Ensuring Research Integrity Research on Research Integrity Program (RRI)

The Ensuring Research Integrity – Research on Research Integrity Program is administered by the Office of Research Integrity within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This program is designed to strengthen the integrity, reliability, and credibility of federally funded biomedical and behavioral research. The Office of Research Integrity operates under the authority of the Public Health Service Act and focuses on advancing scientific rigor, transparency, and accountability across research institutions. Through this funding opportunity, the agency seeks to support empirical research that identifies both the causes of research misconduct and the factors that promote responsible research practices. The primary purpose of this grant is to fund projects that examine societal, institutional, behavioral, and individual influences on research integrity. Applicants are expected to design studies that generate actionable insights into how research environments function and how misconduct can be prevented. The program emphasizes five key focus areas: exploring systemic and cultural drivers of research integrity, evaluating policies and training effectiveness, analyzing reporting and response mechanisms, examining the role of artificial intelligence in research practices, and assessing administrative burden within research integrity systems. Projects should produce measurable outcomes that contribute to evidence-based improvements in research conduct. Funding is provided in the form of grants with an anticipated total program funding of five hundred thousand dollars, supporting approximately two awards. Individual awards are expected to range from one hundred fifty thousand to two hundred fifty thousand dollars for a single twelve month project period. Funds may be used for research activities, data collection and analysis, development of tools or training materials, and dissemination of findings. However, the program does not support projects primarily focused on conferences or workshops. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, allowing applicants to focus resources entirely on project execution. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive. Public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, government entities at various levels, tribal organizations, and for profit entities including small businesses may apply. The program allows for collaborative projects, but only one entity may serve as the primary applicant and recipient of funds. The designated Project Director or Principal Investigator must be actively engaged in the project and possess sufficient expertise to oversee all aspects of the research. Applicants must also maintain compliance with federal requirements related to research integrity and human subjects protections. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and include standard federal forms, a detailed project narrative, appendices, and a comprehensive budget package. The project narrative is the central component and must clearly outline objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, evaluation plans, and dissemination strategies. Reviewers will evaluate proposals based on project design, anticipated outcomes, evaluation rigor, and organizational capacity. Emphasis is placed on producing measurable outcomes and ensuring that findings can be broadly disseminated to benefit the research community. The application deadline is July twenty seventh, two thousand twenty six at six pm Eastern Time, with a technical assistance webinar scheduled for July thirteenth, two thousand twenty six. Awards are expected to be announced with a project start date around September thirtieth, two thousand twenty six. The period of performance is up to twelve months. The program is not explicitly described as recurring, but it is issued as a fiscal year funding opportunity, suggesting potential future iterations. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review all submission requirements and ensure alignment with federal priorities related to scientific integrity and transparency. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a targeted investment in improving the systems and behaviors that underpin trustworthy scientific research. By supporting rigorous studies into the causes and prevention of misconduct, the program aims to strengthen public trust in science and enhance the quality of research outputs across the United States.

Ensure clear measurable outcomes align with research integrity priorities and demonstrate rigorous evaluation methods; emphasize reproducibility transparency and actionable findings