Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 21 001
The NIA Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) funding opportunity (RFA-AG-21-001) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant designed to strengthen and formalize collaboration across the National Institute on Aging (NIA) network of six different NIA centers programs. The core idea is not to fund a single aging research project in isolation, but to fund the shared structure, coordination, and cross-center activities that make it easier for investigators in different NIA-supported centers to work together. By doing that, NIA aims to get more impact from its existing investments in aging research, accelerate interdisciplinary work, and create sustained connections that continue producing value beyond any single meeting or short-term initiative.
This opportunity uses a U24 cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means the awardee will operate in close partnership with NIH/NIA program staff and follow a more collaborative, milestone-driven style of project management than a standard research grant. The announcement is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," indicating that a clinical trial could be included if it fits the network's goals, but it is not required. In practice, the emphasis is on building a collaborative network and shared infrastructure rather than running a clinical trial as the main deliverable.
The RCCN is expected to support concrete, organized activities that improve coordination and collaboration among the six centers programs. Examples of the kinds of activities NIA highlights include systems for information and data exchange, convenings such as meetings and conferences, support for pilot studies that spark new cross-center projects, and programs that intentionally build the pipeline of talent in aging research (for example, research opportunities for early-career investigators and visiting scholar programs). The network can also support dissemination efforts, meaning structured approaches to sharing findings, tools, methods, or best practices across the centers and to broader communities as appropriate. The critical requirement is that the successful awardee must involve all six NIA centers programs, ensuring that the network is truly institute-wide rather than limited to a subset of sites or disciplines.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and other Native American tribal organizations. Both nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits) and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) can apply, as can small businesses. The FOA also explicitly points to additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. While foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, which means the lead applicant must be U.S.-based even if certain foreign collaborations are permitted within NIH policy limits.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the NIH health funding activity area, with CFDA number 93.866. The sponsoring agency is NIH (NIA). The original closing date listed for the solicitation was May 29, 2020, and the FOA record shows a creation date of December 3, 2019. The listing includes an award ceiling of $675,000 (as presented in the source data), and it also lists an "ExpectedAwards" figure of 1,000,000 in the provided record, which appears to be a separate planning figure in the dataset rather than a typical "number of awards" field; applicants normally rely on the published FOA and NIH guidance for the authoritative budget and award expectations.
Overall, the RCCN opportunity is best understood as funding the connective tissue of NIA-funded aging research centers: shared platforms, shared planning, shared pilot efforts, and shared investigator development and dissemination activities. The purpose is to make multi-site, multi-disciplinary aging research easier to initiate and sustain, while ensuring that all six NIA centers programs are meaningfully engaged in the network's governance and activities.Apply for RFA AG 21 001
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIA Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2019-12-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $675,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1,000,000 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.
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FAQs: NIA Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) - RFA-AG-21-001
What is the NIA Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) funding opportunity?
The RCCN (RFA-AG-21-001) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) designed to strengthen and formalize collaboration across NIA's network of six different NIA centers programs. Rather than funding one standalone aging research project, it supports shared structure, coordination, and cross-center activities that help investigators work together across centers.
What is the main goal of RCCN funding?
The main goal is to fund the "connective tissue" across NIA-supported centers: shared platforms, shared planning, coordinated activities, and cross-center efforts that make multi-site, interdisciplinary aging research easier to start and sustain. NIA's intent is to increase impact from existing investments, accelerate interdisciplinary work, and build durable collaborations that last beyond short-term events.
Is this grant intended to fund a single research project?
No. The emphasis is not on supporting one isolated aging research project. The focus is on funding the shared infrastructure and organized, cross-center activities that enable multiple investigators and centers to collaborate more effectively.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses a U24 cooperative agreement mechanism. A U24 typically involves close partnership with NIH/NIA program staff and a more collaborative, milestone-driven management approach than a standard research grant.
What does "cooperative agreement" mean in practice for RCCN?
Because RCCN is a U24 cooperative agreement, the awardee is expected to work in close collaboration with NIH/NIA program staff. The project is generally managed in a more coordinated and milestone-oriented way than many traditional grants, reflecting the network-building nature of the work.
Are clinical trials required under this FOA?
No. The announcement is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning a clinical trial could be included if it fits the network's goals, but it is not required. The primary emphasis is on building collaborative network structure and shared infrastructure.
What types of activities does RCCN support?
The RCCN is expected to support concrete, organized activities that improve coordination and collaboration among the six centers programs. Examples highlighted by NIA include:
- Systems for information and data exchange
- Convenings such as meetings and conferences
- Support for pilot studies that spark new cross-center projects
- Programs that build the talent pipeline in aging research (e.g., early-career opportunities and visiting scholar programs)
- Dissemination efforts to share findings, tools, methods, or best practices across centers and to broader communities, as appropriate
Does the RCCN allow support for pilot studies?
Yes. The opportunity description explicitly includes support for pilot studies as an example of an activity that can spark new cross-center projects and strengthen collaboration.
Does RCCN include training or investigator development components?
It can. The opportunity description includes activities intended to build the pipeline of talent in aging research, such as research opportunities for early-career investigators and visiting scholar programs.
Is dissemination part of what RCCN can fund?
Yes. The network can support dissemination efforts, described as structured approaches to sharing findings, tools, methods, or best practices across the centers and to broader communities as appropriate.
How many NIA centers programs must be involved?
All six NIA centers programs must be involved. A critical requirement is that the successful awardee meaningfully involves all six programs so the network is institute-wide rather than limited to a subset of sites or disciplines.
Who is eligible to apply for RCCN?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include:
- State, county, and local governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other Native American tribal organizations
- Nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3))
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses are also listed as eligible)
Are small businesses eligible to apply?
Yes. Small businesses are listed as eligible applicants for this funding opportunity.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations are listed as eligible, including small businesses and also for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Are minority-serving institutions and other specific institution types mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly points to additional eligible applicant categories, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), and others.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed among the additional eligible applicant categories.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible federal agencies are explicitly included in the additional eligible applicant categories listed in the opportunity description.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among the additional eligible applicant categories.
Can a non-U.S. organization apply as the lead applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. The lead applicant must be U.S.-based.
Are foreign components allowed at all?
Foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, but non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. In other words, the applicant organization must be U.S.-based even if certain foreign collaborations may be permitted within NIH policy limits.
Which agency and institute sponsor RCCN?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed with CFDA number 93.866.
What funding category and activity area is RCCN associated with?
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the NIH health funding activity area.
What is the award ceiling listed in the source information?
The listing includes an award ceiling of $675,000 (as presented in the source data provided).
What does the "ExpectedAwards" figure of 1,000,000 mean?
The provided record lists an "ExpectedAwards" figure of 1,000,000, but the description notes this appears to be a separate planning figure in the dataset rather than a typical "number of awards" field. Applicants are generally expected to rely on the published FOA and NIH guidance for authoritative budget and award expectations.
What were the key dates shown for this funding opportunity record?
The FOA record shows a creation date of December 3, 2019, and the original closing date listed for the solicitation was May 29, 2020.
How should applicants think about the overall purpose of RCCN?
RCCN is best understood as funding the shared structures and activities that connect NIA-funded aging research centers: coordination, shared platforms, shared pilot efforts, investigator development, and dissemination. The overarching purpose is to make cross-center, multi-disciplinary aging research easier to initiate and sustain while ensuring that all six NIA centers programs are meaningfully engaged in governance and activities.
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