NIAID is participating in the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) (S06, Clinical Trial Optional) notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). The NARCH program funds federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes, tribal colleges or universities, tribal health programs, or tribal organizations to support health-related research, research career enhancement, and research infrastructure enhancement activities.
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) leads this funding opportunity and will manage the NARCH awards, though NIAID and other institutes, centers, and offices (ICOs) have committed to fund meritorious components that align with their mission and research interests. You can read descriptions of the participating ICO’s areas of scientific interest for this NOFO at Research Interests of NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices Participating in NARCH.
Applicant Eligibility
Applicant organizations must be an eligible AI/AN tribal entity, committed to supporting a NARCH and its goals, and with the administrative infrastructure necessary to manage a multiple-component research grant. If an applicant organization partners with other eligible AI/AN tribal entities as well as additional non-AI/AN organizations, then to maintain eligibility 60 percent or more of the requested funds must remain with the eligible AI/AN tribal entities.
Areas of Funding Support
An NARCH award supports an Administrative Core and one or more of the following components:
- Research Projects (RPs)
- Pilot Project Program (PPP)
- Career Enhancement Projects (CEPs)
- Research Infrastructure Enhancement Projects (RIEPs)
Each proposed component must contribute toward the overall goals of NARCH and should be led by an individual with relevant expertise and experience. The program director/principal investigator (PD/PI) of the NARCH award may lead other proposed components in addition to the Administrative Core. Each proposed component will be reviewed on its own merit and may be selected for funding even if other components in the same application are not.
Award and Budget Information
Application budgets must not exceed $1.3 million in annual direct costs, excluding consortium facilities and administrative (F&A) costs. For Centers that include partner organizations that are not AI/AN tribal entities, the requested combined total direct costs of subcontracts to these organizations must be 40 percent or less of the application’s overall direct cost budget, excluding consortium F&A.
Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent to NIGMS' Dr. Crystal Richards at crystal.richards@nih.gov. Although this is not a requirement, it will allow NIH staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review. Letters of intent are due 1 month prior to the application due date and should include:
- Descriptive title of proposed activity
- Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
- Names of other key personnel
- Participating organization(s)
- Number and title of this funding opportunity
For the next upcoming award cycle, new applications are due July 8, 2025, and AIDS-related projects are due August 7, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. local time of the applicant organization. Due dates for the following award cycle are July 8, 2026, and August 7, 2026, by 5:00 p.m., respectively.
You may also contact Dr. Richards for scientific or research questions about NARCH.