NIGMS National and Regional Resources (R24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-25-416

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Institutes of Health and specifically the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, has reissued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the NIGMS National and Regional Resources program (R24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed). This initiative supports the development, maintenance, and enhancement of resources that provide access to advanced equipment, technologies, research tools, organisms, software, and services for a substantial multi-state or national biomedical research user base. The purpose of this program is to enable economies of scale and ensure that essential resources are widely available to investigators who may not otherwise have access, while avoiding duplication of services supported by other NIH Institutes, Centers, or institutions. The program seeks to fund resources that are already established or those formed by consolidating multiple existing facilities. It is not intended to support major new research and development, nor does it cover stand-alone databases or repositories of clinical biospecimens. Eligible resources must fall within program areas supported by NIGMS, provide access without regard to specific biomedical focus, and commit to maintaining state-of-the-art standards. Each resource must also establish strong outreach, training activities, and online accessibility, dedicating at least 75 percent of instrument time to open access use. While fees for service are permitted if justified, the priority remains broad access for NIH-supported and U.S.-based academic researchers. Applications are allowed for new projects, renewals, and revisions. Application budgets are not capped but must match the proposed project’s actual needs, with project periods permitted for up to five years. Funding is contingent on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications received. The program emphasizes that the Principal Investigator must devote at least 2.4 person-months to the project, while at least one additional senior scientist must devote six person-months, with the two roles filled by separate individuals. The resource must also be overseen by an external scientific advisory board and implement clear quality assurance, staffing, and sustainability plans. Applications are due on fixed deadlines, with the next open date on August 25, 2025. The first application deadline is September 25, 2025, followed by cycles closing on June 15, 2026, and June 14, 2027. Reviews are conducted by NIH peer review groups, with scientific merit review, advisory council evaluation, and subsequent award decisions. Awards from the first cycle are expected to begin as early as July 2026. This opportunity will expire on June 15, 2027. Applications must be submitted electronically through ASSIST, institutional S2S systems, or Grants.gov Workspace. Conformance to NIH’s How to Apply – Application Guide and all program-specific instructions is mandatory. The evaluation criteria focus on the significance of the resource for the research community, the experience and qualifications of personnel, innovation in operations and outreach, the adequacy of organizational structure, and long-term sustainability. Reviewers also assess whether a resource demonstrates impact by supporting at least 100 users annually, or otherwise provides strong justification for a smaller user base. Plans for quality control, broad access, user training, and dissemination will weigh heavily in review. Successful applicants are expected to provide annual performance and utilization reports through the RPPR. Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, special district governments, tribal governments, independent school districts, housing authorities, and other organizations such as faith-based or community-based groups. Non-domestic entities and foreign components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. All applicants must complete required registrations including SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. Individuals with the necessary skills and resources may serve as PD/PI, provided they meet the effort commitments outlined. Contact information for applicants includes program questions directed to the NIGMS R24 Mailbox at R24Mailbox@nigms.nih.gov. Peer review inquiries should be directed to FOAReviewContact@csr.nih.gov. Financial or grants management questions may be addressed to Dina Wilson at dina.wilson@nih.gov. Technical support for submissions is available through the eRA Service Desk or Grants.gov Support Center. Applicants are encouraged to begin registration processes well in advance and to apply early to avoid last-minute issues.

Apply early to allow time for corrections; ensure compliance with NIH Application Guide; include required staffing commitments; develop sustainability and outreach plans; provide evidence of resource utilization and impact