Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) (U54 - Clinical Trial Optional)

For scientific or research questions:
Nathan Stinson, Jr., PhD, MD, MPH
301.594.8704
stinsonn@mail.nih.gov

Rina Das, PhD
301.496.3996
dasr2@mail.nih.gov

For grants management or budget questions:
Priscilla Grant, JD
301.594.8412
grantp@mail.nih.gov

Peer review contact:
Yujing Liu, MD, PhD
301.827.7815
liuyujin@mail.nih.gov

Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI)(U54) provides grants to institutions that offer doctorate degrees in the health professions or in a health-related science and have a historical and current commitment to educating underrepresented students, and for institutions that provide clinical services to medically underserved communities.

The primary goals of the program are to:

1. Enhance institutional research capacity within the areas of basic biomedical, behavioral, population, and/or clinical research
2. Enable all levels of investigators to become more successful in obtaining competitive extramural support, especially from NIH, particularly on diseases that disproportionately impact populations that experience health disparities
3. Foster environments conducive to career enhancement with a special emphasis on development of new and early career investigators
4. Enhance the tools for and conduct of research generally and specifically for advancing minority health and reducing health disparities
5. Establish sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations to promote research efforts and disseminate research findings

Grantees must enhance institutional research capacity and support the research needs of its investigators. Required and optional core activities are described in the application instructions.

Eligible applicants include:

• Higher education institutions
  • Public/state controlled institutions
  • Private institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
  • With 501(c)(3) status
  • Without 501(c)(3) status
• Governments
  • State
  • County
  • City or township
  • Special districts
  • Federally recognized Indian/Native American tribal governments
  • Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
  • Eligible agencies of the federal government
  • U.S. territory or possession
• Other
  • Small businesses
  • For-profit organizations

Eligible applicants must be a domestic institution located in the United States and its territories that:

1. Have received an average of less than $50,000,000 per year of NIH support for the past 3 fiscal years
2. Awards doctorate degrees in the health professions or the sciences related to health
3. Have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the National Science Foundation

Award ceiling: $3,500,000 per year
Project period: 5 years
Expected number of awards: 10-11

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and online application process are available through grants.gov.

While not required, potential applicants are encouraged to email a letter of intent to liuyujin@mail.nih.gov by November 18, 2023.