Advancing Research on Empirically-Supported Interventions for Older Adults Living with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

The Advancing Research on Empirically-Supported Interventions for Older Adults Living with Serious Mental Illness funding opportunity is issued by the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This opportunity uses the R01 Research Project Grant mechanism to support research that advances the understanding, adaptation, and implementation of effective mental health interventions for older adults with serious mental illness, defined as individuals aged 50 and older with conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and related disorders. The program aligns with the broader mission of NIMH to transform the treatment and understanding of mental illness through research that leads to prevention, recovery, and improved care systems. The purpose of the funding opportunity is to support research that improves access to, delivery of, and outcomes from empirically supported mental health interventions for older adults. The program emphasizes practice-relevant research conducted in real-world settings such as primary care clinics, long-term care facilities, community centers, and other environments where older adults receive services. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that adapt existing interventions, develop innovative treatment or service models, and evaluate system-level strategies that improve care coordination, workforce capacity, and access to evidence-based care. Funding is provided through the R01 mechanism, with budgets not capped but expected to reflect the needs of the proposed project. The maximum project period is five years. NIMH intends to commit approximately three million dollars in fiscal year 2027 to fund an estimated five to six awards. Funds may be used for research activities including clinical trials, implementation studies, system-level interventions, and pilot feasibility studies. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Projects may include both clinical trial and non-clinical trial research, provided they meet methodological rigor and align with the program’s objectives. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit entities, government agencies at various levels, and tribal organizations. Both domestic and foreign organizations are eligible, although restrictions apply to foreign subawards. Applicants must complete required federal registrations including SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons prior to submission. Individuals serving as principal investigators must demonstrate appropriate expertise and maintain required credentials such as ORCID linkage. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or NIH submission systems such as ASSIST. The earliest submission date is September 15, 2026, and the application deadline is October 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM local time. Applications undergo a two-stage review process including scientific peer review and advisory council review, with evaluation criteria focused on significance, innovation, rigor, feasibility, investigator expertise, and environment. Projects must include detailed research strategies, data management plans, and where applicable, clinical trial design elements that assess both effectiveness and implementation factors. The anticipated review timeline includes scientific review in March 2027, advisory council review in May 2027, and the earliest project start date in July 2027. Applicants are encouraged to engage with NIMH program staff in advance to ensure alignment with priorities. The program is part of an ongoing effort to address gaps in mental health care for aging populations and is expected to recur annually based on NIH funding cycles.

Focus on real-world implementation settings; align with NIMH priorities; include hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs; demonstrate scalability and system-level impact