Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 12 196
Apply for RFA HD 12 196
- 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 Networks (R01)" 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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments City or township governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses 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 the network consortium. For example, a site within an ACE Network may be located at a foreign institution and supported through a subaward. Funding requests for foreign subawardss 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 Networks (R01) opportunity, funded through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports large, coordinated, multi-site research networks focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Multiple NIH institutes participate in this announcement, led by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and joined by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The main goal is to fund collaborative, network-based projects that align with and advance the research priorities laid out in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan for ASD Research (2011). In practice, this means the program is designed to push forward high-impact ASD research by encouraging teams to pool expertise, harmonize methods across sites, and generate results that are broader and more generalizable than typical single-site studies.
This announcement uses the R01 grant mechanism and specifically targets what it calls “ACE Networks.” Each ACE Network is expected to be a multi-site project organized around a specific scientific topic or problem in ASD research. Rather than submitting separate grant applications from each participating institution, the network submits a single R01 application that formally includes the collaborating sites through subawards (consortium arrangements). This structure is meant to support coordinated project governance, consistent protocols, shared data elements where appropriate, and integrated analysis plans, while still allowing different sites to contribute distinct capabilities such as specialized recruitment populations, clinical expertise, laboratory assays, imaging capacity, or intervention delivery.
The opportunity accepts both new (Type 1) and renewal (Type 2) applications, meaning established networks can apply to continue and expand previous work, and new groups can propose a fresh network concept. It is also positioned alongside a companion funding announcement for Autism Centers of Excellence “Centers” funded via the P50 mechanism (RFA-HD-12-195). The distinction is important: this specific FOA is for R01-supported networks, while the companion FOA supports center-style awards with a different structure and expectations. Applicants deciding between the two would typically consider whether their plan is better suited to an R01 network format (a coordinated multi-site project under one research plan) versus a P50 center model (often involving multiple projects/cores under a center framework).
From an administrative and eligibility standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity with no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The total estimated funding associated with the announcement is listed as $26,000,000, and the award ceiling is $2,000,000. The announcement was posted June 3, 2011, with an original and current closing date of November 16, 2011, and an archive date of December 17, 2011, indicating the FOA is historical rather than currently open. The activity categories and CFDA numbers reflect the multi-institute nature of the program and the wide range of ASD-relevant scientific domains it touches, including child health and development, mental health, neuroscience and neurological disorders, environmental health, and communication disorders.
Eligibility is broad and includes many common NIH-eligible applicant organizations, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and for-profit entities (including small businesses, though the FOA is not limited to small business mechanisms). The eligibility text also explicitly includes categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. A key constraint is that foreign institutions cannot serve as the primary applicant organization; however, foreign sites may participate as part of the network through subawards. When foreign subawards are included, budgets must be in U.S. dollars, and facilities and administrative (F&A) costs for foreign consortia are limited to 8 percent of total direct costs minus equipment, which is a standard NIH policy approach for foreign components under consortium arrangements.
In summary, this FOA was aimed at building and sustaining coordinated ASD research networks that operate across multiple sites under a single R01 award, bringing together expertise across disciplines and institutions to address a focused ASD research topic tied to federal strategic priorities. It emphasizes collaboration, structured consortium budgeting via subawards, and alignment with the IACC strategic plan, while offering broad domestic eligibility and allowing foreign participation as collaborating sites rather than lead applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Autism Centers of Excellence Networks (R01)
What is the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) Networks (R01) opportunity?
The Autism Centers of Excellence Networks (R01) opportunity is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement designed to support large, coordinated, multi-site research networks focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program is built around collaborative, network-based projects where multiple institutions work together under a single, unified research plan.
Which NIH institutes are involved in this funding announcement?
Multiple NIH institutes participate. The announcement is led by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and also includes the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
What is the primary purpose of funding ACE Networks?
The goal is to fund collaborative, coordinated multi-site ASD research that advances the research priorities in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan for ASD Research (2011). The program emphasizes pooling expertise across sites, harmonizing methods, and producing findings that are broader and more generalizable than single-site studies.
What grant mechanism is used for ACE Networks?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 grant mechanism and specifically targets what it describes as “ACE Networks,” meaning multi-site networks organized around a specific scientific topic or problem in ASD research.
What is meant by an “ACE Network” in this announcement?
An ACE Network is expected to be a coordinated, multi-site research project focused on a defined ASD research topic. The network functions as a collaborative unit with shared governance and coordination across participating sites.
Does each participating institution submit its own application?
No. Rather than submitting separate grant applications from each institution, the network submits a single R01 application. Collaborating sites are included through subawards (consortium arrangements) within that single application.
How are collaborating sites included in the budget and project structure?
Collaborating sites participate via subawards/consortium arrangements under the main R01 application. This structure is intended to enable coordinated governance, consistent protocols, shared data elements (where appropriate), and integrated analysis plans across sites.
What types of contributions can different network sites provide?
Sites may contribute distinct capabilities such as access to specialized recruitment populations, clinical expertise, laboratory assays, imaging capacity, or intervention delivery, while still operating under a coordinated network framework.
Are both new and renewal applications allowed?
Yes. The opportunity accepts both new (Type 1) and renewal (Type 2) applications. This allows established networks to apply to continue and expand prior work, and new teams to propose a new network concept.
How does this R01 network opportunity relate to the companion P50 ACE Centers announcement?
This R01 announcement is positioned alongside a companion funding announcement for Autism Centers of Excellence “Centers” funded via the P50 mechanism (RFA-HD-12-195). The key distinction is that this FOA is for R01-supported networks (a coordinated multi-site project under a single research plan), while the companion FOA supports center-style awards using the P50 structure and expectations.
Is this opportunity currently open for applications?
No. The announcement dates indicate it is historical rather than currently open. It was posted on June 3, 2011, had an original/current closing date of November 16, 2011, and an archive date of December 17, 2011.
What is the estimated total funding associated with this announcement?
The total estimated funding associated with the announcement is listed as $26,000,000.
What is the award ceiling for this funding opportunity?
The award ceiling is listed as $2,000,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant with no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization?
Eligibility is broad and includes many NIH-eligible domestic applicant organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and for-profit entities (including small businesses).
Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Can a foreign institution be the primary applicant?
No. Foreign institutions cannot serve as the primary applicant organization under this announcement.
Can foreign sites participate in an ACE Network at all?
Yes. Foreign sites may participate as part of the network through subawards (consortium arrangements), even though they cannot be the primary applicant organization.
How should foreign subaward budgets be prepared?
When foreign subawards are included, budgets must be prepared in U.S. dollars.
Is there a limit on facilities and administrative (F&A) costs for foreign consortia?
Yes. Facilities and administrative (F&A) costs for foreign consortia are limited to 8 percent of total direct costs minus equipment, consistent with standard NIH policy for foreign components under consortium arrangements.
What kinds of research domains does this program touch?
The activity categories and CFDA listings reflect the multi-institute nature of the program and cover a wide range of ASD-relevant domains, including child health and development, mental health, neuroscience and neurological disorders, environmental health, and communication disorders.
What does the FOA emphasize about how the network should operate?
The FOA emphasizes collaboration and coordination across sites, including harmonized methods, consistent protocols, shared data elements where appropriate, and integrated analysis plans, to support high-impact ASD research that benefits from multi-site scale and expertise.
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