Data Sharing for Demographic Research Infrastructure Program
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions and organizations seeking to improve demographic data collection and sharing infrastructure. Universities, research centers, and academic medical centers can apply. Other eligible recipients include government agencies, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits conducting demographic research. This program supports projects that develop tools, platforms, or systems to facilitate data sharing across institutions. Geographic scope covers all U.S. states and territories. Activities include building infrastructure, establishing data governance frameworks, and creating interoperable systems for demographic research data.
Key dates
- Sep 15, 2025 Applications open
- Jul 22, 2026 Application deadline in 51 days
- Apr 1, 2027 Award announced
- Apr 1, 2027 Project start
This grant is for research institutions and organizations seeking to improve demographic data collection and sharing infrastructure. Universities, research centers, and academic medical centers can apply. Other eligible recipients include government agencies, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits conducting demographic research. This program supports projects that develop tools, platforms, or systems to facilitate data sharing across institutions. Geographic scope covers all U.S. states and territories. Activities include building infrastructure, establishing data governance frameworks, and creating interoperable systems for demographic research data.
Program description
This initiative will continue supporting a repository for datasets produced through support from the Population Dynamics Branch (PDB) and other components of NICHD’s Division of Extramural Research. DSDR is widely used by NICHD grantees; complies with NIH data sharing requirements; is listed in the NLM Open Domain-Specific Data Sharing Repositories; and holds more than 3,000 datasets containing over 1.5 million variables. It provides archiving, curation, and dissemination services that are not available through other repositories used by NICHD-funded researchers, such as the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH), and offers data archiving and dissemination services beyond the those required by NIH data sharing policy. This repository houses unique data from qualitative studies, unstructured data sources, and studies of sensitive topics. The grantee will be expected to provide resources to researchers on best practices for archiving data, including information about sharing qualitative and other sensitive data. Annually, DSDR will be required to process 20-40 new and updated datasets; disseminate 135 datasets and their documentation; review and oversee 30 data use agreements; facilitate 700,000 or more downloads of data, documentation, and other resources; maintain a guide to NICHD PDB archived data including data archived elsewhere; and provide technical assistance to 1,500-2,000 users.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for research institutions and organizations seeking to improve demographic data collection and sharing infrastructure. Universities, research centers, and academic medical centers can apply. Other eligible recipients include government agencies, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits conducting demographic research. This program supports projects that develop tools, platforms, or systems to facilitate data sharing across institutions. Geographic scope covers all U.S. states and territories. Activities include building infrastructure, establishing data governance frameworks, and creating interoperable systems for demographic research data.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) Federal application form
- Project Narrative/Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Organizational Capacity and Infrastructure Documentation
- Letters of Support from Partner Institutions
- Data Management and Sharing Plan
- IRB/Privacy Documentation (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Randolph Capps
- 📧 Randy.Capps@NIH.gov
- 📞 2406199856
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
-
$1,059,454,555
-
$719,372,575
-
$276,059,721
-
$155,556,396
-
$155,482,198
-
$103,665,364
-
$74,151,078
-
$71,490,911
-
$52,238,426
-
$47,450,377
Top States by Funding
- WA 1 awards $1,059.5M
- NC 7 awards $921.5M
- MD 4 awards $493.9M
- MA 3 awards $190.0M
- PA 3 awards $145.1M
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 is eligible to apply for this grant?
Universities, research institutions, academic medical centers, government agencies, tribal organizations, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits engaged in research are eligible. Your organization must have the capacity to conduct and manage research projects.
What types of projects does this program fund?
The program funds infrastructure development for demographic data collection and sharing. This includes data systems, platforms, governance frameworks, and interoperability tools that enable research across institutions.
How competitive is this funding opportunity?
NIH programs are highly competitive. Strong applications demonstrate clear need, technical feasibility, and potential for broad research impact. Experienced research teams and institutional support strengthen competitiveness.
What documents will I need to submit?
Typical requirements include the SF-424 federal form, research plan, budget and justification, organizational capacity documentation, and letters of support from partner institutions or data providers.
When is the deadline and how much funding is available?
The application opens September 15, 2025. Check the NIH website or CFDA 93.865 for specific deadline dates and funding amounts, which vary by program year.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start early and engage institutional research administration. NIH applications require careful attention to federal compliance and formatting requirements.
- Build partnerships with data providers or institutions that will benefit from your infrastructure. Collaborative projects score higher than single-institution efforts.
- Address data privacy and security explicitly in your application. Demonstrate knowledge of HIPAA, IRB requirements, and data governance best practices.
- Use your preliminary data or pilot work to show feasibility. Even small-scale demonstrations strengthen credibility of larger infrastructure plans.
- Align your project clearly with NIH strategic priorities. Review recent funding announcements and the agency's research agenda before writing.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications underestimate complexity of data governance and compliance requirements. Many fail to demonstrate adequate institutional commitment or partner buy-in. Weak applications lack clear metrics for measuring infrastructure success and adoption.
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