Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) (U54 – Clinical Trial Optional)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) seeking to expand research capacity in health sciences. Eligible applicants are less research-intensive institutions offering doctoral degrees in health professions or health-related sciences. The program supports institutional research and investigator development, not individual researchers. Applicants must establish required cores: Administrative, Research Capacity, Investigator Development, and Community Engagement. Each center may propose up to three research projects spanning basic biomedical, behavioral/social science, and clinical/health services research areas.
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Key dates
- Jun 10, 2025 Applications open
- Nov 26, 2025 Application deadline
- Mar 25, 2026 Award announced
- May 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications to expand the national capacity for research in the health sciences. NIH established the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) program in 1985 in response to Congressional interest to provide support to less research-intensive institutions that offer doctorate degrees in the health professions or in a health-related science.
The primary goals of RCMI Specialized Center awards are to: (1) enhance institutional research capacity to conduct world-class basic biomedical, behavioral, population and/or clinical patient-centered or health services research; (2) enable all levels of investigators at the recipient institution to compete successfully for extramural support, especially from NIH, for research on diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact populations that experience health disparities; (3) facilitate research career development and enhancement for post-doctoral fellows, junior faculty members, and other early-stage investigators; (4) enhance the tools for, and conduct of, biomedical research; and (5) establish sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations to promote research efforts and the dissemination of research findings.
The RCMI program allows flexibility at the applicant institution with respect to the types of research resources required to accomplish research and investigator development goals. The most important criterion for any component in the proposed Center is the extent to which the activity or resource will enable the institution to achieve the stated goals and objectives.
The following components are required for each RCMI Center:
- Overall
- Administrative Core
- Research Capacity Core
- Investigator Development Core`
- Community Engagement Core
- Research Project(s): Maximum three projects
Centers are expected to support up to three research projects with an explicit focus on one or more of the following scientific areas: 1) basic biomedical research, and/or 2) behavioral or social science research or population science, and/or 3) clinical or health services research. Successful projects will emphasize research that directly interacts with participants. To receive the maximum Center budget, applicants must propose one research project in each of the three scientific focus areas.
Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.
In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in multiple scientific disciplines ranging from basic, behavioral, as well as clinical research will be encouraged.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NIH SF-424 (Research & Related) form
- Project Narrative and Supporting Documentation
- Institutional Research Center Description
- Biographical Sketches (key personnel)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Letters of Support (from collaborating institutions and community partners)
Program contact
- 👤 Nathan Stinson, Jr., PhD, MD, MPH National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
- 📧 stinsonn@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 301-594-8704
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.307 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$57,145,935
-
$48,558,256
-
$45,796,667
-
$43,100,665
-
$41,194,375
-
$38,870,836
-
$37,991,760
-
$37,142,240
-
$35,966,257
-
$35,161,090
Top States by Funding
- CA 9 awards $245.6M
- NC 4 awards $112.1M
- TX 5 awards $93.2M
- NY 6 awards $91.5M
- GA 3 awards $76.6M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.307). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2018 | $262,996,990 | |
| 2019 | $273,841,218 | |
| 2020 | $334,014,214 | |
| 2021 | $899,466,003 | |
| 2022 | $421,276,230 | |
| 2023 | $540,394,878 | |
| 2024 est. | $489,444,934 | |
| 2025 est. | $489,444,934 |
FAQ
Who can apply for RCMI funding?
Less research-intensive institutions offering doctoral degrees in health professions or health-related sciences. Individual researchers cannot apply; institutions must be the applicant.
What is the application deadline?
The Notice of Funding Opportunity will be published on a future date with a November 26, 2025 deadline. This is a forecast announcement; applications are not yet being accepted.
What components must be included in an RCMI application?
Centers must include an Administrative Core, Research Capacity Core, Investigator Development Core, Community Engagement Core, and up to three research projects. Projects should span basic biomedical, behavioral/social science, and clinical research areas.
How much funding is available?
The total program pool is $22,000,000 available for all awards. Individual award amounts vary based on proposed scope and institutional capacity.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant. The award is a cooperative agreement with no matching funds obligation.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Begin planning now: This is a forecast announcement, so use this time to develop collaborations and build partnerships before the formal NOFO is published.
- Demonstrate institutional commitment: Show concrete evidence that your institution will support the research infrastructure beyond the grant period.
- Balance the three research focus areas: Proposing projects in all three areas (basic biomedical, behavioral/social science, and clinical) positions your center for maximum funding.
- Emphasize community partnerships: Develop genuine relationships with community organizations before submitting; generic partnerships will weaken your application.
- Build investigator development: Invest heavily in describing mechanisms to support post-doctoral fellows, junior faculty, and early-stage investigators in competing for future NIH funding.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to secure meaningful community partnerships before submission. Proposing research projects that don't clearly address health disparities. Underestimating the administrative and infrastructure requirements of running a successful research center.
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