The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute on Aging (NIA), has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) inviting applications for the Centers on the Demography and Economics of Aging (D&E Centers), including Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). This funding aims to support Research and Development Centers that advance interdisciplinary social science research related to aging, focusing on demography, economics, and related fields. This opportunity is open for both new and renewal applications, with the option to include clinical trials. The funding opportunity is identified by the number RFA-AG-25-007 and is reissued from previous announcements RFA-AG-20-001 and RFA-AG-20-002.
The purpose of this funding is to establish or renew D&E Centers that seed new lines of research in aging, particularly in population-based social science areas. The program emphasizes the integration of approaches addressing health disparities and seeks to identify and engage scholars across different disciplines, career stages, and institutions. The award uses a phased approach, with 2 years dedicated to development activities followed by 4 years of expanded activities.
The NIA intends to allocate approximately $9,000,000 in FY2025 for 9 to 12 general aging-related awards and $2,250,000 for 2 to 4 awards focused on AD/ADRD. The maximum award budget for each application is capped at $600,000 in first-year direct costs, with a project period of up to 6 years. The key deadline for application submissions is January 10, 2025, with funding decisions expected by September 2025.
The D&E Centers must propose research in one or more population-based social science aging themes, including but not limited to health disparities, social determinants of health, economic consequences of aging, and caregiving for dementia. The Centers are required to establish three cores: an Administrative and Research Support Core (Core A), a Program Development (Pilot) Core (Core B), and a Communication and Dissemination Core (Core C). Optional cores, such as an External Research Network Core (Core D) and a Remote Data Enclave Core (Core F), may also be included.
Eligibility is broad, allowing public and private higher education institutions, non-profits, for-profit entities, and various governmental agencies to apply. Notably, the Centers should demonstrate substantial pre-existing research activities in population aging at the applicant institution(s). Collaboration among institutions with complementary expertise is encouraged, particularly to engage underrepresented groups and emerging scholars.
Applications must address how the proposed Center will meet milestones at the end of Phase 1, including establishing a public-facing website, initiating an Emerging Scholars Pilot Projects program, organizing advisory board meetings, and reporting progress. If milestones are not met by the end of Phase 1, the NIA may choose to terminate the award or adjust the project’s scope. The second phase will involve scaling activities based on the achievements of Phase 1 and will not require a new application submission.
Submissions must adhere to strict NIH guidelines and be filed through the NIH ASSIST system or another approved institutional solution. The full application package includes multiple components such as the Overall Research Plan, timelines, and detailed budgets. Applications that do not comply with specific requirements, such as failing to establish the necessary cores or not dedicating sufficient resources to the Emerging Scholars Program, will be deemed non-responsive and withdrawn from consideration.
For more detailed information, including submission guidelines and resources for applicants, NIH encourages early consultations and reference to the accompanying guides such as the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy and the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework.
