Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 23 002
The NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN): Clinical Centers funding opportunity (RFA-HD-23-002) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant offered as a cooperative agreement (UG1) to support a coordinated, multi-site research infrastructure focused on improving health care and outcomes for newborns. The central goal of the NRN is to generate high-quality evidence that can directly change clinical practice in neonatal care, with particular attention to improving survival without neurodevelopmental impairment. In practical terms, the network is aimed at studying and refining care strategies for infants who are born premature, have low birth weight, or face other serious medical conditions in the neonatal period, where small improvements in care can translate into major lifelong differences in health and functioning.
A key feature of this opportunity is that NICHD intends for the NRN to serve as its primary, first-line platform for running multi-site neonatal clinical trials. That means the funded clinical centers are expected to function not just as individual research sites, but as part of a standing national infrastructure that can reliably design, launch, and execute rigorous clinical studies across multiple hospitals and populations. Because neonatal clinical trials often require large sample sizes, consistent protocols, specialized expertise, and careful long-term follow-up, the NRN model is designed to make that kind of work feasible and dependable over time. The “Clinical Trial Optional” designation indicates that an application may include clinical trial activities, but a clinical trial is not strictly required in every proposed scope; however, the overall network purpose is explicitly tied to supporting and implementing multi-site trials when needed.
The award uses a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means NIH/NICHD expects substantial programmatic involvement during the life of the award compared with a standard research project grant. In a network like the NRN, that generally aligns with the need for tight coordination, shared protocols, common data standards, and centralized decision-making around study selection and implementation. While the specific operational expectations are laid out in the full announcement, the high-level intent is clear: funded clinical centers should be prepared to participate in collaborative studies, contribute patients and data under harmonized procedures, and support the network’s ability to rapidly and credibly answer important clinical questions in neonatal medicine.
Eligibility for applicants is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, reflecting the infrastructure-heavy and collaborative nature of the program. 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; tribal organizations (other than federally recognized governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as stated); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations that meet NIH eligibility rules. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.
At the same time, the opportunity places strict limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. These restrictions signal that the clinical and operational footprint of the NRN clinical centers must be fully U.S.-based (including U.S. territories/possessions where applicable), likely to ensure consistent regulatory oversight, standardized clinical environments, and alignment with NICHD program priorities.
From the administrative details provided, the opportunity falls under CFDA (now Assistance Listing) 93.865 and is managed by NIH. The original closing date listed is August 11, 2022, with a listed award ceiling of $2,200,000. The notice shows “ExpectedAwards:” without a number filled in, so the exact count of anticipated awards is not specified in the excerpt. The posting was created May 5, 2022. Overall, the grant is structured to keep a set of clinical centers ready and able to carry out complex neonatal studies at scale, with the broader mission of producing evidence that improves survival and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for the highest-risk newborns.Apply for RFA HD 23 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN): Clinical Centers (UG1 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-05-05.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-08-11. (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 $220,000.00 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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FAQs: NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN) Clinical Centers (RFA-HD-23-002)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to fund Clinical Centers for the Neonatal Research Network (NRN). The goal is to support a coordinated, multi-site research infrastructure focused on improving health care and outcomes for newborns, especially improving survival without neurodevelopmental impairment.
What is the NRN (Neonatal Research Network)?
The NRN is a coordinated national research platform designed to generate high-quality evidence that can directly change neonatal clinical practice. It focuses on improving care strategies for newborns who are premature, have low birth weight, or have other serious medical conditions during the neonatal period.
What is the central goal of the NRN?
The central goal is to produce strong clinical evidence that improves neonatal care, with particular attention to increasing survival without neurodevelopmental impairment. The network is intended to make rigorous, multi-site neonatal studies feasible and dependable over time.
What types of patients or conditions are most relevant to this network?
The network is aimed at infants who are born premature, have low birth weight, or face other serious medical conditions in the neonatal period, where small improvements in care can lead to major lifelong differences in health and functioning.
What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (UG1). In general, cooperative agreements involve substantial programmatic involvement by NIH/NICHD during the project period compared with a standard research grant.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (UG1)?
Based on the description provided, NICHD expects tight coordination among funded sites, shared protocols, common data standards, and centralized decision-making around study selection and implementation. Funded Clinical Centers should be prepared to collaborate under harmonized procedures and support the network's ability to answer important clinical questions.
Is a clinical trial required to apply?
No. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning an application may include clinical trial activities, but a clinical trial is not required in every proposed scope. However, the network's stated purpose is to support and implement multi-site trials when needed.
What is NICHD's intent for how the NRN will be used?
NICHD intends the NRN to serve as its primary, first-line platform for running multi-site neonatal clinical trials. Funded Clinical Centers are expected to function as part of a standing national infrastructure that can reliably design, launch, and execute rigorous clinical studies across multiple hospitals and populations.
Why is a standing network infrastructure important for neonatal clinical trials?
Neonatal clinical trials often require large sample sizes, consistent protocols, specialized expertise, and careful long-term follow-up. The NRN model is designed to provide a dependable framework so these complex studies can be conducted efficiently and consistently over time.
What are funded Clinical Centers generally expected to do?
At a high level, funded Clinical Centers should be prepared to participate in collaborative studies, contribute patients and data under harmonized procedures, and support multi-site coordination. The description emphasizes shared protocols, common data standards, and coordinated implementation across the network.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad among U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities that meet NIH eligibility rules. Eligible applicants include a wide range of government entities, higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profits (including small businesses), tribal governments and organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and other eligible organizations as described in the announcement excerpt.
Are state and local governments eligible?
Yes. The excerpt lists state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts as eligible applicants.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible.
Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. Nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible (with the excerpt noting exclusions involving institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as stated).
Are for-profit organizations and small businesses eligible?
Yes. The excerpt includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and also includes small businesses as eligible applicants.
Are tribal governments or tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The excerpt lists federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized governments). It also explicitly calls out Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized as eligible, along with other tribal-serving categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The excerpt explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicant categories.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component or foreign component in the project?
No. The excerpt states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The excerpt lists CFDA (now called Assistance Listing) 93.865.
Which federal agency manages this grant?
The opportunity is managed by NIH, with NICHD as the institute associated with the NRN program.
What is the listed closing date?
The excerpt lists an original closing date of August 11, 2022.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) shown?
The excerpt lists an award ceiling of $2,200,000.
How many awards are expected?
The excerpt shows an "ExpectedAwards:" field without a number filled in, so the number of anticipated awards is not specified in the provided information.
When was the posting created?
The excerpt notes the posting was created on May 5, 2022.
What makes this opportunity different from a typical single-site research grant?
This opportunity is explicitly designed to fund clinical centers that operate as part of a coordinated, multi-site network infrastructure. The cooperative agreement structure and the emphasis on shared protocols, common data standards, and network-level coordination are intended to support complex studies at scale and enable rapid, credible answers to key clinical questions in neonatal medicine.
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