New Epidemiological Cohort Study among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AsA-NHPI): Clinical/Community Field Centers (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HL 23 015

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 23 015

The NIH funding opportunity RFA-HL-23-015 supports the launch of a new epidemiological cohort study focused on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AsA-NHPI). Its central aim is to use a cohort design to close major population-level research gaps in AsA-NHPI health by enrolling and following participants over time, collecting standardized data that can clarify patterns of risk, resilience, disease development, and health outcomes in these communities. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (UG3/UH3), which typically means NIH will have substantial programmatic involvement and the project is expected to operate in close coordination with NIH and other funded sites rather than functioning as a fully independent investigator-initiated grant.

This particular FOA is specifically for Clinical/Community Field Centers (CCFCs). In practical terms, CCFCs are the on-the-ground sites responsible for community engagement, participant recruitment and retention, baseline and follow-up data collection, and implementation of study protocols in real clinical and community settings. NIH indicates there will be a companion announcement to fund a separate Coordinating Center (CC), which would generally handle cross-site harmonization, central operations, data coordination, quality control, and other study-wide infrastructure functions. Applicants to this FOA should expect their field center activities to align with study-wide standards and to collaborate closely with the Coordinating Center and other field centers so that data are comparable across locations and subpopulations.

The UG3/UH3 structure signals a phased approach, with an initial planning or start-up period (UG3) that typically focuses on finalizing protocols, establishing partnerships, building staffing and workflow capacity, meeting feasibility milestones, and preparing for full implementation. Successful achievement of those milestones is commonly used to justify transition into the second phase (UH3), when the project shifts into larger-scale operations such as full participant enrollment, longitudinal follow-up, and ongoing data and specimen collection. The FOA also states “Clinical Trial Not Allowed,” which means the funded work must remain observational in nature; the study can measure exposures and outcomes over time, but it cannot prospectively assign participants to interventions in a way that meets the NIH definition of a clinical trial.

A wide range of organizations are eligible to apply. In addition to standard governmental and academic applicants (including state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; and public/Indian housing authorities), eligibility also includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, as well as nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types that are often central to community-centered research, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. This breadth reflects the reality that successful cohort studies in diverse communities often rely on trusted local institutions and community infrastructure, not only traditional research universities.

On the international side, the FOA draws a clear boundary: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and “foreign components” (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. In effect, the prime recipient must be U.S.-based and eligible, but certain project elements may involve foreign components when justified and permitted under NIH policy.

Administratively, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the opportunity is categorized under discretionary funding in the health activity area. Multiple CFDA (now commonly referred to through Assistance Listing numbers) are associated with the announcement: 93.172, 93.233, 93.307, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, and 93.853. The original closing date listed is October 13, 2022, and the record shows a creation date of July 7, 2022. The listed award ceiling is $373,000, which typically represents the maximum annual direct cost or total cost cap as specified in the full FOA text (applicants generally need to confirm in the full announcement how the cap is defined and whether it applies per year, per phase, or per budget period).

Overall, the opportunity is designed to build a durable, collaborative cohort infrastructure that can generate high-quality longitudinal evidence about AsA-NHPI health, with field centers serving as the community-embedded engines of recruitment, data collection, and sustained participant partnership, all under a cooperative framework intended to ensure consistency and interoperability across multiple sites.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "New Epidemiological Cohort Study among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AsA-NHPI): Clinical/Community Field Centers (UG3/UH3 - 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, 93.233, 93.307, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-07-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-10-13. (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 $373,000.00 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 HL 23 015

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