Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE) (R24 – Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 4, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for federally recognized Native American tribes, tribal organizations, tribal colleges, and Native Hawaiian organizations seeking to establish or enhance their institutional review board (IRB) capacity. The program supports infrastructure development, staff training, and operational improvements needed to conduct ethical oversight of research involving tribal members. Eligible applicants must have strong community research infrastructure or commitment to developing it, and activities are limited to non-clinical trial research governance and IRB institutional strengthening. Geographic scope is limited to tribal lands, tribal territories, and areas with significant Native American or Native Hawaiian populations.</eligibility_summary>
<parameter name="faq_text">Q: Who is eligible to apply for TIRBEE funding?
A: Federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, tribal colleges and universities, Native Hawaiian organizations, and tribal consortia are eligible. Applicants must demonstrate capacity or commitment to establishing/enhancing IRB operations.
Q: What activities are not funded under this grant?
A: Clinical trials research is explicitly not allowed. The program focuses on IRB infrastructure, governance, policies, and training—not research implementation itself.
Q: What types of costs can be supported?
A: Typical supported costs include IRB staff salaries, training and professional development, policy development, regulatory compliance infrastructure, technology systems, and institutional capacity building related to human subjects protection.
Q: How competitive is this grant?
A: TIRBEE is moderately competitive. Reviewers prioritize applicants with clear needs, strategic plans, institutional support, and realistic budgets. Strong community engagement and sustainability plans strengthen applications.
Q: What is the typical funding range?
A: R24 mechanisms typically provide $100,000-$250,000+ per year. Multi-year awards are common. Check current funding announcements for exact maximum award amounts.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Program description
The purpose of the Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE) award is to support federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes, Tribal colleges and universities, Tribal health programs, or Tribal organizations(collectively, eligible Tribal entities) to establish Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or enhance the capacity of existing Tribal IRBs.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 federal application form
- Project narrative/statement of need describing current IRB capacity and specific infrastructure gaps
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Timeline and milestones for IRB establishment or enhancement
- Letters of support from tribal leadership, institutional partners, and community stakeholders
- Organizational documentation (tribal recognition documentation, tax-exempt status verification if applicable)
- Curriculum vitae or biosketches for key project personnel
- Organizational capacity statement addressing infrastructure, staffing, and institutional support
- Sustainability plan explaining post-award funding and IRB maintenance strategy
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
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
-
$57,271,194
-
$56,978,109
-
$56,938,161
-
$56,890,714
-
$56,074,483
Top States by Funding
- OK 6 awards $208.0M
- DE 5 awards $192.3M
- NY 6 awards $190.1M
- CA 6 awards $184.0M
- NE 5 awards $167.1M
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 |
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly articulate your current IRB capacity gaps and specific infrastructure needs; reviewers want to see honest assessment and strategic planning, not broad requests.
- Build a strong community and institutional foundation section showing tribal leadership buy-in, commitment of institutional resources, and evidence of community research engagement.
- Develop a detailed sustainability plan explaining how IRB operations will be maintained after federal funding ends—this addresses reviewer concerns about long-term viability.
- Include concrete metrics and milestones for IRB development (e.g., number of protocols reviewed, staff certifications, policy adoption timelines) to demonstrate accountability.
- Partner with established research institutions or IRB consultants to provide technical expertise and credibility; collaboration strengthens applications while building capacity.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail due to lack of clear institutional commitment or community engagement—reviewers want to see evidence that the tribe/organization is invested, not just applying for money. Another common problem is proposing unrealistic budgets or vague deliverables; specificity about costs and measurable outcomes is essential. Finally, some applicants overlook the prohibition on clinical trial research, inadvertently including activities that fall outside the program's scope.
Similar grants
- OPEN Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) Planning Grants (R34 – Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Tribal Self-Governance – Planning — Indian Health Service
- OPEN Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health