Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MD 15 002
Apply for RFA MD 15 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIMHD Academic Research Enhancement Award Enhancing Health Disparities Research at Undergraduate Institutions (R15)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.307 Minority Health and Health Disparities Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 9, 2014 and posted on Oct 9, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 12, 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 $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments County governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments State governments Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have 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) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) 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 NIMHD Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) opportunity, titled "Enhancing Health Disparities Research at Undergraduate Institutions (R15)," is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant program designed to help eligible undergraduate-focused institutions build and strengthen their research capacity while advancing research on minority health and health disparities. The core idea is to fund small-scale, innovative research projects led by faculty at institutions that qualify for the NIH AREA mechanism, with a strong emphasis on involving undergraduate students directly in meaningful research activities. By supporting these projects, NIMHD aims to improve the research environment at participating schools and, at the same time, encourage more students to consider long-term paths and careers in health disparities research through hands-on experience in real, original research.
This funding opportunity (RFA-MD-15-002) sits within the NIH activity category of health and is associated with CFDA number 93.307, Minority Health and Health Disparities Research. The program explicitly targets research that addresses minority health and the causes, mechanisms, and solutions for health disparities, aligning funded projects with NIMHD's mission to understand and reduce inequities in health outcomes and healthcare. The emphasis on "innovative research projects" suggests that applicants are expected to propose ideas that add genuine value to the field, while still remaining appropriately scoped for an AREA-style award and for implementation in an undergraduate-centered setting.
Financially, the announcement listed an estimated total funding level of $5,000,000, with an award ceiling of $300,000 per project. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which can lower barriers to participation for institutions that have limited internal research funds. The intent is not to replicate large research center grants, but to provide practical, achievable support that lets faculty and students generate publishable findings, establish preliminary data for future grants, and elevate the overall research culture and infrastructure at institutions that may not traditionally receive extensive NIH research funding.
Eligibility is broad across many organizational types, including various levels of government entities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and both private and public institutions of higher education, with additional clarity that many minority-serving institutions are included. The eligibility information specifically references Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and other tribal and regional organizations, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. At the same time, the opportunity clearly restricts foreign participation: non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed. This keeps the funding focused on strengthening U.S.-based undergraduate research environments and training experiences.
From an applicant's perspective, the program is best understood as both a research award and a student development mechanism. Projects are expected to expose students to "meritorious research," meaning students should be engaged in substantial scientific work rather than peripheral tasks, and the institution should benefit in a way that improves its ability to sustain and expand research over time. In practice, that typically means integrating undergraduates into the full research process, such as study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination, while building institutional momentum through improved mentorship, lab or research group continuity, and stronger grant-writing and compliance experience.
The opportunity was posted and created on October 9, 2014, with an original and current closing date of January 12, 2015, and an archive date of February 12, 2015. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the related announcement materials were made available through an NIH grants webpage. For technical access issues, the contact point listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV, intended specifically for problems accessing or linking to the announcement rather than for scientific or programmatic questions.
Overall, this R15 AREA opportunity is structured to do two things at once: advance practical, targeted research on minority health and health disparities, and build a stronger pipeline of undergraduate researchers who get early exposure to the questions, methods, and real-world importance of disparities-focused health research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIMHD Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) opportunity?
The NIMHD Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) opportunity is a discretionary National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant program designed to help eligible undergraduate-focused institutions build and strengthen research capacity while advancing research on minority health and health disparities. The opportunity is titled "Enhancing Health Disparities Research at Undergraduate Institutions (R15)."
What is the official funding opportunity number or title?
The opportunity is identified as RFA-MD-15-002 and is titled "Enhancing Health Disparities Research at Undergraduate Institutions (R15)."
Which NIH institute or center sponsors this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the opportunity is associated with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).
What is the purpose of this R15 AREA program?
The purpose is twofold: (1) to support small-scale, innovative research projects focused on minority health and health disparities, and (2) to strengthen the research environment at eligible undergraduate institutions by directly involving undergraduate students in meaningful research experiences that can encourage long-term interest and careers in health disparities research.
What kinds of research topics does this opportunity support?
The program targets research addressing minority health and the causes, mechanisms, and solutions for health disparities. Projects are expected to align with NIMHD's mission to understand and reduce inequities in health outcomes and healthcare.
What does "innovative research projects" mean in this context?
Based on the announcement description, applicants are expected to propose ideas that add genuine value to the field of minority health and health disparities research, while keeping the work appropriately scoped for an AREA-style award and feasible within an undergraduate-centered research setting.
What is the NIH activity code for this funding opportunity?
The activity code is R15, which corresponds to the NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) mechanism.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.307, "Minority Health and Health Disparities Research."
How much total funding was estimated for this opportunity?
The announcement listed an estimated total funding level of $5,000,000.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
The award ceiling is $300,000 per project.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What types of institutions or organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly across many organizational types, including various levels of government entities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and both private and public institutions of higher education. The eligibility description also highlights that many minority-serving institutions are included.
Which minority-serving institution categories are specifically referenced as eligible?
The eligibility information specifically references Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and other tribal and regional organizations.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility description includes faith-based and community-based organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
The eligibility description indicates that eligible federal agencies are included.
Are foreign organizations or foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. The opportunity explicitly restricts foreign participation: non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component in its application?
No. The opportunity states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Are foreign components allowed under NIH policy for this opportunity?
No. The announcement indicates that foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed.
How are undergraduate students expected to be involved in the funded projects?
The program places a strong emphasis on involving undergraduate students directly in meaningful research activities. Students are expected to be exposed to "meritorious research," meaning they should be engaged in substantial scientific work rather than peripheral tasks. The description suggests involvement across the research process, such as study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination.
How does this program strengthen an institution's research capacity?
The intent is to improve the research environment at participating schools by supporting practical, achievable projects that build institutional momentum. The description emphasizes outcomes such as improved mentorship, stronger research group continuity, and expanded experience with grant-writing and compliance, alongside generating publishable findings and preliminary data for future grants.
Is this opportunity intended to fund large research centers?
No. The opportunity is described as not intended to replicate large research center grants. Instead, it provides support for small-scale projects suitable for the AREA mechanism and undergraduate-centered settings.
What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted and created on October 9, 2014. The original and current closing date was January 12, 2015. The archive date was February 12, 2015.
Where was the announcement made available?
The related announcement materials were made available through an NIH grants webpage (as referenced in the opportunity description).
Who should be contacted for technical problems accessing the announcement?
For technical access issues (specifically problems accessing or linking to the announcement), the contact point listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Is the listed contact intended for scientific or programmatic questions?
No. The description specifies that the webmaster contact is intended for technical issues accessing or linking to the announcement, not for scientific or programmatic questions.
What is the overall goal of the program for the student pipeline?
The opportunity is structured to encourage more students to consider long-term paths and careers in health disparities research by giving them hands-on experience in real, original research focused on minority health and health disparities.
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