Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 10 005
Apply for RFA OD 10 005
- The National Institutes of Health in the health recovery act sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Recovery Act Limited Competition NIH Directors Opportunity for Research in Five Thematic Areas (RC4)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.701 Trans NIH Recovery Act Research Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 19, 2010 and posted on Dec 28, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 15, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $80,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Special district governments Private institutions of higher education County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Recovery Act Limited Competition NIH Directors Opportunity for Research in Five Thematic Areas (RC4) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant program funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), a federal initiative intended to stimulate economic activity while accelerating high value public investments. Using ARRA funds provided to NIH in Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010, this opportunity was designed as a time limited, three year funding mechanism aimed at producing rapid, measurable research progress rather than supporting long term, open ended project lines. The central idea was to back projects that could make a strong near term impact and also help drive growth and investment in biomedical research and development, public health, and health care delivery, with the explicit understanding that continued NIH support after the three year period should not be assumed.
This announcement, identified as RFA OD 10 005, used the RC4 grant mechanism and was offered as a limited competition specifically for domestic (United States) institutions and organizations proposing to develop and implement critical research innovations. NIH framed the program around five thematic areas that were considered especially ripe for fast progress if they received a concentrated, front loaded infusion of resources. Those themes were: applying genomics and other high throughput technologies; translating basic science discoveries into new and better treatments; using science to enable health care reform; focusing on global health; and reinvigorating the biomedical research community. In practice, this meant applicants were expected to align their proposed work clearly to at least one of these categories and to demonstrate why a significant, short duration investment would unlock outcomes that matter quickly, such as new tools, validated approaches, deployable interventions, or evidence that can inform health systems decisions.
The funding opportunity fell under the discretionary grant category, with the activity area listed as health and explicitly tied to Recovery Act research support (CFDA 93.701). NIH estimated total funding at about 80,000,000 dollars for the initiative. A key administrative point was that there was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowered barriers for organizations that might not have had non federal funds available to pair with a federal award. The announcement was posted on December 28, 2009, had an application closing date of March 15, 2010, and was archived on April 15, 2010, reflecting its one time, ARRA driven nature.
Eligibility was broad across the domestic research and public service ecosystem, which matched the Recovery Act goal of quickly mobilizing capable organizations and stimulating employment and infrastructure. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), for profit organizations (including small businesses and other for profits), and a wide range of governmental entities such as state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities. The eligibility language also called out participation from organizations and institutions serving specific communities and regions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, faith based or community based organizations, regional organizations, and US territories or possessions. Federal agencies were also listed among eligible applicants, reflecting the fact that some federal entities conduct or support significant health related research and evaluation work.
Operationally, NIH positioned this program as one of several ARRA related initiatives and directed interested parties to the NIH Recovery Act information hub for the broader context. The full announcement and detailed instructions were made available through the NIH grants guide webpage associated with the RFA. For access or technical issues, NIH provided support via the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact, which was a practical accommodation given the tight turnaround typical of ARRA era solicitations and the need to move proposals through the system quickly.
In summary, this RC4 opportunity was a targeted, short duration NIH funding program created with Recovery Act dollars to push forward high impact projects in five priority areas, with an emphasis on rapid progress, strong immediate returns, and no expectation of follow on NIH funding after the three year award period. It combined a sizable total funding pool with wide eligibility across US organizations to speed the translation of resources into scientific advances, public health benefits, and improvements in how health care is delivered and evaluated.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the Recovery Act Limited Competition NIH Directors Opportunity for Research in Five Thematic Areas (RC4)?
It was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The program used the RC4 grant mechanism and was designed as a time-limited, three-year funding opportunity intended to generate rapid, measurable research progress rather than support long-term, open-ended research programs.
2. What was the purpose of using ARRA funds for this NIH opportunity?
The ARRA initiative was intended to stimulate economic activity while accelerating high-value public investments. In this NIH program, that translated into funding projects expected to deliver strong near-term impact while helping drive growth and investment in biomedical research and development, public health, and health care delivery.
3. How long could projects be funded under this opportunity?
This opportunity was structured as a time-limited, three-year funding mechanism.
4. Was continued NIH funding after the three-year period expected or guaranteed?
No. NIH explicitly indicated that continued NIH support after the three-year period should not be assumed.
5. What is the announcement identifier for this funding opportunity?
The announcement was identified as RFA OD 10 005.
6. What grant mechanism did this program use?
The program used the RC4 grant mechanism.
7. Was this an open competition?
No. It was offered as a limited competition.
8. Who was eligible to apply (in general terms)?
Eligibility was broad across domestic (United States) institutions and organizations. Eligible applicants included higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and many types of government entities. Federal agencies were also listed among eligible applicants.
9. Were non-U.S. (international) organizations eligible to apply?
The opportunity was specifically described as a limited competition for domestic (United States) institutions and organizations.
10. What thematic areas did NIH specify for this opportunity?
NIH organized the program around five thematic areas:
- Applying genomics and other high-throughput technologies
- Translating basic science discoveries into new and better treatments
- Using science to enable health care reform
- Focusing on global health
- Reinvigorating the biomedical research community
11. Did applicants need to align with one of the five thematic areas?
Yes. Applicants were expected to align their proposed work clearly to at least one of the five thematic categories and explain why a significant, short-duration investment would unlock meaningful outcomes quickly.
12. What kinds of outcomes was NIH looking for?
The program emphasized near-term, measurable outcomes. Examples described included new tools, validated approaches, deployable interventions, or evidence that can inform health systems decisions.
13. What was the estimated total funding available for the initiative?
NIH estimated total funding at about $80,000,000 for the initiative.
14. What was the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was tied to Recovery Act research support under CFDA 93.701.
15. What was the grant category and activity area?
The funding opportunity fell under the discretionary grant category, and the activity area was listed as health.
16. Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
17. When was the announcement posted?
The announcement was posted on December 28, 2009.
18. What was the application closing date?
The application closing date was March 15, 2010.
19. When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on April 15, 2010, reflecting its one-time, ARRA-driven nature.
20. What types of higher education institutions were eligible?
Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education.
21. What types of nonprofit organizations were eligible?
Eligible applicants included nonprofits, including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status.
22. Were for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations were eligible, including small businesses and other for-profit entities.
23. What government entities were eligible?
A wide range of governmental entities were eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities.
24. Were tribal governments or tribal organizations included in eligibility?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations were specifically called out among eligible applicants.
25. Were U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions were called out as part of the eligibility language.
26. Did the opportunity encourage participation from specific institution types (e.g., MSIs)?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly mentioned organizations and institutions serving specific communities and regions, including HBCUs, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
27. Were faith-based or community-based organizations included as eligible applicants?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations were included among the eligible entities listed.
28. Were federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. Federal agencies were listed among eligible applicants.
29. Where could applicants find broader context about NIH Recovery Act initiatives?
NIH directed interested parties to the NIH Recovery Act information hub for broader context on ARRA-related initiatives.
30. Where were the full announcement and detailed instructions available?
The full announcement and detailed instructions were available through the NIH grants guide webpage associated with the RFA.
31. Who could be contacted for access or technical issues related to the announcement?
NIH provided support via the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact for access or technical issues.
32. What was the main idea behind the program design?
The central idea was to fund projects that could make a strong near-term impact with a concentrated, front-loaded infusion of resources, producing rapid and measurable progress within a three-year timeframe.
33. How did the program connect research goals with economic and workforce goals?
Consistent with ARRA goals, the opportunity was framed as a way to quickly mobilize capable organizations and stimulate employment and infrastructure while accelerating biomedical research, public health, and health care delivery improvements.
34. What did NIH mean by "rapid, measurable research progress" in this context?
Based on the description, it meant clear near-term deliverables and results (such as tools, validated methods, deployable interventions, or actionable evidence), rather than longer-term exploratory work that might not show measurable outputs within the award period.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health Recovery Act
Next opportunity: Recovery Act Limited Competition Methodology Development in Comparative Effectiveness Research (RC4)
Previous opportunity: Recovery Act Limited Competition Comparative Effectiveness Research on Upper Endoscopy in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Eradication Methods for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Dementia Detection and Management Strategies (RC4)
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 OD 10 005
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA OD 10 005) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Recovery Act Limited Competition Methodology Development in Comparative Effectiveness Research (RC4) Apply for RFA OD 10 009 Funding Number: RFA OD 10 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Recovery Act Limited Competition Research On Biosamples From Selected Diabetes Clinical Studies (RC4) Apply for RFA OD 10 010 Funding Number: RFA OD 10 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA OS Recovery Act 2009 Accelerating Adoption of Comparative Effectiveness Research Results by Providers and Patients (R18) Apply for RFA AE 10 001 Funding Number: RFA AE 10 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Recovery Act Limited Competition Institutional Comparative Effectiveness Research Mentored Career Development Award (KM1) Apply for RFA OD 10 011 Funding Number: RFA OD 10 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA OS Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition Enhanced Registries for Quality Improvement and Comparative Effectiveness Research (R01) Apply for RFA HS 10 020 Funding Number: RFA HS 10 020 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| Recovery Act Limited Competition Framework Programs for Global Health Signature Innovations Initiative (R24) Apply for RFA OD 10 007 Funding Number: RFA OD 10 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Recovery Act Limited Competition Program to Enhance NIH supported Global Health Research Involving Human Subjects (S07) Apply for RFA OD 10 006 Funding Number: RFA OD 10 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| ARRA OS Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition Accelerating Implementation of Comparative Effectiveness Findings on Clinical and Delivery System Interventions by Leveraging AHRQ Networks (R18) Apply for RFA HS 10 014 Funding Number: RFA HS 10 014 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $16,660,000 |
| ARRA OS Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition Comparative Effectiveness Delivery System Evaluation Grants (R01) Apply for RFA HS 10 012 Funding Number: RFA HS 10 012 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| ARRA OS Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition Comparative Effectiveness Delivery System Demonstration Grants (R18) Apply for RFA HS 10 013 Funding Number: RFA HS 10 013 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA OS Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition Enhanced State Data for Analysis and Tracking of Comparative Effectiveness Impact Improved Clinical Content and Race Ethnicity Data (R01) Apply for RFA HS 10 010 Funding Number: RFA HS 10 010 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Recovery Act Limited Competition The NIH Directors ARRA Funded Pathfinder Award to Promote Diversity in the Scientific Workforce (DP4) Apply for RFA OD 10 013 Funding Number: RFA OD 10 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| 2010 ARRA Prevention and Wellness Leveraging National Organizations Apply for OS PAW 10 001 Funding Number: OS PAW 10 001 Agency: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| ARRA Training in Primary Care Medicine Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional Joint Graduate Degree Apply for HRSA 10 236 Funding Number: HRSA 10 236 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA Training in Primary Care Medicine Physician Assistant Training in Primary Care Apply for HRSA 10 234 Funding Number: HRSA 10 234 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA Training in Primary Care Medicine Predoctoral Training in Primary Care Apply for HRSA 10 233 Funding Number: HRSA 10 233 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA Training in Primary Care Medicine Physician Faculty Development in Primary Ca Apply for HRSA 10 232 Funding Number: HRSA 10 232 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ARRA Training in Primary Care Medicine Administrative Academic Units in Primary Care Apply for HRSA 10 231 Funding Number: HRSA 10 231 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Funding to Beacon Communities Apply for HHS 2010 ONC BC 006 Funding Number: HHS 2010 ONC BC 006 Agency: Office of the National Coordinator Category: Health Recovery Act Funding Amount: $18,000,000 |
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 OD 10 005", 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.