The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a Notice of Intent to publish a forthcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). This anticipated FOA will invite applications for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs) for fiscal year 2026. These centers are aimed at enhancing the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and mitigation of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through integrated research programs.
The planned funding opportunity will employ the P50 activity code, which is designated for specialized centers supporting multiple research projects under a single grant. IDDRCs are intended to encourage collaboration among basic, translational, and clinical researchers to push forward comprehensive IDD research. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary efforts to achieve more significant scientific breakthroughs and facilitate the translation of discoveries into clinical applications.
The total estimated funding available for this initiative is $18,000,000, with an expected 12 awards to be made. Although the award ceiling and floor have not yet been specified, the FOA will not require any cost-sharing or matching contributions from applicants. The announcement indicates the NIH's intention to support centers that can effectively unify and advance research capabilities across various aspects of IDD.
Eligible applicants will include a broad range of organizations such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, state and local government entities, Native American tribal organizations (both federally recognized and others), as well as public housing and independent school districts. The NIH encourages potential applicants to use this advance notice period to establish collaborative partnerships and develop strong proposals that align with the program’s objectives.
Key estimated dates include the posting of the full FOA by July 25, 2025, an application due date of October 15, 2025, and awards anticipated by July 1, 2026, which also marks the expected project start date. The forecast status of this opportunity implies that applications are not being accepted at this time.
For further information, applicants can contact Dr. Melissa A. Parisi at 301-435-6880 or via email at parisima@mail.nih.gov or NichdIDDRCProgram@nih.gov. This notice serves to provide sufficient time for the research community to prepare competitive and collaborative applications for the upcoming funding cycle.
