Limited Competition: Human Pangenome Coordinating Center (U41) Clinical Trial Not Allowed | RFA HG 23 025

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HG 23 025

This funding opportunity (RFA-HG-23-025) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to stand up and run the Human Pangenome Coordinating Center (HPCC) under the renewed Human Genome Reference Program (HGRP). The HPCC is positioned as the central hub for the entire program, meaning it is expected to coordinate both the day-to-day logistics and the scientific integration across HGRP activities. A major deliverable is the ongoing creation, improvement, public release, and long-term maintenance of new versions of the human pangenome reference. The overarching purpose of the HGRP renewal is to produce a pangenome reference that better captures population genetic diversity while also being practical and attractive enough that the broader genomics research community will actually use it, build tools around it, and adopt it as a standard reference resource. Clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity.

The award mechanism is a U41 cooperative agreement, which signals substantial NIH involvement compared with a standard research grant. In practical terms, applicants should expect active collaboration with NHGRI program staff, shared governance expectations, and milestone-driven coordination typical of large community resource efforts. The activity category is Health (CFDA 93.172), and the opportunity is listed as discretionary funding. While an award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided notice, the scope implies a sizable, program-level coordinating function rather than a small, single-lab project.

Eligibility is restricted because this is a limited competition request for applications (RFA). Only organizations that were recipients under the earlier funding announcement RFA-HG-19-004 are eligible to apply, which narrows the pool to prior HGRP awardees. Within that constraint, the notice also lists a broad set of organizational types that NIH typically recognizes as eligible applicants, including various levels of U.S. government entities, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. It additionally calls out categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, tribally controlled colleges and universities, tribal governments and tribal organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. The key takeaway is that the competition is limited by prior participation (RFA-HG-19-004), even though the general NIH applicant types are described broadly.

Foreign participation rules are specific. Non-U.S. institutions (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply as applicant components. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which usually means a U.S.-led application can include defined project components performed abroad when they are well-justified and appropriately structured, even though the applicant organization itself must be eligible and based in the U.S.

Key dates from the listing include a creation date of June 20, 2023, and an original application due date of August 15, 2023. The funding instrument type is explicitly a cooperative agreement, reinforcing that the HPCC is expected to function as a community-facing infrastructure and coordination resource that helps deliver a usable, widely adopted human pangenome reference through regular updates, releases, and maintenance aligned with NHGRI goals for diversity representation and utility.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Human Pangenome Coordinating Center (U41) Clinical Trial Not Allowed" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.172.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-15. (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.

Apply for RFA HG 23 025

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