Collaborative Program Grant for Multidisciplinary Teams

The Collaborative Program Grant for Multidisciplinary Teams (PAR-27-003) is a forecasted opportunity issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This grant initiative reflects the NIH’s commitment to fostering innovative, team-based scientific approaches that are necessary to address complex biomedical challenges. By facilitating collaboration among investigators with complementary expertise, this program aims to push the boundaries of biomedical research beyond the scope of what is possible through individual efforts. The program is managed by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), a key NIH institute that supports fundamental research that increases understanding of biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The primary objective of this program is to support highly integrated multidisciplinary research teams working collaboratively on a single, ambitious, and complex project. The program encourages proposals that demonstrate genuine synergy among the participating investigators—where the combined expertise results in outcomes unattainable by isolated projects. The initiative is intended to promote transformative advances by encouraging far-reaching scientific goals. Successful proposals will reflect a unified vision and well-integrated roles across the research team, with each member contributing uniquely to the overarching objective. In terms of allowable activities, the program supports a broad range of biomedical research and research training activities consistent with the NIGMS mission. Although the specific uses of funds are not detailed in the forecast notice, NIH policies generally allow funding for personnel, equipment, travel, and other direct costs necessary to conduct the proposed research. There are no specified restrictions on cost share or matching requirements for this program, and indeed, the notice explicitly states that no cost sharing or matching is required. Eligibility for this grant is expansive, encompassing a wide variety of organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, and township governments; special district governments; federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribal governments and organizations; public housing authorities; independent school districts; for-profit organizations (both small businesses and others); and nonprofit organizations with or without IRS 501(c)(3) status. Both public and private institutions of higher education are also eligible. Additional eligible entities include regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, faith-based or community-based organizations, and agencies of the federal government. This broad eligibility ensures diverse participation and supports the formation of robust multidisciplinary teams. The application process for this opportunity will open on November 26, 2026, with a submission deadline of January 26, 2027. The projected award date is December 1, 2027, which is also the anticipated project start date. No pre-application or gating mechanism such as a Letter of Intent or Concept Paper is required for submission. Because this is a forecasted opportunity with a regular anticipated cycle, it is expected that the opportunity will recur annually or at regular intervals, though this is not explicitly confirmed. Evaluation criteria, application components, and submission platforms are not yet detailed in the forecast notice. However, given NIH's standard practices, applicants can anticipate requirements such as a detailed research plan, budget justification, biosketches of key personnel, and compliance with NIH submission protocols via Grants.gov or eRA Commons. Contact for this opportunity is directed to the NIGMS Collaborative Program Grant team via the email address [email protected]. This centralized contact point provides applicants with an avenue for addressing any pre-submission inquiries. In summary, PAR-27-003 is a highly integrative research funding opportunity that reflects NIH’s ongoing efforts to promote collaboration across disciplines in pursuit of major scientific advancements. With its broad eligibility, emphasis on synergistic team science, and substantial support structure, this grant represents a significant opportunity for organizations and investigators to engage in impactful biomedical research.