Limited Competition: Renewal of Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)(P20 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 264

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 264

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health is offering a limited-competition renewal opportunity for existing Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) awards under the IDeA (Institutional Development Award) Program. This funding is meant for institutions that already hold an eligible COBRE grant and are seeking to renew it, rather than for brand-new COBRE centers. The core purpose is to deepen and sustain an institution's biomedical research capacity by maintaining a focused, thematic, multidisciplinary research center that helps investigators build strong programs and move toward becoming independently funded through NIH research project grants or other competitive, peer-reviewed external support.

COBRE is fundamentally an infrastructure and investigator development program. The center model is designed to create an environment where developing investigators can access shared resources, mentoring, and scientific leadership tied to a coherent research theme. In practice, renewals typically emphasize progress made during the prior award period, continued strengthening of the institution's research ecosystem, and clear evidence that supported investigators are advancing toward independence (for example, by publishing, generating preliminary data, and successfully competing for individual grants). The announcement notes that the mechanism is P20 and is "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning proposed activities may include clinical trials but are not required to do so; applicants can propose work with or without a clinical trial component as appropriate to their center's theme and goals.

This opportunity sits within the broader IDeA Program, which targets historically underfunded states and jurisdictions (often referred to as IDeA states) to improve competitiveness in health-related research. The intent is not only to fund projects, but to build lasting capability at eligible institutions by strengthening research administration, shared core facilities, collaborative culture, and the pipeline for new and early-stage investigators. The expectation is that, over time, COBRE-supported investigators and programs transition from center-supported development to sustained, independent funding streams.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations, but the competition is limited to renewal-eligible COBRE awardees. The listing includes potential applicant types such as state, county, city, township, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized 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; and small businesses. The announcement also highlights categories often associated with capacity-building priorities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, and foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. In other words, the applicant organization and the work supported under this opportunity must be based in the United States and cannot include foreign components under NIH definitions.

From the source data provided, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the health category (CFDA 93.859) administered by NIH/NIGMS. The funding opportunity number is PAR-18-264. The original closing date listed is September 28, 2018, and the maximum award amount (ceiling) shown is $1,500,000. The expected number of awards is not specified in the excerpt. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as continued support for an established COBRE center to preserve and expand institutional research infrastructure and to keep moving investigators along the pathway to independent, competitive biomedical research funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Renewal of Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)(P20 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-09-28. (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 PAR 18 264

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