Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for EmbraceHealth Clinical Research Network to Reduce Health Disparities Coordinating Center

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is planning to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under the opportunity number FOR-MD-25-009. This forthcoming opportunity will solicit applications for the role of Coordinating Center within the EmbraceHealth Clinical Research Network. The EmbraceHealth initiative aims to create and sustain a flexible and effective research infrastructure to address pressing health disparities through scientifically rigorous and scalable clinical and behavioral interventions. As part of the EmbraceHealth Clinical Research Network, the Coordinating Center will play a pivotal role in supporting the operations of multiple research sites across the country. The EmbraceHealth Clinical Research Network is intended to enhance healthcare delivery and bridge clinical practice with scientific research in under-resourced settings. Each site in the network will develop and test interventions aimed at diseases and public health challenges that disproportionately affect marginalized populations. These efforts will focus on feasibility, scalability, and reproducibility, ensuring that research outputs can be practically applied to improve healthcare outcomes. The interventions will be developed using strong methodological designs and will align with the overarching goal of addressing chronic, urgent, and emerging health issues among communities affected by disparities. The Coordinating Center will be responsible for a variety of critical operational functions across the research network. These responsibilities include organizing research activities such as Steering Committee meetings and workgroups, identifying qualified personnel and clinicians to serve on study teams, and developing comprehensive operational manuals and standardized multi-site protocols. This includes guidance on consent and Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes. Furthermore, the Coordinating Center will provide technical and quality control assistance to Clinical Research Network (CRN) sites to ensure effective project implementation. Additional responsibilities of the Coordinating Center include maintaining a centralized data management system to oversee study data in accordance with NIMHD guidance, standardizing protocols for collecting biospecimen and electronic health record (EHR) data, and delivering biostatistical support for the design, implementation, and analysis phases of the studies. The Center will also be instrumental in supporting the infrastructure necessary for electronic data harmonization, sharing of data across sites, and ensuring secure storage of study-related materials. This infrastructure is essential to streamline collaboration across the network and ensure data integrity and compliance. This opportunity will be administered using the U24 Cooperative Agreement mechanism, which signifies a substantial federal involvement in the project. At this stage, the funding opportunity is in a forecasted status, meaning applications are not currently being accepted. However, the estimated publication date for the NOFO is November 28, 2025, with applications due by February 2, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced on July 1, 2026, and projects would begin on September 1, 2026. This lead time is intended to provide prospective applicants with sufficient opportunity to establish meaningful collaborations and to prepare competitive proposals. Eligible applicants for this opportunity include a wide range of entities, such as state governments, county governments, federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, school districts, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, for-profit entities (excluding small businesses), and public housing authorities. The funder encourages collaborative proposals that combine multidisciplinary expertise. For further inquiries, interested parties may contact Dr. Larissa Avilés-Santa at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities via email at avilessantal@nih.gov or phone at 301-827-6924.