Early-stage Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The Early-stage Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases grant, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports the development of new or early-stage data repositories and knowledgebases that aim to advance biomedical research. Administered by the Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS), with participation from various NIH Institutes, this funding opportunity is designed to facilitate the creation, piloting, or transition of data resources to community-adopted, standards-based platforms. These efforts align with NIH’s broader vision for a modernized, FAIR-compliant (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) biomedical data ecosystem. NIH differentiates between two types of data resources: repositories and knowledgebases. Data repositories are systems that ingest, validate, preserve, and distribute data, while knowledgebases extract, annotate, and link information from existing datasets. This program specifically supports early-stage resources—either entirely new initiatives or transitions of investigator-led efforts to more formal, sustainable operations. Projects consolidating multiple existing data repositories or knowledgebases may also be eligible. Applicants must clearly identify the resource type in their proposal and provide strong justification for its significance, community need, and expected scientific impact. The initiative encourages applications that support data resources spanning molecular to population-level biomedical research, including social and behavioral data. Although software development is allowed, it must be strictly limited to essential operations or efficiency gains. Applications must not propose clinical trials, experimental data generation, or tool development as the primary focus. Other ineligible activities include sample collections, challenges or competitions, and projects not aligned with the mission of a participating NIH Institute or Center. Funding is available through the R24 mechanism for up to four years, with a maximum annual direct cost of $350,000. Multiple Institutes, such as NINDS and NHGRI, plan to support up to two awards per fiscal year. While cost sharing is not required, applicants must submit detailed budgets and include annual travel to an NIH program meeting. Applications undergo NIH's two-level peer review process, with scoring based on scientific significance, innovation, governance, community engagement, operational efficiency, and alignment with FAIR principles. Resources must commit to public documentation, long-term preservation strategies, and include transition plans for future stewardship. The application process follows NIH's standard submission guidelines, with components including a project narrative, project management plan, governance framework, and community engagement strategy. Letters of Intent are strongly encouraged but not mandatory, and should be submitted 60 days prior to the due date. Applicants may use ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institution-specific systems for submission. Applications that combine repository and knowledgebase functions, are duplicative, or fall outside the stated scope will not be reviewed. Application cycles are recurring, with deadlines on January 25 and September 25 annually through January 25, 2026. Letters of Intent are due approximately two months prior to each application deadline. Awards are announced following the NIH peer review and advisory council process, with earliest project start dates set for several months after submission. For questions, applicants may contact the Office of Data Science Strategy at drkb-foa@nih.gov or refer to additional guidance in the full funding announcement.

Emphasize FAIR data practices, community engagement, and governance readiness; clearly distinguish between repository vs knowledgebase applications; ensure scope aligns with NIH IC priorities