HEAL Initiative: Limited Competition for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study Consortium Administrative Core and Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is offering a limited competition funding opportunity titled HEAL Initiative: Limited Competition for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study – Consortium Administrative Core and Data Coordinating Center. This opportunity is part of the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, which is a trans-agency effort to address the opioid crisis and improve understanding of substance use and its impacts on health. The NIH supports biomedical and behavioral research across a wide range of disciplines, and this particular opportunity focuses on advancing longitudinal research related to early brain and child development. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the continuation and coordination of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study, a large-scale, nationwide longitudinal research effort that follows children from birth through childhood. The study aims to understand how early life exposures, particularly prenatal substance exposure, influence brain development, behavior, and long-term health outcomes. The funding will specifically support two critical components of the consortium: the Consortium Administrative Core and the Data Coordinating Center. These components are essential for ensuring the effective management, coordination, and data integrity of the multi-site research network. Funding under this opportunity will be provided through a cooperative agreement mechanism, which indicates substantial involvement by NIH staff in the oversight and execution of the project. Awardees will work collaboratively with NIH scientific staff and other consortium members, including research project sites funded under a companion funding opportunity. The funding is intended to support administrative coordination, data management, integration, and dissemination activities rather than direct clinical trial implementation. As such, clinical trials are not allowed under this specific opportunity. Eligibility for this funding opportunity is highly restricted. Only organizations or their subcontractors that were previously funded under specific prior funding announcements are eligible to apply. Specifically, applicants must have been funded under RFA-DA-21-022 to apply for the Consortium Administrative Core or under RFA-DA-21-023 to apply for the Data Coordinating Center. While the competition is limited, foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations are permitted to participate, reflecting the global relevance of the research. Applicants must adhere strictly to the eligibility requirements outlined in the full funding announcement. The application process follows standard NIH submission procedures, including preparation of a full application package and submission through appropriate federal systems. Applications will undergo peer review in accordance with NIH policies, and only those deemed meritorious based on scientific and technical criteria will be considered for funding. The evaluation will consider factors such as the applicant’s prior experience, proposed approach to coordination and data management, and ability to collaborate effectively within a large research consortium. The timeline for this opportunity includes a posted date of June 10, 2026, and an application deadline of July 10, 2026. Applicants must submit all required materials by the deadline to be considered. Following submission, applications will be reviewed, and funding decisions will be made based on review outcomes and program priorities. The opportunity is not described as recurring, and therefore it is expected to be a one-time or episodic funding announcement tied to the continuation of the existing HBCD study infrastructure.

Emphasize prior experience with NIH-funded consortia and demonstrate strong coordination and data management capabilities; align closely with NIH HEAL Initiative priorities