Activity Codes

NIH uses three-character activity codes to differentiate the wide variety of research-related programs NIH supports. The first character typically identifies the major funding category or program type. For example, activity codes for research and development often start with "R," training with "T," fellowship with "F," and career development with "K." Each institute and center (IC) participates in a subset of activity codes. Although each activity code has a broadly defined purpose, there may be differences in their use from one IC to another. Applicants should always refer to the funding opportunity for the specific requirements and details of an initiative.

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Activity Code ▼ Funding Category Title Description
U54 Specialized Center--Cooperative Agreements To support any part of the full range of research and development from very basic to clinical; may involve ancillary supportive activities such as protracted patient care necessary to the primary research or R&D effort. The spectrum of activities comprises a multidisciplinary attack on a specific disease entity or biomedical problem area. These differ from program project in that they are usually developed in response to an announcement of the programmatic needs of an Institute or Division and subsequently receive continuous attention from its staff. Centers may also serve as regional or national resources for special research purposes, with funding component staff helping to identify appropriate priority needs.
This page last updated on: December 26, 2024
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