Large Complex Projects - Centers, Program Projects and Team Science Funding Considerations and Contacts

Overall: 

• Projects may address any area of cancer research including biology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cancer control. Appropriate topics include basic, translational, clinical, population-based, interdisciplinary, and emerging research that advances understanding of cancer etiology, progression, detection, survivorship, treatment and outcomes. Topics may also address health disparities, implementation science, data and AI-driven research, workforce development, and HIV-associated cancers when directly relevant to cancer research.   

Selected Examples of NCI Research Priorities:

• Projects advancing a comprehensive understanding of the cancer “exposome,” by capturing, harmonizing, and analyzing environmental, behavioral and contextual/place-based exposures that influence cancer risk and other cancer related outcomes. 
• Projects building and testing next-generation data management systems for the capture and analysis of real-world data across the cancer control continuum, including systems that integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and molecular data with other dimensions of cancer risk and outcomes. 
• Projects advancing scale-up and sustainment of bundled evidence-based comprehensive cancer prevention and control interventions in multiple health systems, locations and diverse settings. 
• Projects testing multilevel and systems interventions in geographically diverse areas to improve access to cancer control and reduce population-level disparities. 
• Projects identifying etiology, modifiable factors and mechanisms underlying early-onset cancer (including AYA cancer), accelerated aging and comorbidities, and developing interventions to improve health outcomes.  
• Projects addressing long-term outcomes of cancer survivors, including recurrence, metastatic cancer, comorbidities, symptom management and financial hardship. 
• Projects developing and harnessing rapidly-evolving methods and technologies (including AI) to improve risk assessment, cancer communication, intervention delivery and population benefit across the cancer continuum (from etiology to survivorship). 
• Projects advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric and AYA cancers, including studies of tumor initiation and progression, oncogenic drivers, tumor heterogeneity, immune responses and the tumor microenvironment, treatment response, relapse and resistance, genetic predisposition, and rare molecular subtypes; and efforts to identify and validate therapeutic targets and advance precision medicine, functional genomics, synthetic lethality, immunotherapies, and rational therapeutic combinations. 
• Projects developing and applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced computational approaches, and research resources and infrastructure (biospecimens, multimodal data resources, preclinical models, standards, and tools) to address challenges associated with rare cancers and small patient populations and accelerate discovery across the pediatric and AYA cancer research continuum. 

Cancer Centers Program: 

The Cancer Centers Program is a congressionally established, statutorily grounded flagship NCI program. The P30 Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) is the principal mechanism through which NCI carries out its congressional charge to support cancer research centers and is the basis for NCI Cancer Center designation. 

• The CCSG supports an integrated, institution-wide cancer research enterprise rather than a conventional collection of research projects. Its scope encompasses formal research programs, shared research resources, scientific leadership and administration, planning and evaluation, developmental activities, community outreach and engagement, cancer research education and training coordination, and centralized clinical-trial oversight and functions. 
• NCI uses the CCSG framework and the national network of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers to advance national cancer priorities. These include strengthening transdisciplinary research, translating discoveries across the cancer continuum, responding to the needs of center catchment areas, and improving the efficiency and performance of clinical trials through scientific prioritization, accrual monitoring, quality oversight, data coordination, and assessment of study progress. 
• CCSG support and NCI Cancer Center designation are not appropriate for inclusion within a generic parent NOFO. The program’s statutory context, designation function, nationwide role, integrated center-wide scope, and specialized scientific, organizational, oversight, and evaluation features require a dedicated NCI program framework. 
• CCSGs support three types of Cancer Centers: 1) Comprehensive Cancer Centers, which demonstrate reasonable depth and breadth of research activities in each of three major areas: basic laboratory; clinical; and prevention, control and population-based research, and which have substantial transdisciplinary research that bridges these scientific areas; 2) Clinical Cancer Centers, which are primarily focused on basic laboratory; clinical; and prevention, cancer control, and population-based research; or some combination of these areas; and 3) Basic Cancer Centers, which focus on basic laboratory research. 

Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) Program  

• The NCI Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) program supports applications that establish and strengthen comprehensive, mutually beneficial and meaningful partnerships, between Resource Limited Institutions and NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. 

• NCI encourages, through the CAPRI program, applications that aim to build institutional capacity, advancing research capabilities, enhancing the impact of innovative cancer research, cultivating the next generation of Early-Stage Investigators and trainees, and implementing coordinated outreach and education initiatives that extend the benefits of research to all populations nationwide. 

Areas NCI Generally Will Not Consider Funding for Cancer Center Support Grants 

• Research without a clear and substantive focus on cancer. 
• Stand-alone research projects or loosely related collections of projects that do not require an integrated center, program-project, network, or team-science structure. 
• Centers or program projects whose components do not share a coherent scientific theme or provide meaningful scientific integration and added value. 
• Shared resources, service cores, data platforms, or research infrastructure proposed without an integrated cancer research agenda or clear scientific use across multiple research components. 
• Clinical care, public-health service delivery, or patient-care activities that are not integral to a cancer research program. 
• Projects focused primarily on construction, equipment acquisition, or general institutional capacity without a coordinated cancer research program. 
• Duplicative centers, networks, resources, or infrastructure that do not provide distinct capabilities, meaningful coordination, or additional scientific value. 
• CCSG support or NCI Cancer Center designation through a generic parent NOFO. 

Cancer Centers Program: 

• The CCSG supports scientific leadership of the Cancer Center, shared resources for funded Center investigators, certain administrative costs, planning and evaluation, and developmental funds for new recruitments and feasibility studies.  
• The Center Director, the PD/PI, must be a highly qualified scientist and administrator with the leadership experience and expertise appropriate for establishing a vision for the Center, advancing scientific goals and managing a complex organization.  

NCI Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) Program: 

• The PDs/PIs are expected to be mid-to-senior-level scientists with records of grant support and mentoring.
• A less experienced investigator can be one of multiple PDs/PIs if there is an appropriate institutional investment in this investigator and a demonstrable collaboration (active or planned) with a more experienced PD/PI. 
• The PDs/PIs are expected to demonstrate the scientific, community, practice-based, and/or other relevant expertise, leadership experience, and organizational capabilities necessary to direct a large-scale research program.
• Consistent with applicable NIH eligibility requirements, community partners may serve as PDs/PIs, including within multiple PD/PI leadership structures 
• The team should collectively provide complementary expertise aligned with the proposed scientific aims, populations, methods, data resources, and technologies
• Leadership structures are expected to have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, authority, governance, and decision-making and support meaningful and equitable participation of community PDs/PIs. PDs/PIs are expected to foster team science, achieve milestones, collaborate across awards, and appropriately share data, methods, resources, and research products.

Note: Applicants may contact relevant NCI program staff for guidance.

NCI requires certain named personnel to provide a minimum level of effort on a competing award. This ensures that PDs/PIs and component leads devote the appropriate effort and attention to project leadership for the duration of the grant award. 

• Competing applications that do not meet the minimum criteria will not be considered for funding, unless the level of effort is raised to comply with the guidance. In addition, a request to reduce the PD/PI's level of effort in subsequent years of funding will not be approved if the proposed level of effort falls below the minimum level. The minimum effort requirement described here will not apply when the grant is in a no-cost extension. 
• Requisite levels of effort for activity codes not listed in this table are stipulated in the NOFO. 
• Unless otherwise stated in an NOFO, the minimum levels of effort are as follows: 

¹If a PD/PI leads multiple project components on a P01, their minimum required person months are additive. For example, a PD/PI serving as both the overall PD/PI (15% effort) and a Project Leader (15% effort) must commit a combined minimum of 30% effort (e.g., 3.6 person months for a 12-month PD/PI, or 2.7 person months for a 9-month PD/PI). More information regarding the P01 is forthcoming.  

²The overall PI's minimum effort requirement (15% or 1.8 person months for a 12-month appointment / 1.35 person months for a 9-month appointment) includes any effort spent serving as the administrative Core Director. 

³Applicants should justify minimum effort (5% or 0.6 person months for a 12-month appointment / 0.45 person months for a 9-month appointment), based on the proposed activities of the Core.  

Cancer Centers Program: 

 The Cancer Center Director, who is the PD/PI on the grant, should have an appropriate time commitment to the directorship role, with an expectation of approximately 6 months of support. 

Inquiries: 

• Questions involving new applications, including ‘research effort’ scenarios or activity codes not explicitly addressed, may be directed initially to the NCI DEA Referral Office at [email protected] or to the specific NCI scientific program contact provided in the Contacts section.  
• Questions regarding NCI's implementation of ‘research effort’ requirements should be directed to the NCI Grants Management Specialist assigned to the award or [email protected].  

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), applications are accepted for all opportunity due dates and corresponding funding councils (October, January, May) each fiscal year. 

Overall: 

 NCI may limit project periods for specific large complex projects. The maximum project period is 5 years. 

 Cancer Centers Program: 

The Cancer Center Support Grant award project period is 5 years. However, the broader intent of the CCSG is for long-term stability and continuity of NCI Designation beyond 5 years, thus requiring strength, stability, and projected growth within the Cancer Center’s leadership, planning, operations, and institutional commitment.  

• Well-scoring applications that have shown continuity in leadership of the Cancer Center may be eligible for a two-year MERIT extension of the project period. The two-year extension requires approval from the National Cancer Advisory Board. Not all Center Core Grants (P30s) are eligible and is at the IC’s discretion. 

 Overall:  

• The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. 

Cancer Centers Program: 

• New (Type 1) applications: Budget should not exceed the following in direct costs per year for the project period:  
  • $1.2 million for Basic Cancer Center  
  • $1.4 million for Clinical Cancer Center 
  • $1.5 million for Comprehensive Cancer Center 
• Renewal (Type 2) applications: Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. 

Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) Program 

• Application budgets are limited to $1.3 million in direct costs per year for partnerships of two institutions and $1.8 million in direct costs per year for partnerships of three institutions. 
• Budgets for Pilot Research Projects cannot exceed $120,000 per project in direct costs per year for up to 3 years. 
• Full Research Project budget cannot exceed $275,000 in direct costs per year or continue for over 3 years. 

General inquiries: 

NCI Referral Officer 
[email protected]  

Scientific Program Contact(s): 

Office of Cancer Centers  
[email protected]   

Cancer Advancement through Partnerships in Research and Infrastructure (CAPRI) program director(s) 
[email protected] 

Translational Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute (NCI) 
[email protected]  

Questions of a programmatic nature of a current award should be directed to the NCI Program Official assigned to the award. 

Grants Management Contact: 

Office of Grants Administration 
[email protected]  

NHLBI considers Research Program Projects (P01) applications that address the NHLBI strategic vision and mission to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) disorders. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Program Officers well before the application deadline to ensure the application aligns with NHLBI’s mission.

NHLBI prioritizes P01 applications proposing a minimum of three projects and does not propose clinical trials.

P01: NHLBI will support P01 awards for up to five (5) years. One renewal is permitted, with a maximum of 10 years of support.

P01: The P01 budget cap is $1.515M for applications proposing a minimum of three projects; the budget cap is $1.765M if an Early Stage Investigator (ESI) project is included in the application. 

Research Program Projects (P01)
[email protected]

Grants Management Contact
[email protected]

NIA considers large, multidisciplinary projects across the full aging-research spectrum, including:

• Molecular, cellular, genetic, and physiological mechanisms of aging; geroscience; biomarkers and metrics of aging; comparative biology; and research resources or enabling technologies for aging biology.
• Behavioral, psychological, social, demographic, and economic processes of aging at individual, family, community, and societal levels, including cross-national and life-course research.
• Clinical and translational research, including clinical trials, on health and disease in older adults; multimorbidity; geriatric syndromes; functional independence; prevention and treatment; health care delivery; and evidence-based geriatric care.
• Clinical, translational, and intervention research, including clinical trials, on factors influencing longevity and maintenance of health across the life span, with emphasis on mechanisms of aging and their modulation to reduce risk or progression of multiple chronic conditions.
• Neural and behavioral processes of the normally aging brain, including sensory, motor, sleep, cognitive, and emotional function; brain-behavior relationships; and cognitive resilience.
• Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD), including basic, clinical, epidemiologic, diagnostic, biomarker, prevention, intervention, and care-related research aligned with NIA priorities.
• Development and testing of disease-modifying drugs to prevent or treat specific aging-related conditions, including preclinical and clinical activities.
• Systems-based approaches that integrate the use of human multi-omic data with computational modeling and experimental studies in cell-based and animal models to understand the heterogeneity of AD risk, resilience and disease progression (including neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD/ADRD) and to discover and validate new therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
• Translational centers for accelerating novel targets into drug discovery, developing animal, cell-based models, and NAMs and enabling precision medicine approaches in basic research and therapy development.
• Research centers, shared resources, data or specimen infrastructure, methods, technologies, and collaborative networks that advance aging, AD/ADRD research, or both.
• Program projects built around a common theme that is highly relevant to NIA’s mission, with multiple complementary projects and cores; individual projects may be scientifically distinct but should contribute to the overall program objectives.
• Highly integrated cooperative programs in which components function as interdependent building blocks and substantive NIA scientific involvement is appropriate.

NIA generally will not consider:

• Projects outside NIA’s mission or without a clear focus on aging, older adults, age-related conditions, or AD/ADRD.
• The provision of health or social services as the primary activity, rather than research evaluating mechanisms, outcomes, interventions, or implementation.
• Large, complex proposed structures whose scope, integration, or shared resources are not scientifically necessary for the proposed research.

• Teams should provide the multidisciplinary expertise needed for the scientific theme and demonstrate meaningful collaboration across projects, cores, sites, or disciplines.
• For Research Program Projects (P01s,) projects should be complementary and collectively advance common program objectives; individual subprojects may be capable of standing alone.
• For Research Program-Cooperative Agreements (U19) programs, components should be highly integrated and interdependent; loss of a component would jeopardize the overall program.
• NIA considers investigator and institutional context, including existing NIH support, mentorship and training contributions, career stage, and geographic and institutional balance.
• Applicants should engage the NIA program staff whose portfolio best matches the proposed science early in project development. Inquiries can be sent to the General Scientific inquiries email below.

• Effort should reflect the leadership, scientific integration, coordination, and oversight required by the proposed mechanism and scope.
• For cooperative agreements, the team should account for substantive collaboration with designated NIA staff.
• Mechanism- or NOFO-specific effort expectations apply when stated.

Early program contact is strongly encouraged; applicants should begin discussions well before the intended submission cycle.

Refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for project period guidance.

• Budgets should be well justified, appropriate to the aims, and demonstrate efficient use of federal funds.
• NIA rarely funds Research Program Projects (P01) awards with more than $2 million in annual direct costs, excluding F&A costs. Applicants requesting above this level are strongly encouraged to contact NIA program staff to discuss alignment prior to submission.
• Inflationary increases for future-year commitments are not permitted under current NIA funding policy; non-inflationary year-to-year increases must be justified.
• NIA may reduce initial or out-year budgets based on reasonableness, feasibility, duplication, appropriations, and portfolio balance.

For General Scientific inquiries
[email protected] 

NIA Grants Management
[email protected]

NIAAA is interested in large-scale, integrated, multidisciplinary, and collaborative research programs focused on alcohol misuse, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), alcohol-related health consequences, and associated end-organ injury across the lifespan. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Etiology, Development & Trajectories: Research advancing knowledge of genetic, epigenetic, neurobiological, environmental, developmental, behavioral, and social factors influencing AUD risk, progression, and trajectories.
• Mechanisms of AUD & Neurodevelopment: Studies investigating persistent molecular, cellular, and neurocircuitry alterations following prenatal or adolescent alcohol exposure, including sex as a biological variable.
• Alcohol-Associated End-Organ Injury & Comorbidities: Studies examining the pathophysiology, mechanisms, and management of alcohol-induced organ damage (e.g., hepatic, pancreatic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune, and metabolic) and co-occurring psychiatric, infectious, or chronic health conditions.
• Prevention & Early Intervention: Translational and community-based research to develop, test, and implement effective prevention strategies for alcohol misuse and AUD.
• Treatment, Integrated Care & Implementation Science: Scalable, sustainable approaches to increase AUD treatment engagement, reduce stigma, enhance provider education, and evaluate integrated care models for AUD and comorbid conditions (e.g., HIV, mental health, and end-organ diseases).
• Innovative & Interdisciplinary Themes: Broad-based, multi-investigator programs addressing emerging or understudied alcohol research themes requiring interdisciplinary coordination and advanced experimental or computational approaches.

Specialized Centers (P50) and Team Science (e.g. RM1)

• Multidisciplinary & Complementary Expertise: Teams should assemble complementary expertise spanning relevant biomedical, behavioral, clinical, epidemiological, biostatistical, or community-engaged disciplines tailored to the proposed scientific theme.
• Integrated Leadership & Program Coordination: Leadership structures must demonstrate strong management capability and clear coordination plans across individual projects, cores, and participating sites.
• Demonstrated Collaborative Experience: Program leadership with proven experience successfully managing complex, multi-project, or multi-site collaborative research initiatives is strongly encouraged.
• Inclusion of Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs): Programs are encouraged to meaningfully integrate ESIs and incorporate robust mentorship, career-development, or workforce-building opportunities

Specialized Centers (P50) and Team Science (e.g. RM1)

• Proportional Effort: PD/PI and key personnel effort must align directly with the scope, complexity, and specific administrative/scientific leadership demands of the proposed program.
• Sufficient Commitment for Program Integration: Program directors and component leads must commit sufficient effort to ensure active scientific oversight, cross-site management, and genuine integration across projects and cores.
• Role-Reflective Distribution: Effort allocations should clearly reflect individual responsibilities across project leads, core directors, site leads, and key personnel.
• Multi-PD/PI Leadership Coordination: Multi-PD/PI plans must demonstrate balanced, coordinated effort allocations supporting unified program integration rather than parallel, independent efforts.

• NIAAA makes overall funding decisions on Team Science applications once every fiscal year, usually around May. 
• Center applications are considered for funding after October council. Although applications are accepted for all opportunity due dates, we recommend submitting to due dates that align with the October councils.
• Applicants are encouraged to contact NIAAA program staff early in the planning process, particularly for large, complex, multi-component, or high-budget programs. 
• Applicants should consult the applicable NOFO for receipt dates, review timing, council timing, and earliest start dates, and should allow sufficient time for programmatic consultation before submission.

Specialized Centers (P50) and Team Science (e.g. RM1) 

• Applications may request a project period of up to five years.
• Project periods should be appropriate for the scope and goals of the proposed center, program project, or team science award. 
• Project periods should be justified by the scientific theme, program structure, and anticipated outcomes. 
• The duration should allow sufficient time for coordination, data generation, analysis, integration, dissemination, and development of future research directions.
• Applicants should follow the maximum project period allowed by the applicable NOFO.

Specialized Centers (P50) and Team Science (e.g. RM1)

• Center application budgets may not exceed $1.15 million direct costs per year.
• Budgets should be well justified and appropriate for the size, complexity, and scientific scope of the proposed program. 
• NIAAA encourages applicants to discuss large or complex budgets with program staff before submission. 
• Budget requests should support integration across projects and cores, rather than only individual component activities. 
• Shared resources, cores, data management, statistical support, team coordination, mentorship, community or clinical partnerships, dissemination, and implementation activities may be appropriate when aligned with the project goals.
• Applicants should consult the applicable NOFO and NIH policy for any budget caps, prior approval requirements, or special instructions.

Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research: 
[email protected]

Division of Metabolism and Health Effects: 
[email protected]

Division of Neuroscience and Behavior:
[email protected]

Division of Treatment and Recovery:
[email protected]

Scientific Program:
[email protected]

The NIAMS P30 Centers Program supports Centers that provide coordinated research infrastructure, shared resources, and methodological expertise to advance basic, translational, and clinical research.  NIAMS considers (P30) applications that address the NIAMS strategic vision and mission to support integrated research Centers within its mission areas of skin biology and diseases; bone, muscle, and orthopaedic research; and rheumatic diseases. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Program Officers well before the application deadline to ensure the application aligns with NIAMS’ mission. 

NIAMS prioritizes applications that have an Administrative Core and at least one Resource Core. Centers should demonstrate how proposed resources address the needs of the research community; describe how the proposed components function as an integrated Center; and have a defined research community or a clear plan for the use of shared resources.

For Resource-based Centers (P30) and Core Centers of Clinical Research Centers (P30), NIAMS prioritizes applications that do not have more than two competitive renewals, each for a maximum of five years of support. 

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is 5 years.

• NIAMS may limit awards, as follows:
  • NIAMS P30 Centers Program: Up to $500,000 direct costs per year
• Budgets should be well justified, appropriate to the aims, and demonstrate efficient use of federal funds.
• Inflationary increases for future-year commitments are not permitted under current NIAMS funding policy; non-inflationary year-to-year increases must be justified.
• NIAMS may reduce initial or out-year budgets based on reasonableness, feasibility, duplication, appropriations, and portfolio balance.

Centers Program
[email protected]

Grants Management Contact
[email protected] 

• NIDA is interested in applications in any of our general interest areas. Funding priority may be given to applications on one of our highlighted topics.​

• For Program Project (P01) applications, NIDA prioritizes applications that have at least 3 inter-related research projects.

• For Specialized Center (P50) applications, NIDA makes its funding decisions once every fiscal year, after May council. 

• For Specialized Center (P50) applications, in order to ensure funding for new Center applications, NIDA prioritizes applications that do not have more than two competitive renewals, each for a maximum of 5 years of support.

NIDA Referral
[email protected]

NIMHD is interested in Large Complex Project applications in any of our general interest areas. Funding priority may be given to applications on one of our highlighted topics.

NIMHD participates in: NIH Research Program Projects (Parent P01 Clinical Trial Optional).

Scientific Program Contact: 

Division of Clinical and Health Services Research 
[email protected] 

Division of Community Health and Population Science 
[email protected] 

Division of Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences 
[email protected] 

Grants Management Contact: 
[email protected] 

• Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1)
  • NINDS prioritizes applications with a single integrative specific aim towards these areas within NINDS mission: 
    • Converge basic, translational, and/or clinical disciplines to produce a deeper mechanistic understanding of nervous system function and/or dysfunction. 
    • Address critical challenges in understanding and targeting disease modifying therapies for neurological disorders. 
    • Integrate across previously siloed domains of neuroscience, neurology, and allied disciplines, including non-traditional fields, to address long-standing challenges. 
    • Solve key problems in neuroscience/neurology through innovative application of cutting-edge tools, approaches, or conceptual/computational frameworks. 
    • Bridge across multiple levels of analysis and/or species to enhance understanding of neurological health, disease processes, and/or therapeutic mechanisms. 
  • The following types of applications will be of lower priority: 
    •  Applications primarily consisting of collecting and/or bridging large-scale datasets without a clear mechanistic purpose or hypotheses 
    • Applications in which the primary goal is to create, maintain, expand, and/or disseminate resources or infrastructure 
    • Applications that are extensions or scale-up of a single PI’s existing research, which are more appropriate for a more conventional NIH funding mechanism (e.g. R01 or multi-component mechanisms) 
    • Applications in which the outcomes from pursuit of the single specific aim are not specified 
    • Applications that contain a clinical trial.
    • Clinical research projects with an inherently team science approach (e.g., applications in which the primary goal is multi-site clinical epidemiological or observational studies, genetic studies, or comparative effectiveness research). NINDS will continue to consider these large projects as separate, unsolicited independent investigator-initiated projects (i.e., R01/U01 applications). 

• Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1)
  • NINDS will prioritize teams that are intentionally and cohesively integrated, converging synergistic and distinct expertise across 3-6 multiple PDs/PIs towards tackling a single specific aim that will yield transformative outcomes. A Program Manager is required.

• Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1)
  • Generally, each PD/PI should devote at least 2.4 person months (i.e., the equivalent of 20% effort on a full-year appointment, 26.7% on a 9-month appointment, or 40% on a 6-month appointment) throughout the duration of the award. The Program Manager must devote at least 50% effort. 

• Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1)
  • While NINDS will accept applications from each receipt date, NINDS will consolidate applications (received for September receipt date of previous year, Jan & May receipt dates of same year) and only make funding decisions once a year, aligned with January Council. 
    • For example: funding decisions for all applications submitted for Jan 2027 and May 2027 receipt dates will be made on Jan 2028 Council; then Sept 2027, Jan 2028, May 2028 receipt dates for Jan 2029 Council. An exception will be the first receipt date of November 2026, where funding decisions will be made on May 2027 Council.  

• Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1) 
  • Applications are expected to deliver defined outcomes within the funding period which is maximum of 5 years. 

• Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1) 
  • NINDS intends to commit up to $6.4M (in total first year cost) per fiscal year to fund ~3 awards. Most awards will be between $500,000-$1.5M direct costs. 

Questions regarding fit with NINDS mission should be directed to the relevant NINDS Program Official.

Parent Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1)
NINDS Team Science Group
[email protected]

• ORIP is interested in large, collaborative projects that develop, enhance, integrate, characterize, preserve, and provide broad access to research models, biomaterials, technologies, data resources, and related research infrastructure that advance human health and foundational biomedical science.  
• Priority interests include projects that strengthen shared research resources and capabilities used across multiple scientific fields and NIH Institutes or Centers, particularly where coordinated infrastructure, multidisciplinary expertise, and broad community access are essential to achieving the scientific goals.  
• ORIP is interested in projects that improve the quality, rigor, reproducibility, accessibility, and translational relevance of research models and related resources, including incorporation of emerging technologies, advanced data and computational approaches, and new approach methodologies (NAMs). This aligns with ORIP’s strategic emphasis on expanding access to well-characterized research models and resources and strengthening rigor and reproducibility.  
• Projects should address the needs of broad biomedical research communities and have relevance to more than one NIH Institute or Center. Projects focused narrowly on a single disease, organ system, or research area with limited applicability beyond one NIH Institute or Center are generally outside of ORIP’s primary interest. 
• Funding priority may be given to applications for one of ORIP’s highlighted topics or applications focused on promoting rigorous, reproducible, and transparent research submitted in response to topic-specific funding opportunities. 
• The following are generally not areas of interest for ORIP’s large complex projects: 
  • Projects focused primarily on a single disease, body system, or narrow research area without broader cross-cutting relevance to multiple NIH ICs. 
  • Investigator-specific research projects that do not develop, maintain, enhance, coordinate, or disseminate broadly useful research resources, models, technologies, or services. 
  • Institution-only service activities and research resources with limited utility or access beyond a local user community. 

• Team and PD/PI considerations should follow the applicable notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) and activity code. 
• ORIP places emphasis on leadership and teams with expertise appropriate to the scientific, resource, operational, data/informatics, and dissemination components of the proposed program. 
• PD/PI leadership should be capable of coordinating multi-component or multi-site activities, shared resources/cores, milestones, quality management, and broad access to project outputs. 
• Cross-disciplinary and, where appropriate, multi-institutional collaborations are encouraged when they strengthen the project's ability to address cross-cutting needs relevant to multiple NIH ICs. 
• Multiple PD/PI leadership may be appropriate when permitted by the NOFO and when the leadership structure provides complementary expertise and clear coordination for the complex program.

• To receive and maintain funding, ORIP expects the contact PD/PI and any multiple PD/PIs to commit a minimum level of effort in each active budget period that reflects the actual needs, scope, and complexity of the project. 
• Effort for other key program leaders, component/core leads, and senior personnel should be commensurate with their responsibilities and sufficient to support effective coordination, resource management, milestone achievement, and delivery of project activities. 

• ORIP will consider applications submitted for the NIH funding cycles specified in the applicable NOFOs in which ORIP participates. 
• Some Large Complex Project opportunities may use limited-competition or initiative-specific receipt cycles; applicants should follow the applicable NOFO for cycle availability.

• ORIP has no additional project-period considerations for Large Complex Projects beyond those specified in the applicable NOFO. 
• The proposed project period should be appropriate to the scope and complexity of the center, resource, consortium, or team-science activity and sufficient to accomplish the proposed milestones and deliverables. 
• Continued or renewed support is governed by the applicable mechanism/NOFO, scientific and programmatic review, program priorities, and availability of funds.

• ORIP has no additional budget limits or requirements for Large Complex Projects beyond those specified in the applicable NOFO. 
• Application budgets should reflect the actual needs, scale, and complexity of the proposed project and are subject to availability of funds and ORIP program priorities. 
• Budgets should appropriately support the resources, center, consortium, or team-science functions necessary to achieve the proposed scope, including shared access, resource quality and characterization, data/informatics, coordination, and dissemination when applicable. 
• ORIP emphasizes responsible stewardship and efficient use of NIH investments; proposed costs should be well aligned with the anticipated value, reach, and sustainability of the supported research resource or program. 

Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)
[email protected]