Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HG 23 027

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HG 23 027

The Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis (CERA) funding opportunity (RFA-HG-23-027) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (U24; clinical trial not allowed) administered through the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research Program. It is framed as a renewal effort, meaning it builds directly on work completed during an earlier funding period and is focused on strengthening and expanding a national-level resource that supports the genomics ELSI community. In practical terms, NHGRI is looking to fund a central hub that makes ELSI research outputs easier to find, easier to use, and more influential across research, policy, and practice settings.

The purpose of CERA is organized around three major functions. First, it must provide ELSI researchers with a stable, reliable platform for sharing ELSI research products related to genomics. This implies an infrastructure role: maintaining an accessible, durable, well-organized venue where the field can deposit and retrieve materials such as reports, tools, frameworks, educational content, policy analyses, datasets or other knowledge products that come out of ELSI research. Second, CERA is expected to curate and synthesize ELSI research. That goes beyond simply hosting documents; it emphasizes editorial and analytic work that organizes the literature and outputs, identifies themes, highlights what is known, clarifies gaps, and produces summaries or syntheses that help others quickly understand the state of the science and its implications. Third, CERA must facilitate new research collaborations and increase the uptake of ELSI research. This is the field-building and dissemination piece: connecting researchers and stakeholders, encouraging cross-institutional work, and making sure ELSI findings and tools are actually used by audiences that need them, including scientists, clinicians, health systems, policymakers, and other decision-makers who shape how genomics is developed and implemented.

A key theme running through the announcement is visibility and usability. NHGRI explicitly positions CERA as a way to increase the availability and visibility of ELSI products and resources, and to serve as a source of expertise for the broader research and policy communities. That signals an expectation that the center will be outward-facing, responsive, and active in translating ELSI knowledge into forms that are usable by non-ELSI specialists. Because this is a cooperative agreement, the funded center should also expect substantial involvement from NIH program staff compared to a typical research grant, with more ongoing coordination and shared stewardship of major activities.

The opportunity sits within NIH’s health funding activity category (CFDA 93.172) and has an award ceiling listed at $1,500,000. While the listing shows “Expected Awards” without a number, the structure and language suggest a single centralized center model rather than many small awards, though applicants would need to confirm the intended number of awards in the full funding announcement. The original application due date shown is October 26, 2023, and the posting was created June 21, 2023, which matters for anyone treating this as a live opportunity versus using it for planning or forecasting future re-competitions.

Eligibility is broad across government, academic, nonprofit, and private sector organizations, which is typical for NIH center-style cooperative agreements. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The notice also explicitly calls out a range of institution types and community-anchored organizations as eligible, including 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), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws clear lines around foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, but “foreign components” as NIH defines them are allowed, meaning a U.S.-based applicant may include certain defined international elements in the project if they meet NIH policy requirements.

Finally, the “clinical trial not allowed” designation is important because it restricts the award from being used to run clinical trials. The work envisioned here is infrastructure, synthesis, coordination, and dissemination for the ELSI field rather than interventional human-subjects trials. Applicants would be expected to focus on building and sustaining platforms, curating and synthesizing knowledge, convening and connecting stakeholders, and accelerating the practical use of ELSI research in genomics-related research and policy contexts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis (U24 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 2023-06-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-10-26. (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 $1,500,000.00 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.

Apply for RFA HG 23 027

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