Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health

The Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health is a federal funding opportunity administered by the Office of Minority Health within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This initiative is rooted in the agency’s broader mission to improve the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minority populations through targeted programs and policy development. The program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act and reflects a continued federal commitment to addressing persistent health disparities affecting American Indian and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. The primary purpose of this opportunity is to support comprehensive, evidence-based projects that address chronic disease burdens and healthcare access gaps within Indigenous populations. Funded projects are expected to focus on conditions such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and related chronic diseases. The program emphasizes culturally grounded, community-informed strategies that integrate Indigenous knowledge systems with scientifically validated interventions. Projects must focus exclusively on one population group, either American Indian and Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations, and cannot serve both simultaneously. Funding under this opportunity is delivered through cooperative agreements, allowing for substantial involvement from the federal agency in project oversight and implementation. The total estimated funding available is two million dollars, with individual awards ranging from five hundred thousand to one million dollars. The anticipated number of awards is between two and four, and the period of performance is expected to last up to twenty-four months. Funds may be used for research, education, service delivery, partnership development, technical assistance, and dissemination activities, but must align with federal cost principles and restrictions. Pre-award costs are not permitted, and construction expenses are explicitly disallowed. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes public and private nonprofit entities located within the United States and its territories, as well as tribal governments and organizations. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status. While cost sharing is not required, applicants must demonstrate strong organizational capacity, relevant experience, and the ability to implement culturally responsive and evidence-based interventions. Applicants may submit multiple proposals, provided each addresses a distinct project. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes standard federal forms, a detailed project narrative, appendices, and a comprehensive budget package. The project narrative must address key components such as the significance of the project, goals and measurable outcomes, implementation plan, organizational capacity, evaluation methods, and dissemination strategy. Applications are subject to strict formatting and page limitations, and failure to comply may result in disqualification. A technical assistance webinar is scheduled to support applicants, and additional guidance is available through the funding announcement. Applications will be evaluated through a multi-stage review process that includes eligibility screening, responsiveness assessment, and merit review by an independent panel of experts. Evaluation criteria include the strength of the project need, clarity of goals and outcomes, feasibility of the proposed approach, organizational capacity, and rigor of the evaluation plan. Final funding decisions also consider geographic distribution and risk assessments. Awards are expected to be announced prior to the anticipated project start date, with successful applicants receiving a formal Notice of Award outlining all terms and conditions. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is July 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated award date and project start date are both September 29, 2026. This opportunity does not explicitly indicate recurring cycles, and applicants should treat it as a standalone funding round unless otherwise announced. Additional contact information for program inquiries is provided within the official notice.

Ensure strong measurable outcomes and culturally grounded evidence-based frameworks; align with CLAS standards; demonstrate partnerships and evaluation rigor