Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 09 009
Apply for RFA RM 09 009
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of New Technologies Needed for Studying the Human Microbiome (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310 Trans NIH Research Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 16, 2009 and posted on Jul 16, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 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) Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) .
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
This NIH funding opportunity (RFA-RM-09-009) is an R21 exploratory/developmental grant focused on a very specific bottleneck in human microbiome research: the need for better technologies to obtain individual microbial isolates or strains from the human microbiota in a form that can support complete, high-quality genome sequencing. In practical terms, the program is looking for new or improved methods that make it easier to separate, capture, culture or otherwise recover single strains out of complex communities sampled from the human body (such as the gut, mouth, skin, urogenital tract, and other niches). The core scientific payoff NIH is aiming for is a larger and more diverse set of reference microbial genome sequences, which are essential for interpreting metagenomic and other community-level datasets and for understanding how mixed microbial populations contribute to health and disease.
The FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed for early-stage, high-impact, proof-of-concept, or technology development projects where the work may be innovative and somewhat higher risk than a typical R01. This announcement runs in parallel with a companion FOA of the same scientific scope that uses the R01 mechanism (RFA-RM-09-008). That parallel structure signals that NIH expected some projects to be at a more exploratory stage (R21) while others might already have enough preliminary evidence and a longer development path suited to an R01.
Funding is shared across the R21 and the companion R01 announcements, with an estimated total of $2,000,000 available in FY 2010 for both FOAs combined. NIH anticipated making a modest number of awards: approximately 2 to 4 R01s and 2 to 6 R21s, depending on funds and application quality. The award ceiling listed for this R21 opportunity is $200,000. As usual for NIH discretionary awards, actual funding decisions were contingent on appropriations and on receiving enough meritorious applications.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary grant in the health category (CFDA 93.310) and does not require cost sharing or matching. The announcement was posted on July 16, 2009, with an application due date (closing date) of September 14, 2009, and an archive date of October 15, 2009, meaning it is no longer active but remains accessible for reference.
Eligibility is broad and includes many common NIH applicant types: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including those with 501(c)(3) status and certain nonprofits without it), small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. It also explicitly includes several additional 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, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This range of eligible applicants reflects NIH interest in encouraging technical innovation from academia, industry, and diverse institutional settings, including international groups that may bring unique sampling access or technology platforms.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted technology-development push to improve how researchers obtain clean, strain-level material from human-associated microbial communities so that those organisms can be fully sequenced and added to reference genome collections. By increasing the breadth and quality of reference genomes, NIH expected downstream benefits for the entire microbiome field, including more accurate identification of organisms in complex samples, better functional interpretation of community data, and stronger foundations for studies linking microbiome composition and function to human health outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this NIH funding opportunity?
This is an NIH Request for Applications (RFA) identified as RFA-RM-09-009. It uses the NIH R21 exploratory/developmental grant mechanism and targets technology development for human microbiome research.
What is the main scientific problem the FOA is trying to solve?
The FOA focuses on a specific bottleneck in human microbiome research: the need for better technologies to obtain individual microbial isolates or strains from complex human-associated microbial communities in a way that supports complete, high-quality genome sequencing.
What kinds of technologies or methods is NIH looking to support?
Based on the description, NIH is looking for new or improved approaches that make it easier to separate, capture, culture, or otherwise recover single microbial strains from complex microbiota samples collected from the human body, with the goal that those strains can be sequenced at high quality.
What does NIH mean by "individual microbial isolates or strains" in this context?
In this context, it refers to obtaining clean, strain-level material from a mixed community (rather than sequencing the entire community at once) so the resulting genome sequence can be complete and of high quality and can serve as a reference genome.
Which human body sites or microbiome niches are in scope?
The opportunity explicitly mentions complex communities sampled from the human body such as the gut, mouth, skin, urogenital tract, and other niches.
What is the intended payoff or outcome NIH is aiming for?
The core payoff described is a larger and more diverse set of reference microbial genome sequences. These reference genomes are described as essential for interpreting metagenomic and other community-level datasets and for understanding how mixed microbial populations contribute to health and disease.
How does this relate to metagenomics and community-level microbiome studies?
The FOA frames reference genomes as foundational for community-level work: better reference genome collections can improve identification of organisms in complex samples and strengthen functional interpretation of microbiome datasets.
What grant mechanism is used, and what does it imply about project stage?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory/developmental projects. It is described as suitable for early-stage, high-impact, proof-of-concept, or technology development efforts, including work that may be innovative and higher risk than a typical R01.
Is there a related or companion funding opportunity?
Yes. This R21 announcement runs in parallel with a companion FOA of the same scientific scope that uses the R01 mechanism (RFA-RM-09-008). The parallel structure indicates NIH expected some projects to be exploratory (R21) while others could be further along and better suited to R01-scale development.
How much total funding was expected to be available?
The FOA indicates an estimated total of $2,000,000 available in FY 2010 across both this R21 FOA and the companion R01 FOA combined, subject to appropriations and application quality.
How many awards did NIH anticipate making?
NIH anticipated making a modest number of awards across both announcements: approximately 2 to 4 R01 awards and 2 to 6 R21 awards, depending on available funds and the quality of applications received.
What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The award ceiling listed for this R21 FOA is $200,000.
Are awards guaranteed if an application is strong?
No. The FOA notes that funding decisions are discretionary and contingent on appropriations as well as on receiving a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
What is the CFDA number and broad category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant in the health category with CFDA 93.310.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states that cost sharing or matching is not required.
When was the announcement posted, and what were the key dates?
The announcement was posted on July 16, 2009. The application due date (closing date) was September 14, 2009. The archive date was October 15, 2009.
Is this FOA still active?
No. The archive date indicates it is no longer active, but it remains accessible for reference.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Does the FOA encourage applications from specific institution types?
Yes. The FOA 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, eligible federal agencies, and regional organizations.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) among eligible applicant types.
Why might NIH include both academic and industry applicants?
The eligibility language reflects an interest in encouraging technical innovation from multiple sectors, including academia and industry, and from diverse institutional settings, including international groups that may contribute unique access or technology platforms.
What broader impact did NIH expect for the microbiome field?
The FOA describes downstream benefits such as more accurate identification of organisms in complex samples, improved functional interpretation of community data, and stronger foundations for studies linking microbiome composition and function to human health outcomes, driven by expanded and higher-quality reference genome collections.
How should this FOA be summarized in plain terms?
It is a targeted technology-development initiative intended to improve how researchers obtain clean, strain-level microbial material from human-associated microbial communities so those organisms can be fully sequenced and added to reference genome collections.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: Epidemiological MCH/SPH Institute
Previous opportunity: Development of New Technologies Needed for Studying the Human Microbiome (R01)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA RM 09 009
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA RM 09 009) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Epidemiological MCH/SPH Institute Apply for HRSA 09 265 Funding Number: HRSA 09 265 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Short Term Research Education Program to Increase Diversity in Health Related Research (R25) Apply for RFA HL 10 013 Funding Number: RFA HL 10 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $106,250 |
| Revolutionary Genome Sequencing Technologies The 1000 Genome (R01) Apply for RFA HG 09 011 Funding Number: RFA HG 09 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Revolutionary Genome Sequencing Technologies The 1000 Genome (R21) Apply for RFA HG 09 012 Funding Number: RFA HG 09 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Revolutionary Genome Sequencing Technologies The 1000 Genome (SBIR R43/R44) Apply for RFA HG 09 013 Funding Number: RFA HG 09 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Awards to Support Research on the Biology of Aging in Invertebrates (R01) Apply for RFA AG 10 004 Funding Number: RFA AG 10 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| AHRQ Grants for Health Services Research Dissertation Program (R36) Apply for PAR 09 212 Funding Number: PAR 09 212 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: $40,000 |
| Increasing Immunization Rates through Healthcare Provider Partnerships Apply for CDC RFA IP09 903 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP09 903 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Childhood Immunization Support Project Apply for CDC RFA IP09 904 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP09 904 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program Apply for HRSA 10 020 Funding Number: HRSA 10 020 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: $85,000 |
| Coordination of Activities between the CDC, NCIRD, and State and Local Immunization Programs Apply for CDC RFA IP09 905 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP09 905 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $278,000 |
| Best Practices in Child Welfare Project Apply for USAID RUSSIA OH 09 0002 RFA Funding Number: USAID RUSSIA OH 09 0002 RFA Agency: Russia USAID Moscow Category: Health Funding Amount: $8,500,000 |
| Supplement for Implementing Training of the Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Program Management Course Apply for CDC RFA PS06 60601SUPP09 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS06 60601SUPP09 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Consortia for High Throughput Enabled Structural Biology Partnerships (U01) Apply for RFA GM 10 007 Funding Number: RFA GM 10 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Centers for Membrane Protein Structure Determination (U54) Apply for RFA GM 10 006 Funding Number: RFA GM 10 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIAMS Building Interdisciplinary Research Team (BIRT) Revision Awards (R01) Apply for RFA AR 10 001 Funding Number: RFA AR 10 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Limited Competition The National Institute on Aging Multicenter Study on Exceptional Survival in Families The Long Life Family Study (LLFS) (U01) Apply for RFA AG 10 005 Funding Number: RFA AG 10 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Partnerships for Development of Therapeutics and Diagnostics for Drug Resistant Bacteria and Eukaryotic Parasites (SBIR R43/R44) Apply for RFA AI 09 029 Funding Number: RFA AI 09 029 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Partnerships for Development of Therapeutics and Diagnostics for Drug Resistant Bacteria and Eukaryotic Parasites (R01) Apply for RFA AI 09 026 Funding Number: RFA AI 09 026 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| CHASS Clinical HIV/AIDS Services Strengthening Mozambique Apply for 674 09 062 Funding Number: 674 09 062 Agency: South Africa USAID Pretoria Category: Health Funding Amount: $135,700,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA RM 09 009", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.