Research on Research Integrity Conferences | IR ORI 21 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for IR ORI 21 002

The Research on Research Integrity Conferences grant opportunity (IR ORI 21 002) is a FY 2021 funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, through the Office of Research Integrity (ORI). Using authority under Section 301 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241), ORI offers small conference grants to support meetings that strengthen the field of research integrity and help research institutions meet federal expectations under 42 C.F.R. Part 93. The program is grounded in the requirement that institutions receiving Public Health Service funding maintain an environment that promotes responsible conduct of research, discourages misconduct, and responds promptly to possible misconduct.

The core purpose of the program is to fund conferences, workshops, symposia, seminars, retreats, or similar events where the primary aim is sharing technical information beyond the host institution and producing tangible, practical outputs. ORI is looking for events that do more than hold discussions; applicants are expected to generate measurable outcomes such as tools, frameworks, recommendations, networks, training models, or other usable products that advance research integrity practice and compliance. Virtual conferences and workshops are explicitly eligible, which broadens participation and allows proposals that are fully online or hybrid.

Funded events must align with at least one major theme tied to research integrity and the misconduct regulation. ORI highlights six broad theme areas: responsible conduct of research (RCR) training; fostering an institutional environment that promotes integrity; preventing research misconduct; improving how institutions handle misconduct allegations; whistleblowing and protecting whistleblowers; and other closely related topics supporting compliance with 42 C.F.R. Part 93. Within those themes, ORI encourages proposals that bring together diverse expertise across research, education, institutional administration, law, and government, with the goal of developing better educational approaches, institutional processes, and preventive interventions.

The announcement gives examples of high-interest topic areas to illustrate what ORI wants to see, while making clear the list is not exhaustive and proposals should be meaningfully distinct from existing ORI activities. Example areas include identifying best practices for institutional misconduct proceedings (such as evidence sequestration, interviewing practices, defining the scope of the research record, admissibility standards, and anti-retaliation protections); building ethical decision-making frameworks that can be integrated into RCR education; and convening interdisciplinary experts to design or refine interventions that deter or prevent misconduct. ORI also calls out “detrimental research practices” (DRPs) as an area of interest, including issues like power-dynamic disruptions, p-value hacking, and ghost authorship, especially when the conference focuses on practical strategies that help witnesses or bystanders make good-faith reports and reduces cultural or structural barriers that discourage reporting.

A notable emphasis in this funding opportunity is on evaluation and dissemination. Applicants are expected to present a serious evaluation strategy that uses validated measures and techniques and looks not only at participant satisfaction but also at retention and real-world application of knowledge gained. In other words, ORI wants conferences that can credibly show they changed understanding and practice, supported by post-event evaluation data or other appropriate evidence. Applicants must also provide a dissemination plan with timelines to share conference products beyond attendees. While peer-reviewed publications are encouraged, ORI expects broader, multi-channel dissemination (for example, public-facing materials, toolkits, or online resources). The opportunity specifically encourages professional-quality video recording of at least one key element, such as a plenary or keynote, to be made publicly accessible on a website to increase reach and long-term impact.

From an administrative standpoint, the award instrument is a discretionary grant in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 93.085). The funding cap is $50,000 per award, with an expected two awards under this cycle. The original application deadline listed is July 1, 2021 (with a creation date of April 16, 2021). Applicants are also reminded of federal cost principles for conferences under 45 C.F.R. 75.432, which requires hosts to use good judgment to ensure costs are necessary, reasonable, and managed to minimize expense to the federal award. ORI allows and anticipates that applicants may combine ORI funds with other sources of institutional or external support, which can help expand programming and improve dissemination.

Overall, this opportunity is designed for organizations that can convene the research integrity community around concrete problems and produce practical deliverables, not just conversation. The strongest proposals would typically feature a clearly defined integrity challenge, a well-justified set of participants with cross-functional expertise, a plan to produce specific outputs (guidance, models, networks, or training resources), a credible method for measuring learning and downstream use, and an intentional strategy for distributing the results widely to improve institutional practice and support compliance with federal research misconduct requirements.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on Research Integrity Conferences" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.085.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 16, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 01, 2021 No Explanation. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for IR ORI 21 002

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