Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism (INIA) Consortia Research Resource Core (U24) | RFA AA 16 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AA 16 005

The Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism (INIA) Consortia Research Resource Core (U24) funding opportunity (RFA-AA-16-005) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to build and support shared research resources for two INIA consortia focused on alcoholism and alcohol-related neuroscience. Rather than funding standalone research projects, this announcement specifically calls for a research resource core that will provide centralized capabilities, tools, services, and infrastructure that multiple consortium projects can use. The intent is to accelerate progress by coordinating methods and resources across investigators, improving consistency and data comparability, and making it easier for participating teams to share materials, datasets, and specialized expertise.

This FOA sits within a coordinated set of companion announcements that together make up the broader INIA consortium structure. Applicants proposing the actual consortium research projects are directed to the companion U01 announcement (RFA-AA-16-004), while applications for an administrative core (also a U24 mechanism) are directed to RFA-AA-16-006. In practical terms, this U24 is meant to function as the scientific and technical backbone for the consortium, supporting activities that are difficult or inefficient for individual projects to build on their own, such as standardized assays, specialized neurobiological measures, shared analytic pipelines, harmonized protocols, or other cross-cutting resources needed by multiple teams.

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the NIH expects to have substantial involvement during the project period. Cooperative agreements often include close coordination with NIH program staff, participation in consortium steering or coordinating activities, collaborative planning around milestones, and active engagement in data sharing and governance processes. This structure is commonly used when an initiative requires tight integration across sites and projects, shared standards, and ongoing coordination to achieve common consortium goals.

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types and includes state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Eligible applicants also include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses may apply. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign participation is explicitly restricted. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible either. In addition, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed under this opportunity. These restrictions mean the funded core is expected to be entirely U.S.-based, without foreign subcomponents.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the health funding activity category, with CFDA number 93.273. The original closing date listed is March 10, 2016, and the FOA anticipated making about five awards. An explicit award ceiling is not provided in the summary information included, which often indicates that applicants should refer to the full FOA text for budget expectations, allowable cost structures, and any consortium-specific budget guidance.

Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as support for a shared research resource core that enables and strengthens a larger, multi-project INIA consortium on alcoholism. Successful applications would be expected to propose a clear plan for providing high-value, widely used resources to consortium investigators, along with an approach for coordination, quality control, and integration with the companion U01 research projects and the separate administrative core funded under the related FOA.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism (INIA) Consortia Research Resource Core (U24)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2015-09-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-03-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA AA 16 005

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