Forecast to Renew the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Multiple Chronic Disease Research Centers

The Forecast to Renew the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Multiple Chronic Disease Research Centers is issued by the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. This forecasted opportunity signals an upcoming renewal of a prior funding initiative designed to support comprehensive research centers focused on multiple chronic diseases. As a forecast notice, it is intended to provide advance awareness to potential applicants so they can begin forming collaborations and preparing competitive proposals prior to the official release of the full funding announcement. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to establish and support regional research centers that address the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of multiple chronic diseases. These centers are expected to focus on conditions that commonly co-occur or share underlying risk factors, etiological pathways, or social determinants of health. The initiative emphasizes improving health outcomes among both pediatric and adult populations, particularly those experiencing health disparities. Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory conditions are highlighted as key areas of concern due to their significant contribution to morbidity and mortality in the United States. Funding under this opportunity is intended to support innovative and comprehensive research approaches. Applicants are expected to propose projects that either develop and test new models or strategies, or implement and evaluate existing evidence-based interventions across various settings, including healthcare systems and community environments. The program encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating expertise from clinical research, behavioral science, health services, implementation science, and community-engaged research. Emphasis is placed on research designs that are replicable, reproducible, and generalizable, ensuring that findings can be applied broadly to improve public health outcomes. The funding mechanism for this opportunity is expected to utilize the P50 activity code, which typically supports specialized center grants requiring substantial coordination across multiple projects and cores. While specific funding limits per award are not provided in the forecast, the total estimated program funding is $55,000,000 with approximately 11 awards anticipated. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement indicated, which lowers financial barriers for applicants. Allowable uses of funds will likely include personnel, research activities, data collection, intervention implementation, and administrative support necessary to operate a multi-component research center. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive, encompassing a wide range of entity types. Eligible applicants include state and county governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, tribal governments and organizations, public housing authorities, and independent school districts. This inclusive approach reflects the program’s emphasis on cross-sector collaboration and the need for diverse institutional participation to address complex chronic disease challenges. The application timeline is currently estimated, with the official posting expected around May 16, 2025, and the application due date projected for July 25, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be made by September 30, 2025, with project start dates aligned to the same timeframe. As this is a forecast notice, applications are not yet being accepted, and no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent are specified at this stage. Interested applicants are encouraged to use this advance notice period to build partnerships and develop strong proposals in anticipation of the formal announcement. Contact information for this opportunity is provided through a named program officer, Dolly Penn, who is affiliated with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Applicants may reach out via email or phone for additional guidance once the official funding announcement is released. Overall, this forecast represents a significant federal investment in advancing research infrastructure and evidence-based interventions to address the growing burden of multiple chronic diseases across diverse populations in the United States.