Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) (U54 - Clinical Trial Optional)
NIH plans to fund Research Centers in Minority Institutions to boost research capacity, support investigator development, and address health disparities through collaborative biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research projects.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: November 26, 2025 (forecasted)
Funding Amounts: Estimated total funding $22,000,000; ~5 awards expected; Cooperative Agreement (U54); up to 3 research projects per center.
Summary: Supports research centers at eligible minority-serving institutions to enhance research capacity, investigator development, and community engagement in health disparities research.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity; applications are not yet being accepted.
Description
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) intends to announce a funding opportunity to support Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI). The program aims to expand national capacity for research in health sciences at less research-intensive institutions that award doctorate degrees in health professions or health-related sciences. The RCMI Centers are designed to:
- Enhance institutional research capacity for world-class biomedical, behavioral, population, and/or clinical research.
- Enable investigators to compete successfully for extramural funding, especially from NIH, focusing on diseases and conditions disproportionately affecting health disparity populations.
- Facilitate career development for postdoctoral fellows, junior faculty, and early-stage investigators.
- Enhance research tools and conduct biomedical research.
- Foster sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations for research and dissemination.
Each RCMI Center must include the following components:
- Overall
- Administrative Core
- Research Capacity Core
- Investigator Development Core
- Community Engagement Core
- Up to three research projects, each in basic biomedical, behavioral/social/population science, and clinical/health services research (one in each area required for maximum funding).
Collaborative, multidisciplinary research is encouraged. This forecast is provided to allow institutions time to develop collaborations and robust proposals.
