Pilot Projects Enhancing Utility and Usage of Common Fund Data Sets (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA RM 22 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 22 007

The NIH Common Fund has produced a number of high-value, broadly accessible data sets through multiple Common Fund programs, and this grant opportunity is designed to help the research community get more scientific and practical value out of those resources. The Pilot Projects Enhancing Utility and Usage of Common Fund Data Sets program (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-RM-22-007) uses the NIH R03 mechanism and is explicitly limited to projects that do not involve clinical trials. In plain terms, NIH is looking for short, focused pilot studies that actively use selected Common Fund data sets to demonstrate what can be learned from them, surface new hypotheses, and accelerate discovery. A key theme is usefulness: applicants are expected not only to analyze or integrate these data in creative ways, but also to generate insights about how usable the data are in real research workflows and to share feedback that can improve the data resources for everyone.

The work supported under this announcement is meant to be exploratory and catalytic rather than large-scale and definitive. Successful projects would typically show, through a concrete example, how a Common Fund data set can answer an important question, enable a novel analytical approach, or be combined with other information to reveal patterns that were not obvious before. The emphasis on "enhancing utility and usage" signals that NIH values practical outcomes such as clearer documentation, identification of gaps or inconsistencies, development or demonstration of methods that make the data easier to analyze, and lessons learned that can guide future users. In addition to scientific findings, awardees are expected to provide structured feedback on the strengths, limitations, and overall user experience of the Common Fund data resources they used, which helps NIH improve access, interoperability, and downstream impact.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the health category (CFDA 93.310) offered by the National Institutes of Health. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, consistent with the small, pilot nature of the R03 activity. The opportunity was created on December 9, 2021, with an original closing date of February 18, 2022. While the notice does not specify the exact number of expected awards in the excerpt provided, the structure and budget cap indicate NIH intended to fund multiple small projects that collectively test and showcase different ways of extracting value from Common Fund data.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, there are clear limits related to foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, but "foreign components" (as NIH defines them in its Grants Policy Statement) are allowed, meaning certain internationally performed elements may be permissible when appropriately justified and structured within an eligible applicant organization.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as NIH investing in practical demonstration projects that make Common Fund data sets more actionable. It supports teams that can both produce meaningful pilot scientific results and serve the broader community by documenting what worked, what did not, and what would make these shared data resources easier to use, more interoperable, and more impactful for future discovery.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pilot Projects Enhancing Utility and Usage of Common Fund Data Sets (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-12-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-02-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA RM 22 007

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: