Silvio O. Conte Digestive Diseases Research Core Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DK 25 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 25 003

The Silvio O. Conte Digestive Diseases Research Core Centers (DDRCCs) funding opportunity (RFA-DK-25-003) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant program administered through the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). It uses the P30 Center Core Grant mechanism and is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning the center may include clinical trial-related activities if they fit the program rules, but a clinical trial is not required. The overall intent is to strengthen and coordinate digestive and liver diseases research by supporting shared core resources that multiple investigators can use, rather than funding individual research projects directly. In practice, this is a capacity-building award designed to make existing research programs more productive, collaborative, and cost-effective.

The main purpose of a DDRCC is to bring together basic science and clinical investigators who are already conducting digestive and/or liver disease research within the NIDDK mission area. NIDDK is looking for centers that improve communication and collaboration across investigators and disciplines, create efficiencies through centralized services, and spark new ideas and partnerships. The program is built around the "core" concept: a successful application proposes a set of shared resources (cores) that address common needs of a group of funded and/or active investigators. These cores are meant to reduce duplication, increase access to specialized technologies or expertise, improve standardization and rigor, and accelerate translation between lab-based discoveries and patient-focused research where appropriate.

Each proposed center must be organized around a clear central theme. That theme should reflect the scientific focus that unites the center membership and the work that will be supported by the shared cores, and it must fall squarely within NIDDK's primary mission for digestive and liver diseases. A key boundary in the announcement is that applicants should not build centers around topics that are typically funded primarily by other NIH Institutes or Centers. In other words, the theme should align with NIDDK as the primary NIH home for that area, rather than treating NIDDK as a secondary funder for a theme more strongly associated with another institute.

In terms of who can apply, the opportunity is broadly available across public and private organizations in the United States. 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that category); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations that meet NIH eligibility rules. The notice also highlights eligibility for a range of mission-relevant institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

There are important restrictions related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. In addition, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed under this notice. Taken together, these rules indicate that the center and its supported activities must be domestic, without foreign components embedded in the proposed work.

From an administrative standpoint, the program is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health and food/nutrition area (CFDA/Assistance Listing 93.847). The original closing date listed is 2024-10-23. The award ceiling shown in the opportunity data is $750,000, indicating an upper limit on annual direct costs or total costs depending on the NOFO's detailed budget instructions (the summarized data typically presents the ceiling figure without all budgeting context, so applicants would need to confirm exactly how NIH applies the cap in the full announcement and any institute-specific guidance).

Overall, this NOFO is best understood as a way for institutions with an existing critical mass of NIDDK-relevant digestive and liver disease investigators to formalize a center structure and build shared core services that increase research quality, speed, and collaboration. Competitive applications will generally be those that present a strong, NIDDK-aligned theme; demonstrate clear demand for proposed cores across a well-defined user base; and explain how the shared infrastructure will lead to measurable improvements in productivity, synergy, and new research directions across both basic and clinical research communities.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Silvio O. Conte Digestive Diseases Research Core 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 2023-10-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-23. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
• 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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