Leadership Group for a Clinical Research Network on Antibacterial Resistance (UM1 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA AI 18 036

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 18 036

This National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity, RFA-AI-18-036, seeks applications to continue the Leadership Group (LG) for a Clinical Research Network focused on antibacterial resistance (AR). The overall goal is to sustain and advance a coordinated clinical research program that can develop, implement, and manage studies answering important, real-world clinical questions related to AR. The award uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (UM1) and is labeled "Clinical Trial Required," which signals that the funded program is expected to conduct clinical trials as part of its core mission, with substantial NIH involvement typical of cooperative agreements. The opportunity sits in the health category under CFDA 93.855, reflecting its alignment with infectious diseases and public health priorities.

The LG is described as a single, cohesive program that depends on tight integration among four distinct but complementary centers, each with a defined role that together supports end-to-end clinical research execution. The Scientific Leadership Center (SLC) provides scientific direction and prioritization, shaping the network's research agenda in AR and guiding protocol concepts toward feasible, high-impact studies. The Clinical Operations Center (COC) handles the operational backbone needed to run multi-site clinical research, including study start-up, site management, regulatory coordination, participant enrollment processes, training, monitoring, and overall trial conduct. The Laboratory Center (LC) supports microbiology and other laboratory functions essential to AR research, such as pathogen identification, susceptibility testing, molecular characterization, and standardized methods that ensure lab results are comparable across sites. The Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC) is responsible for study design support, randomization and statistical planning, data systems, data quality controls, interim and final analyses, and data reporting, ensuring that network trials generate reliable evidence that can inform clinical practice and policy.

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organizational types that commonly participate in NIH-funded clinical research, including state, county, city, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories 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, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws clear boundaries around foreign participation: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain international collaborations or activities if they meet NIH definitions and requirements, even though the applicant organization itself must be domestic.

In practical terms, this FOA is aimed at organizations capable of running a national-scale, multi-center clinical research network infrastructure rather than a single standalone project. Applicants would be expected to demonstrate the ability to provide coordinated scientific leadership, operational trial execution, high-quality laboratory support, and rigorous data and statistical management in an integrated way across the four centers. The cooperative agreement structure implies close coordination with NIH program staff on priorities, study selection, and network performance, with the expectation that the LG will continuously generate and execute studies addressing pressing challenges in antibacterial resistance.

Key administrative details included in the source information are an original closing date of January 3, 2019, and an award ceiling of $10,000,000. The listing indicates the anticipated number of awards was not specified in the provided extract. The FOA was created on July 9, 2018, and is administered by NIH under a discretionary funding category, consistent with competitive, peer-reviewed federal research funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Leadership Group for a Clinical Research Network on Antibacterial Resistance (UM1 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-07-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-03. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
• 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 AI 18 036

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: