Concepts

What is a Concept?

A concept is an early planning stage in the development of a research initiative (a program announcement, request for applications, or request for proposals).

NCCIH staff prepare and discuss concepts at planning meetings. Then, they determine which concepts are presented to the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Integrative Health (NACCIH) for review, comment, and approval.

A document is prepared for the Advisory Council meeting. If the concept is approved, the document is published on our website. This gives researchers a “heads up” on potential future funding opportunities. Not all concepts are developed into formal initiatives, such as program announcements or requests for applications. If a concept is developed into an official initiative, it will be published in the NIH Guide.

Note: Details of the final initiative may differ from the original concept proposal.

Concepts Approved by Our Advisory Council

Concepts under consideration to be developed into requests for applications, program announcements, or requests for proposals.

• Concept: A Holistic Approach To Study Nonaddictive Natural Products for Pain Management
• Concept: Feasibility Studies To Inform the Design of Future Clinical Trials
• Concept: NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Establishing a Research Network To Guide Foundational Research on Human Consciousness
• Concept: Pragmatic and Implementation Trials Conducted in Real-World Settings Delivering Health Care

All concepts under consideration

Published Initiatives

When a concept is developed into an initiative, it is published in the NIH Guide and listed on the NCCIH website.