Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DC 14 002
Apply for RFA DC 14 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCD National Temporal Bone, Hearing Balance Pathology Resource Registry (U24)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 18, 2013 and posted on Jul 18, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 1, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments City or township governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) 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 Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIDCD National Temporal Bone, Hearing and Balance Pathology Resource Registry (U24) is a National Institutes of Health grant opportunity designed to support a long-standing national research resource focused on human otopathology, meaning the study of disease in the ear based on human tissue. The core idea behind this program is to maintain and strengthen a centralized Registry that coordinates information about human ear specimens and associated disorders so that researchers can study questions about the middle ear and inner ear that simply cannot be answered in living people. Because many key structures involved in hearing and balance are not practically or ethically accessible for invasive study in humans, postmortem temporal bone and related pathology resources remain critical for progress in understanding disease mechanisms, diagnosis, and potential treatments.
This opportunity emphasizes that the Registry is not just a passive database or a basic tissue bank. Instead, it is meant to function as an active national coordinating center. That includes organizing and facilitating specimen collection, ensuring consistent recording of clinical and pathological information tied to specimens, and managing the resulting data in a way that makes it useful and discoverable for the broader research community. In practical terms, the Registry plays a bridging role among donors, clinicians, pathologists, and investigators by helping standardize how specimens are obtained and documented, tracking what specimens exist and what is known about them, and serving as a trusted hub that helps researchers identify and access relevant materials and information.
A major deliverable highlighted in the description is public-facing communication and education, including maintaining an up-to-date website about human ear research and Registry activities. This public information component matters because temporal bone donation and the responsible use of human tissue depend on transparency, outreach, and clear explanation of how donations contribute to scientific and medical advances. By keeping information current and accessible, the Registry supports awareness and engagement among potential donor communities, clinicians, and scientists, while also reinforcing best practices for the ethical stewardship of human specimens and data.
Funding is offered through a cooperative agreement mechanism (U24), which generally signals that NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement during the award compared with a standard research grant. The program sits within NIH's health research mission and is tied to CFDA 93.173, Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders. The listed award ceiling is $350,000, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers financial barriers for eligible organizations to apply. The opportunity was posted July 18, 2013, with an original closing date of October 1, 2013, later reflected with a current closing date of November 1, 2013, and an archive date of December 1, 2013, indicating the historical window during which applications were accepted.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based entities and includes state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (with the usual distinctions noted for higher education institutions); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; small businesses and other for-profit organizations; and a range of tribal entities including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations. The notice also explicitly includes several institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISIs, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies. Foreign institutions are not eligible, and foreign components, as defined by NIH policy, are not allowed, which underscores that the supported Registry functions are intended to be operated within the U.S. research and regulatory environment.
Overall, this FOA is aimed at sustaining a specialized national infrastructure that enables scientifically and clinically important work on hearing and balance disorders by coordinating high-value human ear pathology resources, ensuring high-quality data capture and management tied to those specimens, and keeping the public and research community informed through reliable, current information channels. For full details, NIH provided an official announcement page (RFA-DC-14-002) and standard NIH support contacts for applicants who have trouble accessing the posting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIDCD National Temporal Bone, Hearing and Balance Pathology Resource Registry (U24) opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) to support a long-standing national research resource focused on human otopathology (the study of ear disease using human tissue). The award is designed to maintain and strengthen a centralized Registry that coordinates information about human ear specimens (including temporal bone specimens) and associated disorders, so researchers can study the middle ear and inner ear in ways that are not possible in living people.
What is the main purpose of the Registry supported by this program?
The program’s core purpose is to operate an active national coordinating center that helps the research community locate, understand, and use human ear pathology resources and the associated clinical and pathological information. The Registry is intended to support progress in understanding hearing and balance disorders by enabling studies of disease mechanisms, diagnosis, and potential treatments based on postmortem human specimens.
Why are postmortem temporal bone and related pathology resources so important for hearing and balance research?
Many critical structures involved in hearing and balance are not practically or ethically accessible for invasive study in humans. Because those structures cannot be examined directly in living people in the ways researchers might need, postmortem temporal bone and related pathology resources remain essential for answering key questions about the middle ear and inner ear.
Is this Registry described as a database or a tissue bank?
No. The opportunity emphasizes that the Registry is not meant to be only a passive database or a basic tissue bank. It is intended to function as an active national coordinating center, bridging among donors, clinicians, pathologists, and investigators.
What kinds of activities is the Registry expected to coordinate?
Based on the description provided, the Registry is expected to coordinate and facilitate specimen collection, ensure consistent recording of clinical and pathological information connected to specimens, and manage the resulting data so it is useful and discoverable to the broader research community. It also plays a standardizing role in how specimens are obtained and documented, and a tracking role for what specimens exist and what is known about them.
How does the Registry support researchers and the broader research community?
The Registry acts as a trusted hub that helps researchers identify and access relevant materials and information. By coordinating specimen-related information and associated clinical/pathological data in a consistent way, it makes the resource more usable and discoverable for investigators studying ear disorders.
What major deliverable related to public communication is highlighted?
A major deliverable is public-facing communication and education, including maintaining an up-to-date website about human ear research and Registry activities. This public information component is highlighted as important for transparency, outreach, and clear explanation of how temporal bone donation and responsible use of human tissue contribute to scientific and medical advances.
Why does the opportunity emphasize transparency and public outreach?
Temporal bone donation and the responsible use of human tissue depend on transparency, outreach, and clear explanations of how donations contribute to progress. Keeping information current and accessible supports awareness and engagement among potential donor communities, clinicians, and scientists, and reinforces best practices for ethical stewardship of human specimens and data.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
Funding is offered through a cooperative agreement mechanism (U24). The description notes that this generally signals NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement during the award compared with a standard research grant.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U24)?
In this context, the cooperative agreement (U24) indicates NIH is likely to have more substantial programmatic involvement during the award than it would under a typical research grant mechanism. The opportunity is framed around supporting a national research resource and coordinating center rather than only an investigator-driven research project.
Which NIH mission area and CFDA number is this opportunity associated with?
The opportunity is tied to NIH’s health research mission and is associated with CFDA 93.173, Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?
The listed award ceiling is $350,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was posted on July 18, 2013. The original closing date is listed as October 1, 2013, with a later “current closing date” of November 1, 2013. The archive date is December 1, 2013, indicating this was a historical application window.
Is this grant opportunity still open for applications?
Based on the dates provided (closing dates in 2013 and an archive date of December 1, 2013), this specific opportunity was part of a historical window during which applications were accepted, rather than an open, current competition.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based entities. The description includes: state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; small businesses and other for-profit organizations; tribal entities (including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations); and additional institution types and organizations explicitly named in the notice.
Are specific institution types explicitly included?
Yes. The notice explicitly includes several institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISIs. It also mentions faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible.
Are foreign components allowed under NIH policy for this opportunity?
No. The description states that foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed, reinforcing that the Registry functions are intended to be operated within the U.S. research and regulatory environment.
What is the Registry expected to do with clinical and pathological information?
The Registry is expected to ensure consistent recording of clinical and pathological information tied to specimens and to manage the resulting data so it becomes useful and discoverable for the broader research community.
What is meant by the Registry serving as a “bridging” or coordinating hub?
In practical terms, the Registry connects donors, clinicians, pathologists, and investigators by helping standardize how specimens are obtained and documented, tracking what specimens exist and what is known about them, and serving as a central, trusted point for researchers to identify and access relevant materials and information.
What kinds of research questions does this resource help address?
It supports research on middle ear and inner ear questions that cannot be answered in living people due to practical and ethical limits on invasive access to hearing and balance structures. By enabling analysis of human tissue and related pathology data, it contributes to understanding disease mechanisms, diagnosis, and potential treatments.
What is the official NIH announcement identifier mentioned for this opportunity?
The description references the official announcement page as RFA-DC-14-002.
Where would an applicant look for full details and official guidance?
Full details are indicated as being available on NIH’s official announcement page (RFA-DC-14-002). The description also notes NIH provided standard NIH support contacts for applicants who have trouble accessing the posting.
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