Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 24 272

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 272

The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program hub opportunity (PAR 24 272) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (UM1, clinical trial optional) designed to support institutions that can serve as regional and national engines for clinical and translational science. The overall purpose is to speed up the path from research discoveries to real-world health impact, with an emphasis on getting more treatments to more people faster. Rather than funding isolated projects, this program builds and sustains "hub" organizations that join a national consortium and work together to improve how translational research is done across the country.

A central theme of the NOFO is innovation in both science and operations across the full translational spectrum. The hubs are expected to develop, test, and share new approaches that make translation more efficient and effective, starting from early discovery and moving through first-in-human studies, broader clinical research, implementation in medical practice, and eventually dissemination to communities. In practical terms, that means the program is looking for institutions that can streamline the pipeline, reduce avoidable delays, improve study startup and conduct, and help evidence move reliably into routine care and public health settings.

The CTSA hubs are also expected to function as partnership builders. The NOFO places strong weight on collaborations that can accelerate translational projects locally, regionally, and nationally. This includes strengthening connections among universities, hospitals, health systems, community organizations, and other stakeholders so that research questions are more aligned with real needs, studies are more feasible and inclusive, and results can be adopted more quickly. The consortium model is meant to encourage shared solutions and spread what works, instead of each site reinventing the wheel.

Health equity and addressing disparities are explicit priorities. Applicants are expected to create and disseminate programs and partnerships that reach across institutions and communities, specifically aiming to ensure the benefits of translational science are delivered to all populations. This is not limited to participant recruitment; it also covers how research priorities are set, how communities are engaged, how interventions are implemented, and how outcomes are measured and improved across diverse settings. The expectation is that hubs will have the capacity and relationships to do meaningful, sustained community-engaged translational work.

Another major focus is improving the quality, safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and informativeness of clinical research. That includes operational innovations that reduce burden while strengthening rigor, approaches that improve participant protections and data quality, and methods that make studies more informative (for example, better design, better endpoints, better use of data, and better learning from routine clinical care). The NOFO is essentially asking hubs to raise the standard of how clinical research is performed and to share those improvements across the consortium.

The program also serves a national readiness function. CTSA hubs are expected to provide resources and coordination capacity that can be mobilized quickly in response to urgent public health needs. This implies an expectation of scalable infrastructure, established procedures, and networks that can pivot quickly when emergencies arise, supporting timely research and evidence generation when it matters most.

Workforce development is built into the mission. The NOFO calls for creating, providing, and disseminating clinical and translational science training for clinical research professionals across all disciplines on the research team. That typically means building training and career development programs that strengthen competencies for investigators and research staff, improve the professionalism of the clinical research workforce, and support team science across specialties, including community partners and operational roles that are essential for high-performing research programs.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary NIH opportunity under a cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally means substantial NIH involvement and coordination compared with a standard grant. The funding instrument is UM1 and is listed as "clinical trial optional," meaning applicants may propose work that includes clinical trials if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required. The activity category is health, and the CFDA number provided is 93.350. The original closing date listed is 2027-09-28.

Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based public and private entities: state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; certain tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible applicants as described in the NOFO. The announcement also highlights categories such as Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations, reflecting the program's interest in broad participation and strong community and regional engagement.

Restrictions on foreign participation are clearly stated. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign elements if they meet NIH definitions and are justified within the overall project structure.

In short, this CTSA hub funding opportunity is about building high-capacity, collaborative translational science centers that can innovate, share best practices nationally, strengthen partnerships, advance equity, improve clinical research quality and efficiency, respond rapidly to public health emergencies, and train the interdisciplinary workforce needed to move discoveries into better health outcomes at scale.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.350.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-09-28.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 24 272

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