The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), is preparing to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Resource-based Centers for Rheumatic Diseases Research." This opportunity is currently in the forecast stage and is intended to support the development of resource-based centers that will enhance research infrastructure for rheumatic disease investigations. These centers are expected to provide critical facilities, shared services, and research resources to aid individual and collaborative scientific studies.
The primary objective of this funding is to accelerate and enrich the effectiveness of ongoing basic, translational, and clinical research in rheumatic diseases. By fostering shared infrastructure, NIAMS aims to support more efficient and collaborative scientific efforts that align with its mission. The centers will facilitate advanced investigations and may include multidisciplinary teams to explore various aspects of rheumatic disease pathogenesis, diagnostics, and treatments.
While the opportunity is not currently open for applications, NIAMS is releasing this forecast to encourage early planning and collaboration among potential applicants. Investigators with relevant expertise in rheumatic diseases, as well as those interested in interdisciplinary collaborations, are advised to begin developing their project concepts and partnerships in anticipation of the upcoming NOFO release.
The funding instrument for this opportunity is a grant, and it falls under the discretionary category of funding activities with a specific focus on health-related research. A total of three awards are expected to be distributed under this program. However, details regarding the total program funding, award ceiling, and award floor have not yet been disclosed.
Eligibility for this funding includes a broad range of applicant types such as county governments, state governments, tribal governments and organizations, independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses), small businesses, public housing authorities, and nonprofit entities with 501(c)(3) status.
The estimated post date for the NOFO is September 3, 2025, with an application due date projected for November 3, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be announced by July 1, 2026, which is also the estimated project start date. Mary Garcia-Cazarin, Ph.D., from NIAMS is the listed contact person for further inquiries, and she can be reached at 301-451-2937 or via email at mary.garcia-cazarin@nih.gov.
