Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 18 100
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), released a limited-competition funding opportunity to continue and expand a national Center for Genomic Studies on Mental Disorders using a U24 cooperative agreement mechanism. The core aim is to develop, sustain, enhance, and further enrich a centralized, national biorepository that supports genetic and genomic research on psychiatric and other mental disorders. By strengthening this shared infrastructure, NIMH is trying to speed up progress in understanding the genetic risk architecture that contributes to mental illness, and to make it easier for the broader research community to access high-quality biospecimens and associated data for both basic discovery and translational work.
A central feature of the opportunity is the expectation that the funded center will function as a single, national resource for open sharing of biosamples and data. In practice, this means the awardee is expected to operate a centralized repository that can receive, process, store, curate, and distribute biological samples and related datasets in a way that supports wide scientific use. The FOA emphasizes that the work should be carried out by a functionally integrated, multidisciplinary team, reflecting the reality that a modern genomic biorepository requires expertise across multiple domains, such as psychiatric genetics, genomics, biobanking operations, data management and informatics, quality control, ethics and compliance, and user support for investigators requesting materials.
Because this is a cooperative agreement (U24), NIMH anticipates having substantial scientific and programmatic involvement in the project rather than operating strictly as a passive funder. Cooperative agreements are commonly used for large-scale, community-serving research infrastructure where close coordination with NIH program staff helps ensure that the resource meets national priorities, adheres to high standards for distribution and access, and remains aligned with evolving practices in genomic science, data sharing, and human subjects protections. The FOA’s “limited competition” framing also signals that eligibility to apply may be restricted in some way described in the full announcement text, with the intent of continuing an existing center or maintaining continuity of a specialized national resource.
The funding opportunity is listed as discretionary and falls under the health funding activity category, with a CFDA number of 93.242. The announcement (RFA MH 18 100) was created on February 3, 2017, with an original application closing date of April 7, 2017. NIMH anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $7,080,000, indicating support for a single, centralized national effort rather than multiple smaller, distributed projects. The single-award approach fits the stated goal of providing “a single, centralized, national resource” to the research community, which can reduce fragmentation, standardize processes, and simplify access pathways for investigators seeking samples and data.
Eligibility is broad and includes many categories of organizations that can administer large-scale research resources. Eligible applicants include federal-recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments (including counties, cities, townships, special districts, and public housing authorities), public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other-than-small businesses), and other entities as clarified in the FOA’s additional eligibility language. This wide eligibility range reflects that biorepository and data resource operations can be housed in different kinds of institutions, including universities, nonprofit research organizations, medical centers, or specialized infrastructure providers, as long as they can meet the scientific, technical, and compliance expectations of a national repository.
Overall, the opportunity is focused less on funding a specific hypothesis-driven research study and more on maintaining and advancing enabling infrastructure that the entire psychiatric genetics community can rely on. The expected outcome is a stronger, more usable, and more openly shareable national collection of biosamples and data relevant to mental disorders, designed to accelerate discovery about genetic risk factors and to support downstream translational efforts that may eventually improve diagnosis, risk prediction, prevention strategies, and treatment development.Apply for RFA MH 18 100
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Continuation of the Center for Genomic Studies on Mental Disorders (U24)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 03, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 07, 2017. (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 $7,080,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a limited-competition Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to continue and expand a national Center for Genomic Studies on Mental Disorders.
Which NIH Institute is sponsoring it?
The sponsoring Institute is the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
What is the FOA identifier and when was it created?
The announcement is identified as RFA MH 18 100, and it was created on February 3, 2017.
What is the application deadline mentioned for this announcement?
The original application closing date listed is April 7, 2017.
What mechanism will be used to fund the project?
The project will be supported through a U24 cooperative agreement mechanism.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U24)?
A U24 cooperative agreement means NIMH expects substantial scientific and programmatic involvement in the project, rather than serving only as a passive funder. This structure is commonly used for large-scale, community-serving research infrastructure that benefits from close coordination with NIH program staff.
What is the main purpose of the funded center?
The core aim is to develop, sustain, enhance, and further enrich a centralized national biorepository that supports genetic and genomic research on psychiatric and other mental disorders.
Is this opportunity focused on a specific research hypothesis or study?
No. The focus is less on a specific hypothesis-driven research study and more on maintaining and advancing enabling infrastructure that the broader psychiatric genetics community can use.
What kind of resource is NIMH trying to support?
NIMH is aiming to support a single, centralized national resource that can receive, process, store, curate, and distribute biological samples and related datasets for wide scientific use.
What are the expected functions of the national repository?
The awardee is expected to operate a centralized repository that can receive, process, store, curate, and distribute biospecimens and associated data in ways that support broad access and scientific use by the research community.
What is meant by "open sharing" in this opportunity?
A central feature is the expectation that the funded center will function as a national resource for open sharing of biosamples and data, making it easier for the broader research community to access high-quality materials and associated datasets.
Why does NIMH emphasize a single, centralized national resource?
The single-award, centralized approach is intended to reduce fragmentation, standardize processes, and simplify access pathways for investigators seeking samples and data.
How many awards did NIMH anticipate making?
NIMH anticipated making one award.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $7,080,000.
What funding category does this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity is listed as discretionary and falls under the health funding activity category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.242.
What does "limited competition" mean in this context?
The limited-competition framing indicates that eligibility to apply may be restricted in some way described in the full announcement text, with an intent to continue an existing center or maintain continuity of a specialized national resource.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations; state and local governments (including counties, cities, townships, special districts, and public housing authorities); public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other-than-small businesses); and other entities as clarified in the FOA's additional eligibility language.
Can for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations, including small businesses and other-than-small businesses, are included among eligible applicants.
Can universities and colleges apply?
Yes. Public and private institutions of higher education are included among eligible applicants.
Can government entities apply?
Yes. State and local governments, as well as federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, are included among eligible applicants.
What kind of team is expected to run the center?
The FOA emphasizes that the work should be carried out by a functionally integrated, multidisciplinary team. It notes that a modern genomic biorepository requires expertise across areas such as psychiatric genetics, genomics, biobanking operations, data management and informatics, quality control, ethics and compliance, and user support for investigators requesting materials.
How does NIMH describe the intended impact of this infrastructure?
By strengthening shared infrastructure for biospecimens and data, NIMH is trying to speed up progress in understanding the genetic risk architecture contributing to mental illness and to support both basic discovery and translational work.
What kinds of disorders are within scope?
The resource is intended to support genetic and genomic research on psychiatric and other mental disorders.
What are the expected outcomes of funding this center?
The expected outcome is a stronger, more usable, and more openly shareable national collection of biosamples and data relevant to mental disorders, designed to accelerate discovery about genetic risk factors and support downstream translational efforts that may improve diagnosis, risk prediction, prevention strategies, and treatment development.
Is the goal to serve only the awardee's research program?
No. A central feature is that the center functions as a shared national resource for the broader research community, with wide distribution and access to biosamples and associated data.
What types of activities does the FOA emphasize beyond storage of biospecimens?
In addition to storing samples, the FOA emphasizes processing, curation, distribution, data management and informatics, quality control, ethics and compliance, and user support for investigators requesting materials.
Why does NIH program staff involvement matter for this type of project?
The FOA indicates that close coordination with NIMH helps ensure the resource meets national priorities, adheres to high standards for distribution and access, and stays aligned with evolving practices in genomic science, data sharing, and human subjects protections.
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