NIMHD Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training (MHRT) Program (T37 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA MD 25 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MD 25 001

The NIMHD Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training (MHRT) Program (T37; Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health grant opportunity designed to build and strengthen the pipeline of researchers working in minority health and health disparities. The central goal is to support structured research training experiences that prepare individuals from diverse backgrounds, including populations underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences research, to pursue careers focused on understanding and reducing health disparities. The program is anchored at domestic (U.S.-based) institutions and emphasizes mentored research training as a way to expand the workforce and deepen research capacity in this area.

The program supports research training activities for multiple trainee levels, including undergraduate students, graduate students, clinical residents, research fellows, and postdoctoral trainees. A key feature is that training experiences may occur at U.S. institutions and/or at specified international locations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but the applicant organization itself must be U.S.-based. In other words, trainees can potentially gain global or cross-context experience in approved LMIC settings when aligned with the program rules, but foreign institutions cannot serve as the applicant, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. This keeps the administrative and programmatic leadership domestic while still allowing certain international training placements where permitted.

Eligibility to apply includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other eligible organizations as allowed under the NOFO. The announcement explicitly highlights eligibility for several institution types that commonly serve historically underrepresented communities, including 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), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). The intent is to encourage applications from institutions that are well positioned to recruit, train, and mentor trainees from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, while also strengthening institutional capacity to conduct minority health and health disparities research.

This opportunity is issued by the National Institutes of Health and administered under a discretionary grant mechanism. The funding opportunity number is RFA-MD-25-001, and it falls under health-related funding activity categories associated with CFDA/assistance listing numbers 93.307 and 93.989. The maximum award amount listed is $250,000 (award ceiling). The posting indicates an original closing date of January 10, 2025, with a creation date of November 13, 2024. While the summary information provided does not specify the exact number of expected awards, the program structure and funding cap suggest competitive, training-focused awards intended to support organized cohorts and mentored research experiences rather than independent clinical intervention trials.

A critical limitation is embedded in the mechanism itself: "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." That means the supported training and associated research experiences must be structured so they do not propose or conduct clinical trials as defined by NIH. Training can still involve rigorous research in minority health and health disparities, including observational, behavioral, social science, data-driven, or other non-trial research approaches, but applicants need to ensure the proposed activities stay within NIH rules for a non-clinical-trial training program.

Overall, this NOFO is aimed at expanding the diversity and preparedness of the health disparities research workforce by funding well-structured, mentored research training programs led by U.S. institutions, with potential for some training experiences in approved LMIC sites, and with a clear prohibition on proposing clinical trials under this award.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIMHD Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training (MHRT) Program (T37 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): 93.307, 93.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-10. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for RFA MD 25 001

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