Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRC)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 18, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions conducting muscular dystrophy research. Academic medical centers, research universities, and research hospitals are eligible. The program supports NIH-recognized institutions with strong research infrastructure.
Applicants must have capacity to establish interdisciplinary research centers with multiple project teams. The center model requires collaboration across departments and access to shared research resources.
Funded projects combine basic, translational, and clinical research on muscular dystrophy. Centers must engage patient advocacy communities and incorporate patient perspectives into research design.
Geographic scope is national. The program is open to institutions throughout the United States.
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Key dates
- Aug 20, 2026 Applications open
- Oct 1, 2027 Application deadline in 347 days
- Jul 1, 2028 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2028 Project start
Program description
This renewal of the Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRCs) continues a legislatively-mandated Centers of Excellence program, which aims to expand and intensify research on muscular dystrophy. The Centers advance basic, translational, and clinical muscular dystrophy research through interdisciplinary collaboration and shared resources for the research community. They support innovative, center-based projects that would be less effective as stand-alone grants, and provide strong training environments for emerging scientists. The Centers also engage patient and advocacy communities to raise research awareness, encourage participation, and ensure patient-centered perspectives inform study design and conduct. Grant authorities that allow NICHD to forecast this opportunity are as follows: 42 U.S.C. 281 (Sec. 401); 42 USC 283g (Sec. 404E); 42 U.S.C. 285g (Sec. 448); 42 USC 284h (Sec. 409D)
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) form
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches
- Resource Sharing Plan
- Institutional Biosketches
- IRB/IBC Approval documentation (if applicable)
- Letters of Support from collaborating departments and patient organizations
Program contact
- 👤 NICHD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch (IDDB)
- 📧 NICHD_IDDB_NOFOs@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.865 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$1,073,967,938
-
$719,372,575
-
$282,005,487
-
$155,556,396
-
$155,482,198
-
$103,665,364
-
$74,151,078
-
$72,701,366
-
$56,043,433
-
$49,667,365
Top States by Funding
- WA 1 awards $1,074.0M
- NC 7 awards $928.6M
- MD 4 awards $513.0M
- MA 3 awards $190.0M
- PA 3 awards $151.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.865). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,282,226,682 | |
| 2025 | $1,333,391,690 | |
| 2026 est. | $184,920,723 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Research institutions including universities, medical schools, and hospitals can apply. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to build interdisciplinary research centers with multiple project teams.
What is the funding amount?
Awards typically reach approximately $1,000,000 or higher. Actual amounts vary based on research scope and institutional needs.
What type of research does this fund?
The program supports basic, translational, and clinical muscular dystrophy research. Centers must include multiple research projects and shared resources.
Is cost sharing required?
No cost sharing is required for this grant. All eligible research costs can be fully funded.
When is the application deadline?
The fixed deadline is October 1, 2027. Plan application timelines accordingly, as this is a federal research grant.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Build your application around the center model, not individual projects. Emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration and shared resources across your organization.
- Include a strong patient engagement strategy. Explain how patient and advocacy communities will shape research priorities and study design.
- Demonstrate your institution's research infrastructure. Detail laboratory facilities, equipment, and support services that will strengthen the center.
- Recruit strong project leaders across different research areas. Show how basic, translational, and clinical investigators will work together.
- Plan for sustainability and training. Explain how the center will support early-career scientists and continue beyond the initial funding period.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak interdisciplinary collaboration; projects read as standalone studies. Missing or superficial patient engagement plan. Unclear mechanism for shared resources across projects.
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