Limited Competition: Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 18, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for federally-recognized Tribal Nations and Tribal Entities seeking to establish or enhance Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). Eligible applicants must have formal federal tribal recognition and capacity to conduct biomedical research involving human participants. The IRB serves as the primary governance mechanism for ethical review of research in tribal communities. Geographic scope is national across all federally-recognized tribes.
Activities supported include establishing new IRBs, expanding existing IRB capacity, and building infrastructure for research oversight. Funding supports institutional development and operational enhancements. Training and staff development related to IRB functions are typical eligible uses.
This is a limited competition. NIH will invite applications from eligible organizations only. Peer review determines which meritorious applications receive funding.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Key dates
- Sep 14, 2026 Applications open
- May 25, 2027 Application deadline in 218 days
- Apr 1, 2028 Award announced
- Apr 1, 2028 Project start
Program description
The Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE) Notice of Funding Opportunity will enable federally-recognized Tribes or Tribal Entities to establish or enhance Institutional Review Boards. TIRBEE builds the capacity and infrastructure for biomedical research involving human participants in federally-recognized Tribal communities by expanding their Institutional Review Board review and oversight capabilities.
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.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Federal application form)
- Project Narrative/Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Tribal Resolution or leadership endorsement
- IRB policies and procedures documentation
- Organizational capacity and infrastructure description
Program contact
- 👤 NIGMS TIRBEE Program
- 📧 NIGMS_TIRBEE_Program@nigms.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.859 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$77,061,081
-
$65,300,599
-
$64,096,874
-
$62,932,780
-
$59,464,779
-
$58,957,560
-
$57,271,194
-
$56,978,109
-
$56,938,161
-
$56,890,714
Top States by Funding
- OK 6 awards $211.9M
- NY 6 awards $193.6M
- DE 5 awards $192.3M
- CA 6 awards $186.3M
- ME 5 awards $169.8M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.859). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $3,085,929,426 | |
| 2025 | $3,092,472,727 | |
| 2026 est. | $3,093,422,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
Federally-recognized Tribal Nations and Tribal Entities can apply. You must have formal federal recognition status and capacity to conduct biomedical research.
What happens through peer review?
NIH staff review applications using standard peer-review processes. Only meritorious applications are funded.
What can the grant fund?
Funding supports IRB establishment, enhancement, staff training, and research infrastructure development. Operational capacity-building is a primary focus.
Is this a limited competition?
Yes. NIH will invite eligible organizations to apply rather than opening to all applicants.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is May 25, 2027. Applicants should verify current information on NIH grants website before submitting.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate clear need for IRB capacity in your tribal community and existing research or research readiness.
- Connect IRB development to tribal research priorities and benefit to tribal members.
- Document current research oversight gaps and how the grant will address them.
- Include tribal leadership support and commitment to sustaining the IRB long-term.
- Emphasize training plan for IRB staff and board members in federal regulations and ethical research practices.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack clear evidence of tribal research need or existing research partnerships. IRB operations plan is vague about federal compliance requirements or tribal governance integration. Insufficient detail on staff qualifications or training timeline for IRB development.
Similar grants
- OPEN Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE) (R24 – Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Limited Competition: Tribal Undergraduate and Graduate Research Training and Leadership Experiences (TURTLE) Program — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Limited Competition: NIMHD Initiative for Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Outcomes (U19 – Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Limited Competition: Biomedical Research Environment & Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) Program — National Institutes of Health