Coordinating Center for the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA AG 23 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 23 006

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is soliciting applications for a single Coordinating Center (CC) to support the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) program. This funding opportunity is issued as a cooperative agreement (U24), meaning the awardee is expected to work closely with NIA and the network of OAIC sites, rather than operating completely independently as in a standard research grant. Clinical trials are optional under this announcement, so applicants may propose activities that do or do not involve clinical trial work, depending on the coordination needs they plan to address.

The core purpose of the Coordinating Center is to function as the national hub for the OAIC network. In practical terms, the CC is expected to facilitate communication and collaboration across all OAIC sites, support cross-site coordination, and help the OAIC program operate as an integrated national effort rather than a set of disconnected centers. Just as importantly, the CC is expected to act as a conduit for translation and dissemination, taking OAIC goals, activities, and research findings and packaging them appropriately for both scientific audiences (researchers, clinicians, professional societies) and general audiences (older adults, caregivers, community groups, and other stakeholders). The emphasis is on enabling effective interactions among centers and ensuring the broader impact of OAIC-supported work is visible, understandable, and usable.

Because this is a coordination-focused award, NIA sets clear expectations about who should apply. The proposed Coordinating Center must show it can work cooperatively with every OAIC site and must have sufficient scientific depth in geriatrics and related fields to credibly lead national coordination functions for a clinical aging research network. The announcement also signals that NIA is looking for a very specific kind of institutional track record: applicants should be institutions that have already demonstrated the ability to coordinate multi-site projects, specifically evidenced by prior U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funding for a coordinating center role within a multi-site research grant. In other words, the applicant is expected to bring proven operational experience running the kinds of cross-institution systems, meetings, workflows, and reporting structures that multi-site research networks require, along with demonstrated expertise in clinical aging research.

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types, including 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 Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education for those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The notice also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as 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 (AANAPISISs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the announcement draws firm lines around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicants. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant organization may include certain foreign collaborations or elements if they meet NIH policy requirements, even though a foreign institution cannot serve as the primary applicant.

Administratively, the opportunity is identified as RFA-AG-23-006 and falls under the Health activity category with CFDA number 93.866. The original closing date listed is May 16, 2022, and the listed award ceiling is $425,000. The opportunity was created on January 6, 2022. Overall, the announcement is aimed at selecting a highly capable, experienced coordinating organization that can keep the OAIC network aligned and productive, strengthen collaboration among the centers, and improve how OAIC outputs are communicated and translated to the audiences that can use them.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Coordinating Center for the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-16. (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 $425,000.00 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 AG 23 006

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