Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DK 25 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 25 007

The Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORC) grant opportunity (RFA-DK-25-007) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) P30 center program that supports institutions looking to build or strengthen a centralized, shared-resource research center focused on nutrition and/or obesity. The basic idea is to fund core infrastructure that serves an existing, integrated research program at an organization, rather than funding a single stand-alone research project. These centers are intended to improve the overall national research effort in nutrition and obesity by making research more efficient, more productive, and more collaborative across disciplines. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning the center may support clinical trial-related activities if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required to apply.

NORCs are expected to organize their work around three major research-enabling functions. First, they provide Research Core services, which typically means shared scientific, technical, and administrative resources that multiple investigators can use (for example, services that support study design, data management, specialized assays, body composition methods, dietary assessment tools, biostatistics, or other common needs across nutrition and obesity studies). Second, each center runs a Pilot and Feasibility (P and F) program, which is meant to seed new ideas, help investigators generate preliminary data, and bring new researchers or new directions into the nutrition and obesity research space. Third, they operate an Enrichment program, which generally refers to activities that build the intellectual and collaborative environment around the center, such as seminar series, visiting speakers, workshops, training or mentoring activities, and events that connect investigators across departments and disciplines. Across all three components, the emphasis is on building a multidisciplinary hub that enables stronger science than individual labs could accomplish on their own.

The applicant pool is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education, since those are listed separately); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The NOFO also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly restricts foreign participation: non-U.S. (foreign) organizations cannot apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant funding opportunity under the NIH, listed under CFDA 93.847, with activity areas tied to food and nutrition and health. The opportunity was created on 2024-05-15, and the original application due date is 2025-06-10. The source summary provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the full NOFO on NIH systems for budget limits, project period details, review criteria, and any institute-specific expectations.

Overall, the program is best understood as an investment in shared center capabilities that lift the quality and throughput of nutrition and obesity research at an institution. A competitive application would typically be expected to show that a strong, ongoing base of nutrition and/or obesity research already exists; that the proposed cores meet real, cross-cutting needs of multiple investigators; that the P and F program will strategically grow and diversify the science; and that the enrichment activities will create a cohesive, multidisciplinary research community that produces higher-impact work than scattered individual efforts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-06-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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