Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 12 195
Apply for RFA HD 12 195
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Autism Centers of Excellence Centers (P50)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 3, 2011 and posted on Jun 3, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 16, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $26,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Foreign institutions may not serve as the applicant organization. However, they may participate as part of a consortium. For example, a subproject within an ACE Center may be located at a foreign institution and supported through a subcontract. Funding requests for foreign subcontracts must be made in U.S. dollars. Facilities and administrative costs on foreign consortia will be awarded at 8 percent of the total direct costs less equipment.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Autism Centers of Excellence Centers (P50) funding opportunity (RFA-HD-12-195) is an NIH discretionary grant program designed to support large, integrated autism research centers that can tackle major scientific questions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through coordinated, multidisciplinary work. Multiple NIH institutes participate in this initiative, including NICHD, NIDCD, NIEHS, NIMH, and NINDS, reflecting the program's emphasis on bringing together expertise across child health and development, communication disorders, environmental health, mental health, and neuroscience. The overall purpose is to accelerate progress on the broad priorities laid out in the 2011 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan for ASD Research, meaning proposed centers are expected to align with the national research agenda and address high-impact gaps in knowledge.
This opportunity specifically uses the NIH P50 center grant mechanism, which is intended for programs that are more than a collection of separate projects. Applicants are expected to propose an integrated research center with a set of interrelated subprojects and shared cores that create real cohesion and synergy. In practical terms, the research projects should inform and strengthen each other, and the cores should provide shared resources, methods, infrastructure, or specialized capabilities that make the whole center more productive than the parts would be on their own. The emphasis on integration and coordination suggests that reviewers will look for strong scientific leadership, clear organizational structure, and a compelling rationale for why the work must be done as a center rather than as independent grants.
The ACE Centers program is positioned alongside a companion funding announcement for ACE Networks (RFA-HD-12-196), which uses the R01 mechanism. While the P50 centers are meant to function as concentrated hubs of coordinated research with multiple projects and cores under a single center structure, the companion R01 network opportunity supports a different model of collaboration. The existence of both announcements signals that NIH was investing in complementary ways of organizing autism research, but this particular announcement is the center-based (P50) option for groups that can support a larger, more unified program.
From an eligibility standpoint, the announcement is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and a range of governmental entities (state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities). It also explicitly includes several institution types that NIH often highlights for outreach and inclusion, such as Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and eligible federal agencies, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations. Foreign institutions are not allowed to be the primary applicant organization, but they can participate through consortia arrangements, such as hosting a subproject supported via subcontract. The announcement also specifies that foreign consortium facilities and administrative costs are capped at 8 percent of total direct costs (excluding equipment), and that foreign subcontract budgets must be requested in U.S. dollars.
The financial details indicate a substantial federal investment. NIH listed an estimated total funding amount of $26,000,000 for the program and an award ceiling of $1,500,000. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching, which is typical for many NIH research grants and reduces the need for applicants to bring non-federal funds to meet a match requirement. The funding activity categories tied to the CFDA numbers span environmental health, deafness and communication disorders, mental health research, neuroscience and neurological disorders, and child health and human development, matching the multi-institute sponsorship and reinforcing that ASD research topics may range from brain and behavior to communication and environmental contributions.
In terms of timing and administrative details, the opportunity was posted on June 3, 2011, with an original and current closing date of November 16, 2011, and an archive date of December 17, 2011. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the official announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site. For technical issues accessing the announcement, NIH directed applicants to contact the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
Overall, the program is best understood as a competitive NIH center grant opportunity aimed at building high-performing autism research centers that can mount coordinated, multidisciplinary programs aligned with the IACC 2011 strategic priorities. Successful applications would be expected to present an integrated center structure (multiple linked research projects plus shared cores), demonstrate clear synergy and added value from the center model, and bring together the expertise needed to address complex ASD research questions at a national priority level.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Autism Centers of Excellence Centers (P50) - RFA-HD-12-195
What is the Autism Centers of Excellence Centers (P50) opportunity (RFA-HD-12-195)?
RFA-HD-12-195 is an NIH discretionary grant funding opportunity that supports large, integrated autism research centers. The goal is to enable coordinated, multidisciplinary research programs that can tackle major scientific questions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
What is the overall purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to accelerate progress on the broad priorities described in the 2011 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan for ASD Research. Proposed centers are expected to align with this national research agenda and address high-impact gaps in knowledge.
Which federal agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Which NIH institutes are participating?
Multiple NIH institutes participate, including NICHD, NIDCD, NIEHS, NIMH, and NINDS. This reflects the program's emphasis on bringing together expertise across child health and development, communication disorders, environmental health, mental health, and neuroscience.
What grant mechanism is used for this program?
This opportunity uses the NIH P50 center grant mechanism.
What does it mean that this is a P50 "center" grant?
A P50 center grant is intended to support a program that is more than a collection of independent projects. Applicants are expected to propose an integrated research center made up of interrelated subprojects and shared cores, with a clear rationale for why the work must be structured as a center to achieve cohesion and synergy.
What are "subprojects" and "cores" in the context of this opportunity?
Subprojects are the component research projects within the center that are expected to be interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Cores are shared resources or support components that provide common infrastructure, methods, specialized capabilities, or other shared services that increase productivity and help create integration across the center.
How will integration and coordination be emphasized in the application?
The announcement emphasizes integration and coordination, suggesting reviewers will look for strong scientific leadership, a clear organizational structure, and a compelling rationale for why the work should be conducted through a coordinated center rather than through separate independent grants.
How is this opportunity different from the companion ACE Networks opportunity (RFA-HD-12-196)?
The ACE Centers opportunity (this announcement) uses the P50 mechanism and supports a single, unified center with multiple projects and shared cores under one coordinated structure. The companion ACE Networks opportunity (RFA-HD-12-196) uses the R01 mechanism and supports a different collaboration model. This announcement is specifically the center-based (P50) option.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and multiple types of governmental entities (state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities).
Are specific institution types explicitly included?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes institution types that NIH often highlights for outreach and inclusion, including Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and eligible federal agencies. It also includes faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations.
Can a foreign institution apply as the primary applicant?
No. Foreign institutions are not allowed to be the primary applicant organization under this opportunity.
Can foreign institutions participate in any way?
Yes. Foreign institutions can participate through consortia arrangements, such as hosting a subproject supported via subcontract.
Are there special budget rules for foreign consortium participation?
Yes. Foreign consortium facilities and administrative (F&A) costs are capped at 8 percent of total direct costs (excluding equipment). In addition, foreign subcontract budgets must be requested in U.S. dollars.
What is the estimated total funding amount for the program?
NIH listed an estimated total funding amount of $26,000,000 for the program.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $1,500,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.
What research areas or activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The funding activity categories (tied to CFDA numbers) span environmental health, deafness and communication disorders, mental health research, neuroscience and neurological disorders, and child health and human development. This matches the multi-institute sponsorship and indicates ASD research topics may range from brain and behavior to communication and environmental contributions.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on June 3, 2011.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date listed is November 16, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date is December 17, 2011.
Where was the official announcement hosted?
The official announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site.
Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues accessing the announcement, NIH directed applicants to contact the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
What kinds of applications appear most competitive based on the description?
Based on the description, competitive applications would be expected to present an integrated center structure (multiple linked research projects plus shared cores), demonstrate clear synergy and added value from the center model, and bring together multidisciplinary expertise aligned with the IACC 2011 strategic priorities to address complex, high-impact ASD research questions.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institutes of Health
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Environment Health Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: Autism Centers of Excellence Networks (R01)
Previous opportunity: Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) Investing in Innovation Fund Validation grants CDFA Number 84.411B
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA HD 12 195) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Autism Centers of Excellence Networks (R01) Apply for RFA HD 12 196 Funding Number: RFA HD 12 196 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
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