Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases - Fostering the AdvanceMent of an Interactive Learning communitY - Coordinating Center (KUH-FAMILY)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released a forecasted funding opportunity under the Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (KUH) at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). This initiative is titled “Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases - Fostering the AdvanceMent of an Interactive Learning communitY - Coordinating Center (KUH-FAMILY).” The program represents an effort to establish a single Coordinating Center to bring together and strengthen the institutional and individual training and career development programs already supported by NIDDK in these mission areas. The KUH-FAMILY Coordinating Center will serve as the central hub for uniting diverse training and career development efforts that focus on kidney, urologic, and hematologic disease research. Its purpose is to harmonize and integrate training programs across career stages, thereby creating a highly connected national community of researchers dedicated to these areas. The program is designed to recruit new talent, provide mentorship and training, and foster the retention of skilled researchers across various career trajectories. Through this effort, NIH seeks to build a sustained and interactive learning community that strengthens the scientific pipeline for these disciplines. This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, reflecting the substantial involvement NIH will have in supporting and guiding the Coordinating Center’s activities. The award ceiling and floor are not specified in the forecasted notice, but the estimated total program funding is $2,000,000. One award is expected to be made. This funding may be used to support eligible activities that align with the Coordinating Center’s goals of unifying and harmonizing training and career development initiatives within the KUH fields. While the specific spending rules are not outlined in the forecast, cooperative agreements generally permit flexible use of funds as long as they directly support the program’s mission and objectives. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes state governments, county and city governments, special district governments, Native American tribal governments (both federally recognized and non-federally recognized), tribal organizations, public housing authorities, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations including small businesses, and other entities such as faith-based, community-based, regional, non-domestic, and foreign institutions. Eligible federal agencies and U.S. territories or possessions may also apply. This wide eligibility scope ensures that a diverse range of organizations may contribute to and benefit from the KUH-FAMILY initiative. The application timeline is forecasted, with an estimated post date of April 1, 2026, and an estimated application due date of July 1, 2026. The estimated award date is January 1, 2027, with a project start date of February 1, 2027. No pre-application deadlines, letters of intent, or concept papers are specified in the notice. The opportunity is not currently accepting applications, as it remains in forecasted status, but it is expected to recur in line with NIH’s ongoing training and research support activities. Applicants should monitor Grants.gov and NIH’s funding announcements for updates as the estimated posting date approaches. Evaluation criteria are not detailed in the forecast but will likely align with NIH’s established peer-review process, which considers scientific merit, the capacity to advance training and development goals, organizational capability, and alignment with the mission of NIDDK. Interested applicants should prepare to demonstrate their ability to coordinate complex, multi-institutional training programs, foster national collaboration, and sustain a learning community across KUH research areas. The designated point of contact for this opportunity is Christine Maric-Bilkan, who can be reached by email at christine.maric-bilkan@nih.gov. Applicants are encouraged to direct questions to the contact for clarification as they prepare to engage with this upcoming funding opportunity. This notice represents a forecast, and further details including finalized application instructions and requirements will be provided when the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is released.