Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HG 23 024
The Limited Competition: High Quality Reference Genomes (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding opportunity (RFA-HG-23-024) is a National Institutes of Health award from the National Human Genome Research Institute to support the next phase of the NHGRI Human Genome Reference Program. It uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (UM1), meaning the funded group is expected to work closely with NIH staff and other program partners rather than operating as a fully independent research grant. The overall goal is to expand and improve the human pangenome reference by generating a major set of new, extremely high-quality human genome assemblies that better represent global genetic diversity.
The specific component being competed here is the High Quality Human Reference Genomes (HQRG) effort, one of three parts of the renewed program. The HQRG team will be responsible for prioritizing and selecting participant samples from diverse backgrounds, with an emphasis on samples where participants have provided consent that allows open access data release. Using those samples, the awardee will produce 200 new haplotype-resolved human genome assemblies at very high quality standards for incorporation into the human pangenome reference resource. In practical terms, this means assemblies that capture both parental chromosome copies (haplotypes) with minimal gaps and errors, making them reliable reference-grade genomes that can improve variant discovery, mapping accuracy, and downstream biomedical and population genetics research.
A notable feature of this FOA is that it formally embeds ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) work inside the HQRG effort and across the broader consortium. Applicants are expected to include a team of ELSI scholars who will be integrated with the scientific and production activities, not treated as an add-on. This group will help the consortium anticipate and respond to issues that commonly arise when creating widely shared genomic reference resources, including how consent is obtained and honored, how open data release is managed, questions of data sovereignty (especially for Indigenous communities), how "diversity" is defined and operationalized in sampling decisions, and other concerns that may emerge as the pangenome resource evolves and community expectations shift.
This is a limited competition request for applications. Only organizations that were recipients under the prior related award announcement RFA-HG-19-002 are eligible to apply, which narrows the applicant pool to existing program participants. The eligibility language also lists a broad range of organizational types that NIH generally allows for this opportunity category (such as state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, certain nonprofit and for-profit entities, and tribal governments/organizations), and it highlights categories of institutions NIH often encourages to participate, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions, as well as community-based and faith-based organizations and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the FOA states that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, foreign components, as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, which typically means the prime awardee may include certain international collaborations or work elements if they are justified and meet NIH policy requirements.
Administratively, this opportunity is categorized under health (CFDA 93.172) and uses the cooperative agreement model to support coordinated, consortium-style deliverables. The posted original application due date was August 15, 2023, and the FOA is explicitly marked "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," indicating the funded activities should focus on genome reference production and associated ELSI and consortium work rather than interventional clinical studies. The central deliverable is the creation and open release of 200 reference-grade, haplotype-resolved human genome assemblies, along with the governance, ethical navigation, and community-aware practices needed to make those resources broadly usable and responsibly shared.Apply for RFA HG 23 024
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: High Quality Reference Genomes (UM1 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.
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FAQs: Limited Competition - High Quality Reference Genomes (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-HG-23-024)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the NIH funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: High Quality Reference Genomes (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (RFA-HG-23-024). It is issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to support the next phase of the NHGRI Human Genome Reference Program.
Which NIH Institute is sponsoring this opportunity?
The sponsoring institute is the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the NIH.
What is the main goal of the program this award supports?
The overall goal is to expand and improve the human pangenome reference by generating a major set of new, extremely high-quality human genome assemblies that better represent global genetic diversity.
What specific component is being funded/competed in this FOA?
This FOA competes the High Quality Human Reference Genomes (HQRG) effort, which is described as one of three parts of the renewed NHGRI Human Genome Reference Program.
What is the major scientific deliverable expected from the award?
The central deliverable is the production and open release of 200 new haplotype-resolved human genome assemblies that meet very high quality standards and can be incorporated into the human pangenome reference resource.
What does "haplotype-resolved" mean in the context of this deliverable?
In practical terms, "haplotype-resolved" means the genome assemblies are intended to capture both parental chromosome copies (haplotypes), with minimal gaps and errors, to create reliable reference-grade genomes.
Why are these reference-grade genomes important?
These assemblies are intended to improve variant discovery, mapping accuracy, and downstream biomedical and population genetics research by providing a more complete and globally representative pangenome reference.
What kinds of samples should be used to generate the 200 assemblies?
The HQRG team is responsible for prioritizing and selecting participant samples from diverse backgrounds. The FOA emphasizes samples where participants have provided consent that allows open access data release.
Is open access data release a key expectation of this project?
Yes. The FOA places emphasis on selecting samples with consent that supports open access data release, and the deliverable includes open release of the resulting reference-grade genome assemblies.
What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (UM1).
What does a UM1 cooperative agreement imply for how the project will be managed?
A cooperative agreement indicates the funded group is expected to work closely with NIH staff and other program partners in a coordinated, consortium-style effort, rather than operating as a fully independent research grant.
Is this a standard open competition?
No. This is a limited competition request for applications.
Who is eligible to apply under this limited competition?
Only organizations that were recipients under the prior related award announcement RFA-HG-19-002 are eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply as the primary applicant?
No. The FOA states that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible?
No. The FOA states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Are any types of foreign participation allowed at all?
Yes. The FOA indicates that foreign components (as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed, which typically means certain international collaborations or work elements may be included by an eligible U.S. prime awardee if justified and compliant with NIH policy.
What types of organizations does NIH generally allow for this opportunity category?
The eligibility language lists a broad range of organizational types NIH generally allows for this category, including state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, certain nonprofit and for-profit entities, and tribal governments/organizations (while still limiting actual applicant eligibility for this FOA to prior recipients under RFA-HG-19-002).
Does the FOA encourage participation from specific categories of institutions?
Yes. The FOA highlights categories of institutions NIH often encourages to participate, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions, as well as community-based and faith-based organizations and U.S. territories or possessions (with the limitation that this is still a limited competition).
What does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean for this FOA?
"Clinical Trial Not Allowed" indicates the funded activities should focus on genome reference production and associated ELSI and consortium work rather than interventional clinical studies.
What is notable about how ELSI is handled in this FOA?
A notable feature is that ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) work is formally embedded inside the HQRG effort and across the broader consortium. Applicants are expected to include a team of ELSI scholars integrated with scientific and production activities, not treated as a separate add-on.
What kinds of ELSI issues is the embedded ELSI team expected to address?
The ELSI team is expected to help anticipate and respond to issues such as how consent is obtained and honored, how open data release is managed, questions of data sovereignty (especially for Indigenous communities), how "diversity" is defined and operationalized in sampling decisions, and other concerns that may emerge as the pangenome resource evolves and community expectations shift.
What is the CFDA number and general category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under health and is associated with CFDA 93.172.
What was the original application due date listed in the FOA?
The posted original application due date was August 15, 2023.
What kind of work is the HQRG team expected to do beyond generating assemblies?
Beyond producing the 200 reference-grade assemblies, the FOA describes expectations around governance, ethical navigation, and community-aware practices needed to make the resources broadly usable and responsibly shared as part of a coordinated consortium.
How does this work relate to the human pangenome reference resource?
The assemblies produced under this award are intended for incorporation into the human pangenome reference resource, expanding its representation of global genetic diversity and improving its utility for mapping and variant discovery.
Does the FOA specify anything about how participants should be selected?
Yes. The FOA states the HQRG team will prioritize and select participant samples from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing cases where consent supports open data release.
What is the intended approach to working with NIH and other partners?
Because this is a UM1 cooperative agreement supporting consortium-style deliverables, the intended approach is close coordination with NIH staff and other program partners.
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