Limited Competition: John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program (S21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 12, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for higher education institutions seeking to strengthen health disparities research infrastructure. Only eligible institutions of higher education may apply; the NIH will issue limited competition invitations to specific organizations. This is not a clinical trial program. Funding supports infrastructure improvements, equipment acquisition, research expertise development, academic program expansion, and faculty recruitment—not direct research projects.
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Key dates
- Sep 8, 2026 Applications open
- May 25, 2027 Application deadline in 254 days
- Jun 30, 2028 Award announced
- Jun 30, 2028 Project start
Program description
As authorized under section 464z-3(h) of the Public Health Service Act, the purpose of the John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program is to strengthen the research infrastructure and training capacity at eligible institutions of higher education to facilitate health disparities research. Specific strategic objectives include: 1) improving the institutional physical infrastructure and acquisition of research equipment, 2) developing research-enabling technical expertise, 3) expansion of academic science programs relevant to scientific research, and 4) merit-based recruitment of highly accomplished researchers for open faculty positions. The John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program does not directly support research projects.
This is a Forecast for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply. Please see Eligibility Section for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the application(s) will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious application(s) will be considered for funding.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- HBCU
- HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution)
- Private University
- Public University
- TCU (Tribal Colleges)
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R)
- Project Narrative
- Budget Justification
- Organizational Capacity Documentation
- Letters of Commitment (institutional leadership)
Program contact
- 👤 NIMHD DCHPS Scientific Team
- 📧 NIMHDDCHPSSciTeam@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail.
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
-
$54,249,930
-
$51,465,884
-
$45,796,667
-
$45,662,300
-
$43,324,588
-
$41,194,375
-
$40,826,614
-
$40,176,875
-
$37,991,760
Top States by Funding
- CA 10 awards $300.8M
- NC 5 awards $133.6M
- TX 5 awards $96.6M
- NY 6 awards $91.5M
- GA 3 awards $81.1M
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 to the John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program?
Eligible institutions of higher education invited in the limited competition. This is not an open call; only organizations selected by NIH can apply.
What activities does this grant fund?
Infrastructure improvements, research equipment, technical expertise development, academic program expansion, and faculty recruitment for health disparities research.
Does this grant support clinical trials?
No. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed under this program.
What is the application deadline?
May 25, 2027. This is a fixed deadline; rolling submissions are not accepted.
How much funding is typically awarded?
Awards range up to $2,000,000. The total pool is $12,000,000, and no cost-sharing is required.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Confirm your institution receives an official NIH invitation before preparing an application. This is limited competition only.
- Emphasize how your project advances health disparities research infrastructure and capacity, not direct research activities.
- Clearly budget for equipment, facility improvements, and personnel to support research enabling infrastructure.
- Demonstrate institutional commitment and sustainability beyond the grant period.
- Highlight the qualifications of faculty you plan to recruit and how they strengthen health disparities research programs.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applying without receiving a limited competition invitation. Proposing direct research or clinical trials instead of infrastructure and capacity building. Underestimating the need for detailed facility and equipment justification tied to health disparities research goals.
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