Genome Sequencing Center for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for supporting genome sequencing infrastructure and services within the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program, a NIH-funded initiative focused on childhood disease research. Eligible applicants are typically research institutions, medical centers, universities, and established research organizations with demonstrated capacity to conduct high-throughput genome sequencing and provide sequencing services to the broader research community. Applicants must have technical expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, and data management, and commit to making sequencing data available through established data repositories. The program explicitly excludes applications involving clinical trials (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). Geographic scope is national. Successful centers serve as shared resources supporting pediatric disease research across multiple investigator teams.
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Key dates
- May 14, 2025 Applications open
- Oct 30, 2025 Application deadline
- Jul 30, 2026 Award announced
- Jul 30, 2026 Project start
Program description
The NIH Common Fund, with other NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First), which seeks to help researchers uncover new insights into the biology of childhood cancer and congenital anomalies, including the discovery of shared genetic pathways between these disorders, to understand the underlying mechanisms of disease and ultimately lead to more targeted therapies and interventions for patients and families. The program’s Genome Sequencing Center initiative will fund adding data to the resource, expanding data types as technologies mature and scientific rationale warrant, and expanding to add clinic-based data sources. 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. This NOFO will utilize the U24 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into childhood cancer and/or congenital abnormalities data are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) and SF-424 Supplement
- Project Narrative/Research Strategy describing the sequencing center, services, and pediatric disease research focus
- Detailed budget and budget justification (typically 5 years for U24)
- Biosketches of key personnel (director, bioinformatician, senior sequencing technician)
- Letters of support from collaborating institutions and investigator teams
- Institutional commitment letter confirming resources and sustainability plans
- Data management and sharing plan
- Facilities and equipment description
- Letters of reference (optional but recommended)
Program contact
- 👤 Concepcion R. Nierras, Ph.D. Office of Strategic Coordination, DPCPSI, OD
- 📧 concepcion.nierras@nih.gov
- 📞 301-435-5840
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.310 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$973,507,476
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$383,462,829
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$190,396,050
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$179,737,926
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$169,422,678
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$167,922,818
-
$147,947,250
-
$143,679,156
-
$115,739,255
-
$91,722,927
Top States by Funding
- CA 3 awards $1,196.2M
- NC 4 awards $446.1M
- WA 1 awards $383.5M
- MD 2 awards $317.4M
- NY 4 awards $261.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.310). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,174,839,078 | |
| 2025 | $1,062,277,534 | |
| 2026 est. | $28,100,048 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Research institutions, universities, medical centers, and established research organizations with demonstrated genomics expertise and infrastructure. Applicants must have capacity to perform large-scale genome sequencing and manage associated data.
What activities are supported?
Establishment or enhancement of genome sequencing centers that provide services to the pediatric research community, including sequencing, data management, quality control, and bioinformatics support. Clinical trial activities are not allowed.
What is the timeline for this grant?
The application opens May 14, 2025. Check the NIH Guide for Notice announcements for specific deadlines, as they vary by funding mechanism and receipt dates.
How competitive is this funding?
U24 grants supporting shared research resources are highly competitive. Strong applications require evidence of institutional commitment, experienced personnel, established protocols, and plans for serving a broad research community.
What is the typical funding range?
NIH U24 awards typically range from $500,000 to $2+ million annually, depending on the scope of sequencing services and infrastructure needs. Budget justification must align with proposed services.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish letters of support from major research institutions and investigators who will use the sequencing center's services; demonstrate genuine demand for your center's capacity.
- Detail your data sharing and repository integration plans upfront, as NIH expects sequencing data to be available to the broader research community through established systems.
- Include a staffing plan with CVs of key personnel (director, bioinformaticians, sequencing technicians) showing relevant experience in high-throughput genomics and pediatric research contexts.
- Provide letters of institutional support confirming financial commitment, facility space, and equipment resources; NIH wants evidence that the center will be sustainable beyond the award period.
- Address quality assurance and quality control procedures explicitly, including validation of sequencing methods and processes for handling and documenting samples from diverse pediatric populations.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail to demonstrate sufficient institutional commitment or a realistic sustainability plan for the sequencing center beyond the initial funding period. Many applicants underestimate the complexity of the data management, bioinformatics, and repository integration requirements, or fail to show how they will balance serving a diverse range of pediatric research teams. Additionally, proposals lacking strong evidence of demand (i.e., letters of support from established investigators planning to use the center) are less competitive.
Similar grants
- CLOSED Continued Development of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Data Resource Center (U2C Clinical Trials Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Discovery of the Genetic Basis of Childhood Cancers and of Congenital Anomalies: Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (X01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- CLOSED Gabriella Miller Kids First Training and Outreach Core (U24 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Genomic Community Resources (U24 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Supporting Talented Early Career Researchers in Genomics (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health