Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA TS 15 001

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Analyze and Evaluate Potential Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.061 Innovations in Applied Public Health Research.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Mar 9, 2015 and posted on Jan 14, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 6, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • EligibilityState governments County governments City or township governments Special district governments Independent school districts Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility
Apply for RFA TS 15 001

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Opportunity Summary:

This grant opportunity, titled "Analyze and Evaluate Potential Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA TS 15 001), was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support investigator-initiated research focused on improving the understanding of potential risk factors for ALS. The overall intent is not just to fund standalone ALS studies, but to generate findings that directly align with and strengthen the mission of the National ALS Registry, a key CDC effort aimed at better tracking ALS cases and improving knowledge about possible causes, patterns, and public health impacts of the disease. In practical terms, the FOA centers on applied public health research that can help clarify what exposures, conditions, or other factors may be associated with ALS and how those insights can contribute to national surveillance and research infrastructure.

The mechanism for funding is a cooperative agreement, meaning awardees typically carry out their research while also working collaboratively with the CDC in ways that can include scientific coordination, alignment with registry needs, and shared expectations around deliverables. The activity category is health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.061 (Innovations in Applied Public Health Research), which signals the programmatic emphasis on research that can translate into public health understanding and action rather than purely basic science work.

In terms of scale, CDC anticipated making about three awards under this announcement, with an estimated total funding level of $1,200,000. Individual project budgets were expected to fall within a defined range, with an award floor of $250,000 and an award ceiling of $400,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which generally lowers the barrier for applicants that may not have access to non-federal funds to contribute to the project.

Eligibility was broad and included many common public-sector and academic institutions as well as nonprofit organizations. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they were not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category description). The listing also notes "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," and characterizes eligibility as generally unrestricted across the categories named, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. This mix of eligible entities suggests the CDC was open to proposals from a range of research-capable organizations, including universities, public health agencies, and nonprofits with relevant expertise in epidemiology, environmental health, occupational health, neurology-related public health research, biostatistics, or registry-based research.

Key administrative dates show that the opportunity was posted on January 14, 2015, with an original closing date of March 23, 2015, later extended to April 6, 2015. The archive date is May 6, 2015, indicating the funding call is no longer active and is included primarily as a historical record. These dates matter for context because they place the FOA within the period when the National ALS Registry was continuing to expand its utility for research and public health practice, and the cooperative agreement approach suggests the CDC wanted funded projects to produce outputs that could feed back into registry priorities and national-level understanding.

For applicants or readers trying to understand what this FOA was really aiming to accomplish, the central idea is straightforward: fund research that can credibly analyze and evaluate possible ALS risk factors while strengthening the evidence base that the National ALS Registry can use. Although the short description does not list specific required research topics, it strongly implies a focus on risk-factor investigation that fits a public health and surveillance framework, such as studying occupational, environmental, demographic, geographic, or other measurable exposures and correlates that could be assessed through registry-linked analyses or complementary data sources. The cooperative agreement structure also implies CDC expected meaningful coordination to ensure findings would be relevant and usable in the context of registry goals and broader public health understanding of ALS.

The awarding agency contact for access issues was the CDC Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) within the Procurement and Grants Office, reachable by phone at 770-488-2700 or by email at PGOTIM@cdc.gov. This contact point was intended mainly for applicants who had trouble obtaining the full electronic announcement rather than for scientific consultation, but it is the official administrative channel listed with the opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title and focus of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Analyze and Evaluate Potential Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA TS 15 001). It supports investigator-initiated, applied public health research aimed at improving understanding of potential ALS risk factors.

What is the main purpose of the funding announcement?

The core purpose is to fund research that analyzes and evaluates potential ALS risk factors in ways that directly align with and strengthen the mission of the CDC's National ALS Registry. The intent is not simply to support standalone ALS studies, but to generate findings that can contribute to national surveillance and registry-related research infrastructure.

How does this opportunity relate to the National ALS Registry?

The FOA is designed to produce results that are relevant and usable for the National ALS Registry, a CDC effort focused on tracking ALS cases and improving knowledge about possible causes, patterns, and public health impacts of ALS. Projects were expected to help build the evidence base that supports registry goals.

Which agency issued the funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What is the funding mechanism?

The mechanism is a cooperative agreement. Under a cooperative agreement, awardees conduct the research while also working collaboratively with the CDC, which can include scientific coordination, alignment with registry needs, and shared expectations around deliverables.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

It indicates that, in addition to carrying out the proposed research, the awardee would typically coordinate with the CDC in ways connected to the goals of the National ALS Registry and the public health emphasis of the program. The description suggests collaboration may involve coordination and alignment around deliverables so results support registry priorities.

What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is health.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity and what does it indicate?

The CFDA number is 93.061 (Innovations in Applied Public Health Research). This signals an emphasis on applied research that can translate into improved public health understanding and action, rather than purely basic science.

How many awards were expected to be made?

CDC anticipated making about three awards under this announcement.

What was the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding level was $1,200,000.

What were the expected award amounts per project?

Individual project budgets were expected to fall between an award floor of $250,000 and an award ceiling of $400,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was broad and included many public-sector, academic, tribal, and nonprofit entities. Eligible applicants included:

  • State governments
  • County governments
  • City or township governments
  • Special district governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
  • Other tribal organizations
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education, as described)
  • Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education, as described)
  • Others (subject to clarification in the "Additional Information on Eligibility" text field in the full announcement)

Does the opportunity restrict eligibility beyond the listed categories?

The listing characterizes eligibility as generally unrestricted across the named categories, while noting that additional clarification may exist in the full announcement (referenced as a text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility").

What kinds of organizations were the CDC likely aiming to attract?

Based on the eligible entity types and the applied public health framing, the opportunity appears oriented toward research-capable organizations such as universities, public health agencies, and nonprofits with relevant expertise to evaluate risk factors in a surveillance or registry-aligned context.

What types of research topics were implied as a fit for this FOA?

While no specific required research topics are listed in the provided description, the FOA strongly implies risk-factor research that fits a public health and surveillance framework. Examples of implied focus areas include occupational, environmental, demographic, geographic, or other measurable exposures and correlates that could be analyzed through registry-linked approaches or complementary data sources.

Is this funding opportunity still open?

No. The archive date is May 6, 2015, and the administrative timeline indicates the call is no longer active and is maintained primarily as a historical record.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on January 14, 2015.

What was the original application closing date?

The original closing date was March 23, 2015.

Was the closing date extended?

Yes. The closing date was extended to April 6, 2015.

Who should be contacted for issues accessing the full announcement?

The contact listed for access issues was the CDC Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) within the Procurement and Grants Office.

What contact details were provided for the access-issues point of contact?

Phone: 770-488-2700
Email: PGOTIM@cdc.gov

Is the listed contact intended for scientific or programmatic questions?

The provided description indicates this contact point was intended mainly for applicants who had trouble obtaining the full electronic announcement, rather than serving as a scientific consultation contact.

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