Kidney Precision Medicine Project Recruitment Sites

The National Institutes of Health, through its National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), has announced a forecasted opportunity titled Kidney Precision Medicine Project Recruitment Sites. This grant opportunity is being developed to continue and expand the Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP), an initiative launched in 2017 to collect and analyze human kidney biopsy tissue with the goal of uncovering novel molecular pathways responsible for chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury. The project was previously expanded in 2022 to strengthen participant recruitment and improve tissue interrogation methods. The current extension reflects recommendations from an external evaluation committee convened in February 2025, which advised extending the KPMP for another five years. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support both recruitment sites and tissue interrogation sites that contribute to the KPMP’s goals. Recruitment sites will focus on enrolling new participants, conducting kidney biopsies, and collecting longitudinal clinical and observational data. Tissue interrogation sites will apply advanced technologies and methodologies under strict quality standards to analyze biopsy samples. A single U24 award will be designated to manage clinical and data coordination, integration, analysis, and sharing across the consortium, ensuring collaboration and data standardization. Altogether, the coordinated efforts will support the continued engagement of existing participants, while adding over 500 new enrollees, thereby increasing the statistical power and depth of analyses. The funding will be distributed through cooperative agreements using U01 and U24 activity codes, reflecting the highly collaborative nature of this research program. Up to 14 U01 awards are anticipated for recruitment and tissue interrogation sites, and one U24 award will cover coordination functions. The program is expected to disburse an estimated $4,000,000 in total funding. Specific award ceilings and floors have not yet been published. The projected award start date is July 1, 2027, with awards being made in June 2027. The project is expected to continue for five years from that point. Applications are forecasted to open on May 5, 2026, with a closing date of September 15, 2026. There are currently no references to pre-application requirements such as a letter of intent or concept paper. Since this is a forecasted opportunity, the details may be updated once the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is published. Interested applicants should monitor Grants.gov and NIH announcements for updates, including any required pre-application materials, submission formats, or evaluation criteria. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes state governments, county governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, other for-profit organizations, independent school districts, public housing authorities, and both federally recognized and non-federally recognized Native American tribal organizations. Faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, regional organizations, federal agencies, and U.S. territories are also eligible. This wide eligibility framework ensures that a diverse group of institutions can contribute to the ambitious objectives of the KPMP. Applications will be submitted electronically through Grants.gov once the official posting is available. Proposals are expected to outline capacity for recruitment or tissue interrogation, describe methodologies, and demonstrate commitment to collaborative data analysis and sharing. Awardees will be required to adhere to stringent quality control measures and engage in consortium-level discussions and decision-making. Questions regarding the opportunity may be directed to the program official, Dr. Debbie S. Gipson, at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, via email at Debbie.Gipson@nih.gov or by phone at 301-480-2268.