Limited Competition: Community-Partnered Nursing Research Centers for Schools and Colleges of Nursing with Limited NIH Funding (P20 Clinical Trial Optional)

The Limited Competition: Community-Partnered Nursing Research Centers for Schools and Colleges of Nursing with Limited NIH Funding (P20 Clinical Trial Optional) is a forthcoming funding opportunity forecasted by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NINR supports scientific research that promotes and improves the health of individuals, families, and communities through nursing research. This grant initiative reflects NINR’s focus on building capacity in underfunded academic nursing institutions and fostering meaningful community-engaged health research. The opportunity aims to support P20 Exploratory Centers within Schools or Colleges of Nursing that have received no more than $5 million in total NIH funding (inclusive of direct and indirect costs) in any four of the past seven fiscal years. The overarching objective is to establish and strengthen research infrastructure to enable nursing-led, interdisciplinary research teams to partner with communities in addressing persistent health challenges. The centers will serve as hubs to advance the NINR mission by building community-partnered research expertise and establishing centralized research resources. The P20 program is designed to fund exploratory and developmental efforts that will lay the groundwork for larger-scale, impactful community-engaged studies in the future. While clinical trials are optional under this opportunity, the funded research activities must align with NINR’s priorities and promote collaboration across disciplines and with community stakeholders. Funds may be used to support planning, pilot studies, infrastructure development, research personnel, and community engagement activities necessary to prepare for full-scale research projects. Only institutions awarding research doctoral degrees in nursing and meeting the defined NIH funding threshold are eligible to apply. In addition to higher education institutions, other eligible entities include state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, nonprofits, small and for-profit businesses, public housing authorities, and school districts. This broad eligibility framework is intended to support diverse partnerships and strengthen community ties across various organizational types. Applications are anticipated to open on June 13, 2025, with a closing deadline of December 13, 2025. Award decisions are expected by July 1, 2026, which is also the estimated project start date. The opportunity is not offered on a rolling basis, but it is expected to recur annually based on the estimated fiscal year cycle and NIH’s standard practice. The next anticipated cycle would thus open in June 2026. Applicants seeking more information or with questions regarding eligibility or project fit may contact Dr. Karen A. Kehl, PhD, RN at the National Institute of Nursing Research. She can be reached by phone at 301-594-8010 or by email at karen.kehl@nih.gov. The forecast was last updated on May 9, 2025, and was first released on the same date, giving applicants over six months to prepare proposals that meet the grant’s aims of advancing equitable, community-partnered nursing research capacity.