Core "Center of Transformative Science" Grant Program
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions seeking to establish Centers of Transformative Science in substance use, addiction, and HIV research. Applicants must have investigators already funded by NIH or other Federal/non-Federal sources. Institutions should propose a single Center that brings together multiple funded investigators and creates shared research resources.
The Center must foster innovative, interdisciplinary collaboration across existing research portfolios. It should provide administrative support, facilitate new and early-career investigator opportunities, and promote data and resource sharing. Incremental research extensions are not acceptable; the Center must advance the scientific field in a transformative way.
Eligible recipients typically include research universities, medical centers, and other research institutions with established NIH funding. International institutions may apply if they meet NIH requirements.
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Key dates
- May 7, 2026 Applications open
- Sep 25, 2026 Application deadline in 70 days
- Jul 1, 2027 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2027 Project start
Program description
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) seeks to advance its mission by supporting Core Center of Transformative Science Grants. These Centers will bring together investigators currently funded by NIH or other Federal or non-Federal sources to enhance and extend existing research relevant to substance use, addiction, and HIV. Centers are expected to transform the scientific field of study by facilitating research, providing administrative support, and fostering a rigorous research environment that encourages innovative and creative directions. Incremental work should not be the focus of Center activities.
Applications responding to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are strongly encouraged to integrate and promote research across funded projects at the applicant institution that align with the Center’s theme, while also supporting interdisciplinary collaborations. Each application should propose a single Center. Centers may include a range of resources with distinct goals across the different scientific areas. They are intended to provide shared resources to a research community, such as imaging capabilities or small-molecule drug chemistry support. Centers must also prioritize providing research opportunities and experiences for new and early-career investigators, facilitating collaborations, and promoting the sharing of data, research findings, and resources to achieve the program goals. Grant authorities that allow NIDA to forecast this opportunity are as follows: 42 U.S.C 241 and 284
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance
- Project Narrative/Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Institutional Commitments and Letters of Support
- Biographical Sketches (PD/PI and key personnel)
- Facilities and Other Resources
- Data Sharing Plan
Program contact
- 👤 NIDA Referral Officer
- 📧 NIDAreferral@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.279 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$204,359,786
-
$128,078,833
-
$126,585,435
-
$99,478,296
-
$79,333,238
-
$78,351,755
-
$74,806,844
-
$71,588,047
-
$61,578,651
-
$50,952,037
Top States by Funding
- NY 4 awards $260.8M
- WA 1 awards $204.4M
- CT 2 awards $155.8M
- CA 4 awards $141.1M
- MD 2 awards $128.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.279). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,245,503,136 | |
| 2025 | $1,343,517,098 | |
| 2026 est. | $20,194,375 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Research institutions with multiple investigators already funded by NIH or other federal/non-federal sources can apply. Your institution must be able to demonstrate existing research capacity in substance use, addiction, or HIV.
What is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is September 25, 2026. Check the NIH grants.gov page for any updates or notices of intent requirements.
What activities should the Center focus on?
Focus on providing shared resources (imaging, drug chemistry, etc.), fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and creating opportunities for new and early-career investigators. Transformative science, not incremental work, is the goal.
How competitive is this program?
These are highly competitive grants. Success requires demonstrating how your Center will transform the field, not just extend existing work. Strong letters of support from multiple investigators are critical.
What is the typical funding amount?
Award amounts are not specified in the NOFO. Contact NIDA program staff for guidance on typical Center budgets for your research area.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Build your application on investigators with current NIH or major federal funding. Demonstrate their existing research networks and collaborations clearly.
- Make the case for transformation, not continuation. Show how the Center will change the direction of the field or unlock new research directions.
- Highlight shared resources and facilities your institution will dedicate. Be specific about imaging, chemistry, cores, or other infrastructure.
- Prioritize early-career and new investigator development. Show concrete mentoring plans, career-building opportunities, and pathway support.
- Develop strong letter-of-support strategy. Letters from funded investigators and institutional leaders should emphasize commitment and complementary strengths.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications proposing incremental extensions of existing research rather than transformative approaches are rejected. Centers without meaningful shared resources or clear infrastructure for collaboration fail to address the NOFO intent. Weak demonstration of early-career investigator support and mentoring weakens competitiveness significantly.
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