Limited Competition: Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Clinical Research Network for Health Equity (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MD 22 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MD 22 006

The Limited Competition: Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Clinical Research Network for Health Equity (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity (RFA-MD-22-006) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to expand and strengthen a new nationwide clinical research network focused on health equity. The central idea is to build practical, durable research infrastructure that makes it easier to carry out high-quality, real-world clinical research in communities that experience health disparities. Rather than relying only on traditional academic medical centers, this network is meant to better leverage community-based clinicians and health care delivery systems as active research partners, so evidence-based health care practices and services can be developed, tested, implemented, and sustained in settings where people actually receive care. The opportunity also explicitly recognizes the role of a diverse clinical workforce in delivering services and the need to include that reality in how health equity research is designed and conducted.

This FOA is a limited competition, meaning it is primarily intended for current RCMI awardees. It is tied to the RCMI program and to the establishment of the RCMI Clinical Research Network for Health Equity (RCMI-CRNHE). Applicants are expected to propose work that contributes to the network's ability to conduct research addressing health care for populations experiencing health disparities, with a strong emphasis on creating or enhancing the infrastructure that supports that research. Because the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, awardees should expect substantial involvement from NIH program staff compared with a standard research grant. In cooperative agreements, the government is not just a funder; it is typically an active partner in shaping expectations, monitoring progress, and coordinating network activities.

The award uses a two-phase UG3/UH3 structure that is specifically designed to reduce risk and ensure that projects are ready to scale. The first phase (UG3) can last up to two years and functions as a planning and start-up period with clear, predefined milestones. During this phase, the project is expected to put the necessary building blocks in place, such as operational procedures, collaborative arrangements, data systems, recruitment and retention strategies, community and clinical partnerships, and any other capacities needed to run network-enabled clinical research effectively. The second phase (UH3) can provide up to three additional years of support, but it is not automatic. Transition to the UH3 phase depends on successfully meeting the UG3 milestones. Projects that hit their milestones are administratively reviewed by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and then prioritized for transition, reinforcing the expectation that applicants must treat the UG3 period as a true readiness and performance gateway rather than simply an early portion of a longer grant.

Applications must describe both phases in one integrated proposal. That means investigators need to lay out what will be accomplished in the UG3 period, specify measurable milestones and timelines, and then explain how the project will expand or fully operate during the UH3 period once readiness has been demonstrated. Because clinical trials are listed as optional, applicants can propose clinical trial activities if they align with the network's goals, but a clinical trial is not required. Regardless of whether a trial is included, the focus remains on enabling clinical research that improves health care delivery and outcomes for disparity-affected populations through strong community and health system connections.

Eligibility is centered on U.S.-based institutions. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with participation also relevant to specific institution types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). Foreign participation is not allowed: non-U.S. entities may not apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are prohibited. In practical terms, the work proposed under this FOA must be planned and carried out within allowable domestic organizational structures.

From the funding details provided, the opportunity falls under the Health activity category and is associated with CFDA 93.307. The award ceiling listed is $1,000,000. The original closing date was May 31, 2022, and the FOA was created on April 6, 2022. Overall, this program is best understood as an infrastructure-forward, network-building investment aimed at making health equity clinical research more feasible and impactful in real-world care environments, with strong accountability built in through the UG3 milestone-to-UH3 transition model and the cooperative agreement partnership structure.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Clinical Research Network for Health Equity (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.307.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-04-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-31. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

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