extensive development.

As an R21, the award structure is consistent with an exploratory/developmental mechanism and is capped at an award ceiling of $200,000 (as listed in the opportunity data). The FOA is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means applicants are expected to propose non-clinical research rather than studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial (for example, prospective assignment of human participants to an intervention to study health-related outcomes). The scientific emphasis is therefore on preclinical and other non-clinical approaches that can establish feasibility, mechanism, and early performance characteristics of candidate countermeasures.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city/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 and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign participation has important limits. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain discrete elements of the project that are performed outside the U.S. when they are justified and meet NIH policy requirements.

From an administrative standpoint, this is an NIH discretionary grant opportunity in the health-related funding activity category (with CFDA/Assistance Listing numbers including 93.113, 93.279, 93.846, 93.853, and 93.867). The opportunity was created on 2020-07-07, and the source data lists an original closing date of 2023-03-22. The practical takeaway is that this FOA is meant for teams that have a plausible countermeasure concept and need focused R21 support to generate the kind of in vivo and mechanistic evidence that de-risks the idea and sets up a strong application for larger, later-stage CounterACT funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Exploratory/Developmental Projects (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.279, 93.846, 93.853, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-07-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 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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