Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) Planning Grants

The Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) Planning Grants program is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). It is a discretionary funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program aims to support the development of competitive NARCH applications by assisting federally-recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes and Tribal entities in planning and preparatory efforts. The primary objective of the NARCH Planning Grants is to enable eligible Tribal organizations to conduct preliminary activities necessary for the preparation of robust research proposals. These grants are targeted at organizations that have not previously received a NARCH S06 award and are not currently holding an active NARCH Planning Grant, including those in a no-cost extension phase. Funding is anticipated to begin on April 1, 2026, with the estimated award date matching the project start date. The estimated post date for the funding opportunity is June 6, 2025, and the application due date is set for July 7, 2025. As a forecasted opportunity, specific details such as total funding amount, award ceiling, and floor are not yet provided. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as state governments, county governments, public housing authorities, higher education institutions, for-profit and non-profit organizations, school districts, small businesses, and specifically Tribal organizations. However, eligibility is strictly limited to federally-recognized Tribes or Tribal entities that have not previously received certain NARCH awards. The contact for this funding opportunity is Dr. Crina Frincu from NIGMS, who can be reached via email at cfrincu@mail.nih.gov or by phone at 301-451-8786. The grant is categorized under health-related funding and is listed under the assistance listing number 93.859 for Biomedical Research and Research Training.