Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRC)

The Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers program is a forecasted federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity number is RFA-HD-28-004, and the Assistance Listing is 93.865, Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research. The program is a renewal of the Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers and continues a legislatively mandated Centers of Excellence program intended to expand and intensify research on muscular dystrophy. The forecast identifies the funding instrument as a grant and the category of funding activity as Health. The program supports Centers that advance basic, translational, and clinical muscular dystrophy research through interdisciplinary collaboration and shared resources for the research community. The Centers are intended to support innovative, center-based projects that would be less effective as stand-alone grants. The program also seeks to provide strong training environments for emerging scientists. In addition to research activities, Centers engage patient and advocacy communities to raise research awareness, encourage participation, and ensure that patient-centered perspectives inform study design and conduct. The forecast lists an award ceiling of 1000000 and an expected number of three awards. No award floor or estimated total program funding is provided in the source. Cost sharing or matching is explicitly identified as not required. The forecast does not provide further details concerning indirect cost limitations, subaward limits, individual budget categories, or a stated period of performance. The estimated award date is July 1, 2028, and the estimated project start date is also July 1, 2028. Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations and governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education, small businesses, and for profit organizations other than small businesses. The additional eligibility information also identifies eligible agencies of the Federal Government, U.S. Territories or Possessions, faith-based or community-based organizations, and regional organizations as eligible applicants. This opportunity is currently a forecast rather than an open solicitation. The forecast was issued August 20, 2026 and was last updated on that date. The estimated posting date is July 30, 2027, which is treated as the anticipated application opening date based on the information currently available. The estimated application due date is October 1, 2027. Because the anticipated posting and application deadline are both in the future, the opportunity is in an early engagement stage rather than presently accepting applications. The source does not identify a letter of intent, concept paper, notice of intent, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating requirement. It also does not provide application forms, narrative questions, required uploads, evaluation criteria, or detailed submission mechanics beyond the Grants.gov opportunity context. The estimated award date is July 1, 2028, and the estimated project start date is July 1, 2028, for fiscal year 2028. The source does not state that this funding opportunity will recur annually, biennially, quarterly, or on another established schedule, so no recurrence is recorded. Questions concerning the forecast may be directed by email to the NICHD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch at NICHD_IDDB_NOFOs@mail.nih.gov. No individual grantor contact name or telephone number is provided. Because this is a forecasted opportunity, additional application requirements, review criteria, submission instructions, and funding details may become available when the full opportunity is posted.

Align the proposed Center with basic, translational, or clinical muscular dystrophy research and demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and shared research resources. Emphasize innovative center-based projects that would be less effective as stand-alone grants, provide a strong training environment for emerging scientists, and engage patient and advocacy communities so patient-centered perspectives inform study design and conduct.