Behavioral Intervention Development Funding Opportunity

Cornell Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life (TRIPLL)

(Edward R. Roybal Center for Translational Research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences of Aging)

Final proposal due (if selected): January 15, 2025
Earliest start date, pending NIA review: July 1, 2025
Letters of intent and proposals should be submitted to Patricia Kim, pak2020@med.cornell.edu

The Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life (TRIPLL) announces a behavioral intervention development grant program, designed to support social and behavioral clinical trials that will test non-pharmacological pain and pain management interventions in later life. TRIPLL will award up to $210,000 direct costs per year for up to 2 years.

TRIPLL sponsors clinical trials that apply the NIH Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development. TRIPLL is particularly interested in receiving applications to support Stage II-III clinical trials that engage participants from medically underserved, racially and ethnically diverse older adults. We will also consider applications of Stage 1b or Stage IV trials and hybrid pragmatic trials. TRIPLL will also consider applications requesting supplemental funding for already funded clinical trials that seek to increase sample size, add pain outcomes, or add new sites or populations of older adults

TRIPLL is funded by a 5-year grant from the National Institute on Aging (National Institutes of Health). Examples of the types of projects that could be funded by TRIPLL include, but are not limited to:

A Stage II efficacy trial of a mobile health application to increase patient positive affect as a means to mitigate the impact of pain
A Stage III multi-site effectiveness trial of a program that encourages physical activity, testing behavioral mechanisms such as increased self-efficacy for pain management
A Stage III multi-site effectiveness trial that provides novel psychological therapy to shift beliefs about the causes of pain.
A Stage II or III intervention directed at health care providers to increase referral of patients to non-pharmacological treatments and therapies to help manage pain.
Stage IV testing of a public health/raising awareness intervention designed to increase physical activity among older office workers
Conducting a pragmatic effectiveness–implementation hybrid trial of low-cost pain medication management strategies through Visiting Nuse Services

To compete successfully for funding, applicants must propose clinical trials based on the NIH Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development, focus on mechanisms of behavioral change, and demonstrate potential for future funding and implementation. TRIPLL welcomes projects that partner with community agencies serving older adults.

PhD and MD level Investigators from all US institutions are eligible to apply. Multidisciplinary teams are highly encouraged.

Letter of intent (LOI)

A letter of intent to apply for funding is required. The letter of intent is due December 1, 2024 to . Letters of intent will be reviewed and ranked by TRIPLL investigators and advisory board members. TRIPLL will extend invitations for proposals that will be due January 15, 2025.

The letter of intent should be 1-2 pages in length. Please describe the trial to be conducted and the evidence upon which the proposed trial is based. Letters of intent should state: 1) NIH Stage of the trial (or type of hybrid effectiveness); and 2) Behavioral mechanism of change targeted in the trial. The letter of intent should be accompanied by current NIH standard biosketches for all study investigators.

Application process

To be considered for funding, investigators must submit a 6-page proposal by January 15, 2025, to Patricia Kim at pak2020@med.cornell.edu. TRIPLL’s Review Panel will meet in January 2025 to review/rank the final proposals and select the most meritorious applications.

The 6-page pre-proposal (single-spaced) should include: 1) Significance and Background; 2) Innovation; 3) Research Approach (the Approach must include a power analysis); 4) If applicable, information on the collaborating agency/ies and how the collaborative process will take place; and finally; 5) Description of any current funding and timetable for applying for additional funding after the trial is completed. If the project includes collaboration with a community agency, the application must be accompanied by a signed letter of agreement from the director of the agency. A one-page Specific Aims must also be included, as well as references (but are not counted in the 6 page limit). As appendices, applicants must include current NIH biosketches for project investigators and a letter of commitment from the agency partner (if applicable). Partnering agencies must have 501(c)3 status.

Allowable expenses include research-related costs, research assistant salaries with fringe benefits, communications and supplies, respondent incentives, travel related to the research, data and resource sharing expenses, and equipment purchases less than $1500. Salary support for the Principal Investigator is permitted but must be thoroughly justified how such salary support is critical to performing the proposed research tasks. Additionally, if the investigator plans to work with a community agency (or agencies), it is generally expected that a fund for the collaborating agencies will be provided to cover expenses they may incur.

How will projects be selected for funding?

The TRIPLL review panel will evaluate grant proposals, respectively. Funding decisions will be announced on February 15, 2025. Reviewers will evaluate projects based on the timeliness of the proposed project, immediate relevance, and application to developing feasible non-pharmacological interventions appropriate for older people with chronic pain, scientific merit, the feasibility of completion in the time requested, probability of attracting outside funding, and qualifications and commitment of the investigator to the project. Proposal reviewers will examine an applicant’s record of scholarly productivity and proposal submission activity when making funding decisions.

If you are awarded a TRIPLL grant:

Your project will be reviewed by the National Institute on Aging before funding is released.
By March 15, 2025 you must complete a checklist of items required for the NIA review. Behavioral Intervention Core Director Elaine Wethington (ew20@cornell.edu) will provide you with a copy of the checklist for submission to TRIPLL. Instructions are included with the checklist. TRIPLL must submit the completed checklist to NIA no later than April 1, 2025. This deadline is firm and cannot be extended.
Study investigators are expected to make two presentations about study progress to the TRIPLL Executive Committee during the year, and investigators must meet at least quarterly with the TRIPLL investigators to report on the project’s progress.
Investigators may be asked to present their projects and project findings at online meetings convened by the Roybal Centers Coordinating Center.

Questions? Email TRIPLL’s Program Manager, Patty Kim at pak2020@med.cornell.edu