Partnership with Common Fund Data Ecosystem Resources
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for partnerships between NIH Common Fund programs and non-Common Fund biomedical data resources. Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, and organizations managing biomedical data ecosystems. The partnership must involve collaboration to enhance reusability of Common Fund data and connect existing data ecosystems. Projects may involve data integration, FAIR principles implementation, or interoperability development. Clinical trials are not eligible.
All US institutions can apply. Foreign institutions may participate as collaborators but cannot serve as lead applicants. Awardees must have capacity to manage, host, or integrate large-scale biomedical datasets.
The project should clearly demonstrate how the partnership strengthens both the Common Fund Data Ecosystem and the partner's existing data resource.
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Key dates
- Aug 6, 2026 Applications open
- May 25, 2027 Application deadline in 248 days
- Apr 3, 2028 Award announced
- Apr 3, 2028 Project start
Program description
The NIH Office of Strategic Coordination (Common Fund) has generated many valuable and widely available datasets. The Common Fund Data Ecosystem is helping to ensure that all Common Fund (CF) data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to announce the availability of funds for projects that involve collaboration between CF programs and a non-CF biomedical data resource or ecosystem to develop resources that will enhance reusability of Common Fund data and help to connect the Common Fund Data Ecosystem with other important biomedical data ecosystems and resources. Examples of other NIH data resources and ecosystems that could be included in this partnership effort include, but are not limited to, the Helping to End Addition Long-term (HEAL) Data Ecosystem, Brain Research Through Advancing Innovation Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, Cancer Research Data Commons (CRDC), ImmPort Shared Data, Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Library of Medicine research resources, and the Medical Imaging and Data Resource Center (MIDRC). Clinical trials will not be accepted through this NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&D)
- Project Narrative (Research Strategy)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Facilities and Administrative Costs documentation
- Letters of Commitment from Common Fund program partner
- Data Management Plan
- Biosketches (key personnel)
Program contact
- 👤 Common Fund Data Ecosystem Program
- 📧 cfde@od.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via email.
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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$383,462,829
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$198,364,987
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$190,396,050
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$179,737,926
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$169,422,678
-
$148,383,140
-
$143,679,156
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$115,739,255
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$91,722,927
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$90,799,903
Top States by Funding
- NC 4 awards $446.4M
- WA 1 awards $383.5M
- MD 2 awards $317.8M
- NY 3 awards $207.3M
- CA 1 awards $198.4M
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
What types of organizations can apply?
Research institutions, universities, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and other entities with established biomedical data resources can apply. The applicant must be a non-Common Fund data program seeking formal partnership.
What does the Common Fund Data Ecosystem include?
The Common Fund has generated multiple datasets across various research programs. This grant funds partnerships that enhance data reusability through FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
Can my organization apply if we don't have an existing data resource?
Applications must involve collaboration with an established biomedical data ecosystem. Organizations without existing data infrastructure are unlikely to be competitive.
What does a competitive application look like?
Strong applications clearly demonstrate synergy between the partner data resource and Common Fund data. They show specific technical approaches to improve interoperability and reusability.
How much funding is typically available per award?
Awards generally range from $500,000 to $1,200,000 per year. Total program funding is $5,000,000, so only a few partnerships will be funded.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Define the specific Common Fund program(s) you will partner with early in application development. Contact that program's leadership before submitting.
- Show concrete technical approaches to FAIR implementation. General statements about collaboration are not competitive without detailed methodology.
- Demonstrate how your partner institution brings unique value. Explain what capabilities or data assets complement the Common Fund resource.
- Include letters of commitment from both your organization and the Common Fund program partner. Vague expressions of interest will not suffice.
- Emphasize sustainability beyond the award period. Reviewers want to see how the partnership becomes self-sustaining after initial funding ends.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications that lack clear partnership agreements or commitment letters from both parties are frequently rejected. Generic descriptions of data interoperability without specific technical implementation details fail to convince reviewers. Projects that do not demonstrably serve the Common Fund Data Ecosystem alongside their own resource are misaligned with the NOFO's purpose.
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