Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Institutes of Health and specifically the National Institute on Aging, has reissued a funding opportunity titled Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (P30 Clinical Trial Optional). The program is structured to support centers of excellence in geriatrics research and research education. The goal is to advance scientific knowledge that leads to improved strategies for maintaining or restoring independence among older persons. This Notice of Funding Opportunity follows earlier program announcements and implements updated NIH guidelines and requirements for data management and sharing. The program’s primary objective is to encourage biomedical, social, and behavioral research directed at better understanding the aging process and the conditions and challenges people face as they grow older. Successful applicants must establish an area of focus around which all activities will be organized, ensuring the development of intellectual leadership, innovation, and a multidisciplinary approach. These centers are expected to foster the translation of basic research into clinical applications and to promote the dissemination of findings into healthcare practice. They must also collaborate with other centers and NIH-funded programs, leverage institutional resources, and engage communities to broaden the impact of their work. Each center must include four required components: an overall organizational structure, a Leadership and Administrative Core, a Resource Core, and a Research Education Component. Optional components may include a Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core, an Information Dissemination Core, and a Community Engagement Core. Collectively, these components are designed to support new methods, foster research education, enhance collaboration, and ensure that projects are aligned with the mission of maintaining independence in older Americans. The program also emphasizes attention to health disparities, community outreach, and the incorporation of emerging technologies into research. Applications are accepted from a wide range of eligible U.S. organizations, including higher education institutions, nonprofit and for-profit entities, state and local governments, tribal governments, school districts, and housing authorities. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, and NIH will not consider proposals that include foreign subawards or subcontracts. However, foreign components and collaborations that do not involve monetary subawards remain permissible. Applicants must complete and maintain all standard NIH registrations, including SAM, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, and others, prior to submission. The program anticipates funding approximately four awards in FY 2026, with an additional award in FY 2027. Annual direct costs are capped at $925,000, and the maximum project period is five years. The total anticipated commitment is approximately $5.2 million in 2026 and $1.3 million in 2027. Cost sharing is not required. Applicants may propose new, renewal, or resubmission applications, with clinical trials optional under this mechanism. NIH grants policies, including compliance with the Grants Policy Statement, apply fully to this opportunity. The key application dates are as follows: the posting date is September 10, 2025, and the application open date is September 20, 2025. Applications must be submitted by October 20, 2025, no later than 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. Reviews will be conducted in March 2026, advisory council review in May 2026, and the earliest possible start date is July 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. The expiration date for this announcement is October 21, 2025. All applications must be prepared and submitted electronically using NIH ASSIST or an institutional system-to-system solution, and applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early to address any errors prior to the deadline.